Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre announced on Monday that the state government will cover the ₹ 80 lakh hospitality bill for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stay in Mysuru. PM Modi visited Mysuru in April last year to commemorate 50 years of Project Tiger.
Minister Khandre’s statement came after reports surfaced that the hotel where the Prime Minister stayed had threatened legal action to recover the dues. The minister’s office explained that it is customary for the state government to host dignitaries such as the Prime Minister and the President. However, due to the Assembly elections in Karnataka at that time, the state government was not involved in planning the Project Tiger event as the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) was in effect.
Speaking to reporters, Khandre noted that PM Modi’s visit to Mysuru-Bandipur coincided with the commemoration of Project Tiger’s 50th anniversary. The MCC was in force then, and the event was a Central government program. Initially, the expenditure was planned at around ₹ 3 crore but ultimately reached ₹ 6.33 crore. The additional ₹ 3.3 crore is expected to come from the National Tiger Conservation Authority.
“The state government’s forest department had written to the authority. They informed us that the hotel bill (₹ 80 lakh) should be reimbursed by the state government, and we have decided to reimburse it. So, there is no issue,” Khandre added.
Following media reports about the hotel’s threat of legal action to recover the dues, Khandre stated on Saturday that he would work to resolve the issue amicably.
