Jaipur:
While Sonia Gandhi flies economy and Rahul Gandhi travels by train, the austerity drive of the UPA government has clearly not reached the country's health ministry which organised a programme on Neonatal Health (newborn care and resuscitation) at a five star hotel in Jaipur.
The meeting attended by over 180 delegates, was addressed by Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and attended by Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
The cost of hiring a hall in city's Rambagh Palace hotel is about Rs 3 lakhs plus taxes, the cost of lunch there is Rs 1,500 per head plus taxes and all this expense in a year of austerity.
Cost at 5 a star:
Jaigarh Hall: 3 lakhs+taxes
Lunch: 1500+ taxes
Dinner: 1800+ taxes
A programme on neonatal health in the auditorium of the five star Rambagh Palace hotel in Jaipur ordinarily the cost of hiring a hall like this is Rs 3 lakhs plus taxes but when asked about austerity measures Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad chose to make a quick exit.
"This is such a good programme, why don't you highlight this," said Ghulam Nabi Azad, Health Minister.
More than 180 delegates, government officials and the press were also treated to lunch but when it came to footing the bill there seemed to be no takers.
"The state government will foot the bill," said P K Pradhan , MD, National Rural Health Mission.
While Health Secretary R K Meena said: "Please don't follow me around."
The irony is that the government has any number of conference halls and buildings that could have hosted a programme like this one, perhaps at half the cost.