The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has questioned government spending on the upkeep of Union ministers’ residences in Lutyens’ Delhi, saying the money could instead be used to improve government schools.
The money is available, the intent to use it for government schools is missing. This comes amid the CJP’s campaign for better infrastructure in rural government schools. The campaign also raised the issue of transportation for students in rural areas. “Lack of funds was never the problem. Besides ministers, the bungalows are also occupied by members of Parliament, senior judges and top military officers among others.
Reacting to the figures, the CJP wrote on X, “Stop fixing your lavish homes, and fix the schools! ₹ 92 crore = 10 new world class government schools. Which was claimed to have been obtained through an RTI, spending on the upkeep of the residences stood at ₹ 133.9 crore between 2014 and 2019, ₹ 250 crore between 2019 and 2024, and ₹ 174.5 crore between 2024 and 2026, according to the data cited in the post. The total expenditure over the 12-year period was put at ₹ 547.68 crore. The party launched its ‘ School Thik Karo ’ campaign on August 15, calling for social audits of schools and improvements in basic facilities such as electricity, drinking water, toilets and mid-day meals. The fund’s corpus rose 17.8% from ₹ 7,173.03 crore in 2023-24 to ₹ 8,452.07 crore in 2024-25, according to its latest audited statements. Earlier reporting noted: According to information obtained by PTI through an RTI query, the government spent Rs 547.68 crore on such works between 2014-15 and 2025-26 through the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), which executes the repairs, renovation and maintenance works. Earlier reporting noted: “These are mostly 80-90-100-year-old bungalows. Earlier reporting noted: Built as part of the development of New Delhi as the imperial capital, the bungalow zone was developed between 1912 and 1930 and later adapted for use by senior government functionaries after Independence.
The CJP has said that schools should not have to struggle for basic facilities when significant public funds were available elsewhere. Lack of intent is,” the party said in a post on X. Dipke said he had visited government schools in villages in recent days and found several lacking basic facilities, including drinking water. Some, though not all, had even become structurally unsafe and needed to be upgraded,” an official said.
Earlier, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke questioned why the PM CARES Fund could not be used to improve basic facilities in rural government schools.
