Tea and snacks like samosa and gulab jamun offered to guests by ministers have cost the Uttar Pradesh state exchequer nearly Rs. 9 crore during four years of Akhilesh Yadav government.

The Chief Minister, however, clarified that as per rule, a minister can spend Rs. 2,500 per day on refreshments within the state and Rs. 3,000 daily outside the state for performing his/her duties. Former UP minister Shiv Kumar Beria, who was sacked on October 2015 had spent Rs. 21,93,900 during his tenure as minister.

Minister of State for Women Welfare (Independent charge) Sadab Fatima spent Rs. 72,500 in her short term of one year. Dubbing it as "loot of public money", BJP spokesman Harishchand Srivastav said that while the state government has failed on health, education and welfare programmes, its ministers were spending lavishly to entertain their guests at the cost of the state exchequer.

Samajwadi party spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary defended the ministers.

"This money is used for official meetings and some times on people who come from the ministers' constituencies in large numbers. This is just a courtesy which the staff of ministers follow," said Samajwadi party spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary.