Rs 2.5 crore saved during Sahitya Sammelana: Minister

Mandya: District minister N Cheluvarayaswamy on Saturday said that a total of Rs 2.5 crore was saved during the 87th Akhila Bharatiya Kannada Sahitya Sammelana, which took place in Mandya in Dec.
Speaking to reporters, the minister provided details of the expenses of the Kannada litfest. He stated that the govt allocated Rs 30 crore for the event, of which Rs 29,65,07,226 was spent. As a result, Rs. 34,92,774 will be returned to the govt.
The authorities also collected money by way of rent for commercial shops (Rs. 17,52,000), rent for book shops (Rs 16,04,000), registration fees (Rs 39,95,400), and from the donation of one day's salary of govt employees. Besides, MDCC Bank donated Rs 10 lakh and MRN Nirani Foundation contributed Rs 5 lakh. The total savings amounted to Rs 2,53,61,166.
Plans for Kannada Bhavan Construction: In light of the successful event, the district administration has outlined plans to construct a Kannada Bhavan to honour the achievement of hosting the Sammelana. The savings of Rs 2.5 crore, gathered through donations, will be allocated for this project. The minister further mentioned that a request would be made to the govt for additional funds required for the construction.
Deputy commissioner Kumara emphasised the transparency and meticulous planning behind the Sammelana's organisation. He noted that 28 committees were formed to handle various aspects of the event, including event planning, price approvals, cheque management, and financial auditing. Kumara provided further details on the financials, stating that a total of Rs 3,17,68,199 was spent on GST, and Rs 1,08,39,022 went towards KSMCA service charges.