Manali: Himachal Pradesh chief secretary Prabodh Saxena has come under criticism from the BJP and former IAS officers after he ran up a bill amounting to Rs 1.22 lakh for a private party on Holi and asked the government to foot it. Bash held at the state-run Holiday Home Hotel in Shimla, managed by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC). Recently, the hotel came under criticism for financial mismanagement and unpaid dues – issues previously flagged by the High Court.
Saxena, a 1991-batch IAS officer, received a six-month extension on the day of his retirement on March 31. The HPTDC sent the bill to the General Administration Department (GAD) for payment. A copy of the bill surfaced on social media on Thursday. As per the bill, the cost of food per plate for the guests was Rs 1,000, totalling Rs 75,000. The GST charge was Rs 22,350. Lunch was also served for the drivers of the officers, totalling Rs 12,870.
Himachal Pradesh High Court ordered the shutting down of around two dozen hotels of HPTDC over losses. The court later vacated the order after receiving an assurance of turning them profitable. The development, which comes at a time when Himachal is facing a fund crunch, invited scathing criticism from the BJP.
BJP MLA Bikram Singh questioned the extravagance at a time when the state was in a debt of Rs 1 lakh crore. He also highlighted that such conduct was violative of the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964, which mandate honesty, integrity, and impartiality from government officials. “It is clear that this is a gross violation of democratic spirit, ethical conduct and administrative decorum.
