In a revelation that has andhra pradesh reeling (with laughter and outrage in equal measure), the previous government led by Y.S. jagan Mohan reddy has allegedly managed to spend a jaw-dropping Rs 9.85 crore on pens, papers, and a smattering of other vital stationary supplies. Yes, you heard that right! Nearly ten crores went into furnishing the Chief Minister’s office (CMO) with enough pens and paper to write the next great indian epic—several times over, in fact.
According to a tweet from the ever-observant tdp Twitter handle, this hefty “stationery” bill, which rounds out to roughly Rs 2 crore a year, was part of the government’s “essential” administrative expenses. And that’s not all; this generous supply wasn’t even spread across the entire state’s administrative needs but was reportedly for the CMO alone! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the tadepalli Palace required a near-Rs 10 crore pen and paper budget over five years. We assume they’re all first drafts for visionary projects? Or perhaps just a ream or two of “How to Spend Public Money Like a Pro.”
But hold on, because there's more irony to unpack. This recent disclosure arrives in the wake of several other eyebrow-raising expenditures from the previous jagan government, such as Rs 3 crore on egg puffs (the humble snack, now an esteemed luxury, apparently) and over Rs 12 crore on iron fencing around Jagan's personal residence.
It seems the former government was committed to transforming the humble staples of office life into symbols of opulence. Were these luxury stationery items crafted from gold leaf? Maybe engraved by hand with rare gems? Or perhaps each pen was ceremoniously blessed to ensure every note-taking session achieved divine precision.
On social media, the reactions have been a mix of amazement, disbelief, and humor. Memes have sprouted like weeds, with netizens now speculating if the jagan government’s pens had magic ink, scribbling down fortunes and future policies by themselves. Others joke that the paper was imported directly from ancient papyrus farms blessed by Cleopatra herself.
While there’s no denying that every government office needs its fair share of stationery supplies, Andhra Pradesh’s taxpayers may be wondering if they’re underwriting an exclusive line of gold-plated office essentials.
Perhaps next time, the CMO could consider the age-old frugality trick called “budgeting.” Or, who knows, maybe the incoming office might find a way to print stationery with their own (slightly less costly) hand. But for now, we’re left wondering: what’s next? A diamond-encrusted stapler for old files, or maybe a platinum paperweight to keep future government paperwork from floating away?
Stay tuned, folks—Andhra Pradesh’s official procurement list might just contain more gems!
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