Belagavi: Even as the state has been mourning over debt-ridden farmers ending life in desperation, our ministers in the state cabinet have been claiming huge money from the state exchequer towards travel and daily allowance.

This comes as sharp contradiction to the fact that the government is dilly dally in releasing compensation to the families of deceased farmers, the feeders of the nation.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his team of Ministers have claimed travel and daily allowance of Rs. 11.12 crore in the last 32 months.

According to information provided by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, under the RTI Act to activist Bhimappa Gadad of Belagavi recently, Rs. 11,12,14,576 has been claimed as TA and DA by the Ministers, including the Chief Minister from May 13, 2013 to January 23 this year, since the Congress government came to power.

The above expenses do not cover air travel expenses.

The minster to top the list is Minister for Urban Development and district in-charge minister Vinay Kumar Sorake, who had claimed a romping Rs. 75.89 lakh, while Minister for Co-operation H.S. Mahadeva Prasad has claimed the least of Rs. 7.98 lakh.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stands 13th with a claim of Rs 40.03 lakh.

Small Scale Industries Minister and Belagavi district in-charge Satish L. Jarkiholi is in the 12th position with claims worth Rs. 40.17 lakh.

The list shows that eight Ministers have claimed more than Rs. 50 lakh allowances during this period.

Gadad is quoted in The Hindu saying that while the Ministers have been enjoying comforts at the cost of helpless taxpayers’ money, it is high time that the government put a limit on their travel bills, which was in addition to their salary and other facilities.