SHIMLA: At a time when Himachal Pradesh is struggling under a massive debt of ₹1 lakh crore and pensions and other crucial payments are being delayed, the top bureaucrat of the state is learnt to have splurged ₹1.22 lakh on throwing a party for the families of fellow IAS officers and sent the bill to the state exchequer.
The bill has since gone viral on social media, with netizens criticising the incident as “yet another instance of how taxpayer money was being misused”.
On March 14, 2025, Himachal Pradesh Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena organised an elaborate lunch party at Shimla’s government-owned Hotel Holiday Home (HHH).
Over 75 senior IAS officers along with their spouses and children attended the lunch, but the bill has now been sent to the General Administration Department (GAD).
Expenditure for private party from public funds
Documents reveal that the total bill for the event amounts to ₹1,22,020, which includes ₹1,000 per plate for lunch and snacks served to the attending officers and their families. Twentytwo drivers were also served lunch, which amounted to ₹12,870.
The entire bill was forwarded by the hotel to the GAD for payment from government funds.
A social media user said “shockingly, the event was neither part of any official meeting nor connected to any departmental activity and still, the bill was sent to the government”. “It was a purely social gathering, an elite Holi celebration at the cost of the public,” he said.
Violation of Rules and Ethics
Retired bureaucrats have raised serious concerns about the alleged misuse of funds.
One former IAS officer said, “Such expenses should be borne privately by individuals. Using taxpayer money for social functions violates both administrative ethics and financial norms.”
Not only does this action undermine the credibility of the civil service, but it also sends a dangerous message that public resources can be used for private indulgence without consequence.
What makes this incident even more appalling is that Himachal Pradesh continues to grapple with crumbling roads in remote areas, short-staffed government hospitals, poor quality government schools and repeated budget constraints in key development sectors, said a retired bureaucrat.
Call for immediate action, accountability
Legal and administrative experts are now demanding urgent steps, including a high-level investigation into the misuse of funds, full recovery of the amount from the personal accounts of the officers concerned and framing of strict rules to prevent public money being spent on private functions.
“This is not just about a lunch bill, but about a mindset of entitlement that is eating into the very soul of governance. Unless there is strict accountability, such incidents will continue — and the taxpayer will keep footing the bill,” a lawyer said.
Sunil Chadha
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