Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, May 5: The state has been reeling under financial crunch on account of drought situation since the last several years, and austerity measures are in place. However, while these measures have pruned down flow of funds to several crucial sectors, they have not dithered bureaucrats and ministers from acquiring fancy cars.

The state has created a record of sorts by spending Rs 30 crores for buying 217 cars during the last six years. They were backed by the permission of the department of finance by the department of personnel and administrative reforms. They include luxury cars.

Hundreds of cars have been assigned to the sheds of Kumarakripa guest house here. Sources say that 123 of the cars were bought for this guest house alone. Although there are strict rules that cars can be bought only in extraordinary cases, the proposals for purchase of cars had been put up as a special case each time, it is said.

Many of the cars were replaced just because they had travelled a distance of over a lac kilometres by taking shelter under some rules, although they were roadworthy.