Kejriwal's oath-taking ceremony cost Rs 13.41 lakhs

The Delhi government spent Rs 13.41 lakh on the oath-taking ceremony of Arvind Kejriwal as Delhi Chief Minister at Ramlila Maidan and on the publicity of the mammoth function.

In response to a RTI, the Delhi government's General Administration Department said it had spent Rs 6.33 lakh on the Ramlila Maidan ceremony and Rs 6.7 lakh on its publicity. The figure, however, does not include the expenses incurred on water, fire, power, transportation and decoration services.

The department said the exercise also involved public works department, north Delhi city corporation, Delhi water board, fire brigade and power services, Delhi police, and the information and broadcasting department. "Funds were spent by these departments, details of which should be asked from them," it said. Total Rs 73,913 was spent on the barricading of Ramlila Maidan, Executive Engineer, Civil Bhawan Anurakshan Mandal said.

The Aam Aadmi Party had opted for Ramlila Maidan for the exercise held on December 28 last year instead of the usual ceremony that takes place in Raj Bhavan.