Mayawati statues – UP Government gets notice from SC – Taxpayers money wasted in creating something which no one needs

Mayawati had unveiled the 15 statues including that of BSP founder late Kanshi Ram and her own, and parks at a hurriedly-organised function here on last Thursday, nine days ahead of schedule. Many see this as an attempt to pre-empt the Supreme Court from stopping her from going ahead with unveiling of the statues. The other reason being quoted is a bid to upstage Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, who planned to hold a protest on July 3.

A public interest litigation (PIL) against the UP government on the issue has been discussed today in Supreme Court and it has given 4 weeks tome to Mayawati Government to respond.

2700 crore of Taxpayers money spent on statues?

It may recalled that according to plans Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati was set to unveil 40 statues — including six of her own — on July 3, along with the Kanshi Ram Memorial and the Gautam Buddhasthals, which has cost the state exchequer 2700 crore.

According to the reply of an RTI filed in the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) here is the costing of statues:

• Cost of Statues of Mayawati and Kanshi Ram: cost Rs 6.68 crore
• Cost of 60 marble elephants at the Ambedkar memorial cost Rs 52 crore

This is just tip of the iceberg by the Uttar Pradesh budget. Uttar Pradesh culture department’s budget for 2009-10 shows that in 2008-09, the department had allocated more than Rs 194 crore for building statues of “great leaders” — the entire amount was spent.

Maintenance cost 270 crore annualy

Not only constructing memorials and statues worth thousands of crores, their maintenance too is going to cost the taxpayer dear. According to construction experts, the maintenance cost of such memorials is almost 10% of the actual cost. That way, the memorials, which are touching a figure of almost Rs 2,700 crore, may require at least Rs 270 crore annually for their maintenance.

Some people argue that if we compare this with the funds for maintenance of seven general hospitals, nine Community Health Centres (CHCs) and 26 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in the state capital – their combined maintenance cost is at around Rs 15 lakh annually. Likewise, the 13 government secondary schools receive an annual grant for maintenance on demand, the figures of which may range between Rs 20,000 and Rs 1 lakh per annum.

If Mayawati is really serious about development then she should concentrate on Hospitals, Health Cneters, Schools rather than statues and parks. Remember what happened to the thousands of statues of Lenin in Russia? May be that is why they do not have statues culture in USA. And that too statues of a living person – normally such statues in public placed are unveiled of the people who are dead and not those living.

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