thiruvananthapuram even as several restrictions are being introduced to ensure better financial discipline data show that a whopping rs 2029 crore from the public exchequer was spent in the last five years for naam munnottu we forward the weekly interactive television show featuring chief minister pinarayi vijayan as per the details laid out in the budget document the government has spent rs 233 crore 201718 rs 499 crore 201819 rs 473 crore 201920 rs 55 crore 202021 and rs 275 crore 202122 each in the last five years for the program in which the chief minister interacts with people from all walks of society on various aspects of governance and states development in addition for the ongoing financial year 202223 the government has earmarked rs 5 crore for the project the event which is produced by the state information and public relations department is one of the key public relations exercises of the ldf governmentalso an earlier decision to exclude cdit and rope in procpm kairali tv as the partner for the show had invited scathing criticisms from various corners citing that the party channel was chosen through an arbitrary method in another major extravagant spending last month the government had given clearance to spend rs 3516 crore for conducting exhibitioncumsales fest across the state in connection with the first anniversary of the second ldf government under vijayaninterestingly the clearance for spending a substantial sum from the exchequer has been given when the finance department has been repeatedly citing a severe financial crisis in the state even when it comes to committed expenses like payment of pension arrears dearness allowances leave surrender of employees etc even the necessary expenditures are being opposed by the finance department citing fund crunch when the cabinet cleared the creation of 233 posts for creating the economic offences wing eow under the crime branch last month it had to be done by overcoming the strong resistance from the finance department the finance department cited expenses of rs 136 crore annually that the state exchequer couldnt affordeven as the government stressed on austerity measures ever since covid19 hit it sanctioned rs 8763 lakh for the swearingin ceremony of the second ldf government under vijayan at the central stadium last year when the same event in 2016 had cost only rs 3552 lakh the government has been stressing on the need to maintain financial discipline in every aspect to tide over the acute financial crisis triggered by covid19 finance department had even instructed all administrative departments to recommend schemes and proposals by keeping austerity measures in mind