Lucknow: Ministers in the Akhilesh government have drawn Rs 8.78 crore as pocket money from the state exchequer in the past four years. The state government gave this information after a question was put up by BJP MLA Suresh Khanna.

According to official sources, each minister is entitled to Rs 2,500 per day as pocket allowance while touring the state — even to-and-fro their constituencies and other places — and Rs 3,000 per day while touring outside the state but within the country. “It is basically meant to enable ministers to meet expenses after offering snacks to visitors”, an official said.

The minister who has withdrawn maximum allowance is Aruna Kori, minister of state for culture with independent charge. She took away Rs 22.93 lakh as pocket allowance. Senior minister Mohd Azam Khan comes a close second with Rs 22.86 lakh and third on the list is Kailash Chaurasia, minister of state for child development, who has taken Rs 22.05 lakh.