BELGAUM: Rs 198 lakh of the taxpayers' money was spent when President Pranab Mukherjee was in Belgaum to inaugurate the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in October.

The government renovated the circuit house (CH) ahead of President Pranab Mukherjee's visit. It spent over Rs 161 lakh on renovation and around Rs 37 lakh on furnishing the room, where Mukherjee spent just an hour on October 11.

RTI activist Bhimappa Gadad from Mudalagi in Gokak taluk sought information from the public works department on the expenditure incurred during the President's visit.

There are two Circuit House buildings in the same compound near the central bus stand. One was inaugurated two years ago. The old building and the compound was renovated during the World Kannada Meet (WKM) held in the city last year.

This before the government spent Rs 32 lakh in 2010-11 and Rs 18 lakh in 2011-12 for renovating the circuit house.