Dharamsala, Dec 5 (IANS): The Congress government in Himachal Pradesh has appointed 44 officials to political posts in its two years in office, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh informed the assembly Friday.

He said in a written reply that Rs.3,03,88,866 has been spent on them till Aug 7, 2014. The appointments included 26 chairmen and vice chairmen of various boards and commissions, 15 OSDs (officers on special duty) and two advisors.

Official sources told IANS that the chief minister has been facing criticism for bestowing plum posts on his loyalists.

Subhash Ahluwalia has been appointed media advisor to the government.

T.C. Janartha, who was Virbhadra Singh's private secretary during his 1993-1998 tenure, has been appointed officer on special duty (OSD) in the chief minister's office.

Both are retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers.

T.G. Negi, another retired IAS officer, who was earlier appointed the chief minister's advisor, is now the state election commissioner.