Bengaluru: The Governor of Karnataka is supposed to be a role-model for others in the state, especially to the ministers and government officials as far as austerity measures are concerned. If the latest information on his air travel is anything to go by, it seems the need of the hour is that the Governor should focus on methods of utilising the tax-payers’ money prudently.

The State Government spent a whopping Rs 2.89 crore on Governor Vajubhai Vala’s air travel in just 20 months, according to information obtained by RTI activist T Narasimha Murthy from the Chief Secretary’s office.

Expressing concern over the delay in providing the information under the Right to Information Act and also brazen wastage of tax-payers’ money, Narasimha Murthy said that he had to wait for more than a year and file 11 applications to get this information. “What can we expect from others, especially negligent government officials, if the first citizen of the state (Governor) himself delays the information? I am planning to meet him personally along with other RTI activists shortly,’’ Murthy said.

As per the information availed through the RTI Act, the government spent the money on Governor Vajubhai Vala’s air travel, mostly within the state and his home state Gujarat. The information revealed that Governor travelled to various cities, including Mangaluru, Hubballi, Bidar, Dharwad and Mysuru by chartered flight and helicopter to attend official programmes, including university convocations. The information also revealed that state government spent over Rs 13 lakh to hire a chartered aircraft for the Governor’s visit to Rajkot in December 2014 and Rs 11 lakh was spent to his visit to Bhavanagar in Gujarat in January 2015.

Speaking to this correspondent, Murthy said that only Rs 67.82 lakh was spent on air travels in five years when Hansaraj Bhardwaj was governor but the present Governor spent Rs 2.89 crore in just 20 months. “I want the Governor not to waste public money during his remaining tenure,’’ Murthy said.

He claimed that Raj Bhavan had refused to provide him the information stating that a Special Leave Petition (pertaining to Goa Raj Bhavan. It was filed by Manohar Parrikar on 14-11-2011) was pending before the Supreme Court. “Disappointed with the negligence of Raj Bhavan officials, I approached the Office of the President of India. I got the information only after the President’s office directed the authorities concerned,’’ he said.