Rs 1.3 lakh for snacks at meeting? Heat on Surat mayor over civic body spending

A bill of around Rs 1.30 lakh for bhajiyas, ghari and other refreshments served during a Surat Municipal Corporation general meeting has triggered a political row, with the Opposition questioning the expenditure of public money.

The civic body reportedly purchased 131 kg of bhajiyas at Rs 750 per kg for the meeting held on Chandi Padwa, prompting the mayor to defend the spending on grounds of food quality.

According to the details of the expenditure, the bhajiyas alone cost approximately Rs 1 lakh. The civic body also spent around Rs 20,000 on ghari, a traditional Gujarati sweet, and another Rs 10,000 on miscellaneous expenses. The total bill reportedly stood at around Rs 1.30 lakh.

Around 350 to 400 people, including councillors, municipal officials, marshals, support staff and journalists, attended the meeting. Based on the estimated attendance and total expenditure, the average cost of refreshments per person worked out to approximately Rs 370.

The snack plate reportedly included two methi gotas, two aloo vadas, one piece of ghari, one chilli bhajiya and chutney.