People's Governor prudent on public funds

Chennai: The Raj Bhavan budget is headed for a significant dip as its esteemed occupant, Banwarilal Purohit, is tightfisted and “hates wasting public money”, informed sources said.

“He keeps asking if there are inexpensive alternatives to even well-established practices and privileges. Consequently, we are saving on many things, including drinking water and heavy loads of expensive snacks”, said a source requesting anonymity.

He said the meats have disappeared from the kitchen as the Governor has banned non-vegetarian and even told Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu about it.

The latter reportedly smiled and said, ‘Yes, I have heard of that’. “The Governor has made clear he does not want the bottled mineral water and preferred to have the same R/O water all of us, the staff, consume. Bottled water is kept only for the VVIP guests staying at the Raj Bhavan”, he said.

Another source said Purohit flies economy though he is entitled to business class. “He started doing this during his tenure as the Governor of Assam & Meghalaya,” he said, adding, “Ask him why and he would retort, ‘Why should we waste public money?”

On a more serious substantive note, Governor Purohit has brushed aside the Opposition politicians’ wailing that his review meets threatened state autonomy, while deciding to continue with his interactions with the senior bureaucracy and the police to ensure he “stays informed”. He had promised when he took charge early last month he would “clean up the system” and the arrival of R. Rajagopal from Delhi to be his additional chief secretary is expected to help him significantly in this task, sources added.