In other news, our sources in Delhi tell us that since Prime Minister Narendra Modi observes fasts very often and therefore either does not eat or gives state banquets a miss, senior union ministers have been doing much the same.

A minister joked that it saves the state exchequer from considerable expenditure.

In the month of August -- the incidental expenses of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) dropped drastically.

An RTI query on the expenses of the Dr Manmohan Singh cabinet for 10 years -- has created a ripples -- not only in the PMO but also in Congress -- for the lavish spendings.