Raipur. The news circulated on some social media that the Public Works Department has made the payment for the private programme of the family of the Deputy Chief Minister-cum-Public Works Minister is baseless and misleading. The Public Works Department has not made any payment to the Deputy Chief Minister Arun Saw or any private programme. There is no mention of any bill circulated on social media in the information provided by the department under RTI. The department has no connection with these bills. D.K. Chandel, Executive Engineer of Bemetara Division of Public Works Department has given detailed information about the situation in this regard.
Chandel said that under the Bemetara Division of Public Works Department, VIPs are being arranged. Information regarding payments made for tents and pandals erected for the programmes has been provided to Abdul Wahid Rawani, son of Abdul Majeed Rawani, resident of Ward No. 21, Bazar Para, Bemetara, District-Bemetara, under the Right to Information Act, 2005, by the Executive Engineer, Public Works Department Building/Road, Division Bemetara, vide letter No. 4630/Su.A.Li./25, dated 28.08.2025. Through the Right to Information Act, Mr. Rawani has provided information on 28.08.2025, including bill vouchers of Rs. 3.97 crores paid to Gurunanak Tent House & Caterers, Gurudev Tent House & Caterers, Khalsa Tent Catering and Light in Bemetara Division on 18.06.2025, along with the protocol of the Chief Minister’s programme and a copy of the Collector’s order. The information provided by the department does not mention any such bill, and the department has no connection with any such bill that is being misleadingly circulated on social media. The details of the programs for which payments have been made are as follows:
- ₹1,76,30,694/- was paid for the arrangements for tents and pandals etc. for the three-day Chief Minister’s program in Navagarh, District Bemetara, on December 19, 20, and 21, 2024.
- ₹71,16,646/- was paid for the tent arrangements for the Chief Minister’s program in Juni Sarovar village, District Bemetara, on January 25, 2024.
- ₹17,99,088/- was paid for the tent arrangements for the Minister’s program in Village Andhiyarkhor, District Bemetara, on July 4, 2024.
- On 24.02.2024, Rs. 11,88,084/- was paid for the tent arrangement for the Vikasit Bharat program at the Mandi premises of village Bemetara.
- On 14.01.2025, Rs. 10,11,450/- was paid for the tent arrangement for the Minister’s program in village Sambalpur.
- Under Bemetara division, virtual program in Sindhauri on 28.06.2024, government program in Andhiyarkhor on 04.07.2024, from 12.08.2024 to 14.08. Tiranga Yatra program till 2024, inauguration program of reading room in Bemetara on 20.10.2024, Bhoomi Pujan program in village Dadhi on 14.01.2025, Bhoomi Pujan program in Sambalpur on 14.01.2025, review meeting of Minister in charge on 07.10.2025, program in Mandi yard of Bemetara on 12.10.2024, Tribal Pride Day program in Town Hall on 15.11.2024, Panthi competition programs have been held in Navagarh from 19.12.24 to 21.12.24. In all these programs, Rs. 33,29,310/- has been paid for lighting, sound and LED arrangements etc. 7. On February 24, 2024, a payment of ₹14,13,957 was made for the Vikas Bharat program at the Navagarh village bus stand.
- On June 28, 2024, a payment of ₹14,24,071 was made for the tent arrangements for the virtual inauguration ceremony of the judicial complex in Bemetara.
- On January 14, 2025, a payment of ₹3,67,552 was made for the tent arrangements for the Minister’s program in village Dadri.
- On January 26, 2025, a payment of ₹14,21,302 was made for the tent arrangements for the Republic Day program at the Basic Ground in Bemetara.
- On 05.11.2024, a payment of ₹13,39,689/- was made for the tent arrangements for the Rajyotsav program at the Basic School Ground in village Bemetara.
- On 15.08.2024, a payment of ₹16,77,024/- was made for the tent arrangements for the Independence Day program at the Basic School Ground in village Bemetara.
It is clear from the above payments that the Public Works Department has not paid for any private program, especially the program dated 09.08.2024, regarding which misleading information has been spread about the department and the Deputy Chief Minister.
Detailed measurement books, copies of bills, and photography and videography of all the programs are available in the official records. Before making the payment, retired Executive Engineer Nirmal Singh Thakur passed payment orders for only the 12 programs mentioned above. All payments were made by the current Executive Engineer (D.K. Chandel). As per rules, the pre-payment measurements of tents etc. used for all government purposes were recorded by sub-engineers and sub-divisional officers. No payment was made for any private program.
The Public Works Department has stated that no personal event of the Deputy Chief Minister was held.
