The story of wasteful expenditures does not end here. The state government, which has often complained about getting step-motherly treatment from the Centre in matters of fund allotments has also earmarked over Rs 3 crore for the development-cum-renovation of Raj Bhawan, the official residence of the Governor. The said amount, officials said, will be spent on developing a pond inside the Raj Bhawan and on interior decoration and furnishing of the building.

Bihar, which figures among one of the backward states in the country carries a total burden of Rs 44, 226 crore (as on 31 March 2007), according to Bihar's deputy chief minister Mr Sushil Kumar Modi who also holds the finance portfolio. Of the total revenue it generates, Bihar spends Rs 3,796 crore on interest head (meaning for paying interest on loans), Rs 7,740 crore on salary head, Rs 3,438 crore on pension head and Rs 1,676 crore on liquidating the old loan backlog.

This means that Rs 18,390 crore is the total annual compulsory expenditures which Bihar can't avoid. Incidentally, while delivering his first budget speech on the floor of the state Assembly on 27 February 2006, Mr Modi had repeatedly said: "Khazana khali hai" (the coffer is empty) but the government's bizarre love for purchasing luxury items for its ministers and officials has shown the NDA in a poor light.