Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Finance Department has sanctioned Rs 75 lakh to Raj Bhavan for setting up an e-office system and other facilities. The order comes despite the acrimony between the Kerala Governor and the State government.
The e-office system at the Governor’s residence and office was announced in the budget, but the required amount was not sanctioned for long due to strict treasury control.
Even the Governor’s Principal Secretary had written to the government to sanction Rs 75 lakh at the earliest to enable the Raj Bhavan office to go paperless.
Last week, in a rare move, Governor Arif Mohammad Khan had conveyed to the Chief Minister he no longer has the ‘pleasure’ to retain Finance Minister K N Balagopal in the Council of Ministers.
A couple of days later the Finance department has now relaxed treasury control and sanctioned the amount.
Balagopal, in his speech delivered at the Kariavattom university campus on October 18, took a veiled dig at Khan, saying those coming from states like Uttar Pradesh might not be able to understand the democratic functioning of universities in Kerala.
Governor Khan expressed his displeasure over this on October 25. He wrote to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stating that Finance Minister Balagopal ceased to enjoy his “pleasure” and that “constitutionally appropriate” action should be initiated against him for his “seditious” comments.
The Rs 75 lakh fund was released to Raj Bhavan two days later, on October 27.
Earlier, the government had given the nod to the Governor to purchase a new luxury car.
Raj Bhavan is the office-cum-residence of the Governor in Indian states.
