Overview

• Around 600 lawmakers and officials attended the platinum jubilee meeting of Parliament’s Estimates Committee at Mumbai’s Vidhan Bhavan on June 23–24.
• Opposition figures alleged the state spent about Rs5,000 per guest on meals served in reportedly silver-coated plates rented for around Rs550 each.
• Critics contrasted the hospitality outlay with recent cuts to farmers’ loan waivers, anganwadi stipends and other social welfare budgets.
• A social activist estimated the total catering cost at approximately Rs27 lakh for the two-day event.
• Maharashtra officials said the utensils were only silver-coated and that actual meal expenses were lower than initial reports suggested.