Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre announced that the state government will cover the ₹80 lakh hospitality bill for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Mysuru in April last year.
The Prime Minister’s visit to Mysuru-Bandipur coincided with the celebration of 50 years of Project Tiger. Minister Khandre 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 the time, the state government was not involved in planning the event, as the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) was in effect.
Two days after Forest, Environment and Ecology Minister Eshwar B Khandre said he would write a letter to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), asking them to clear dues pending since April 2023, he claimed the state government would clear the pending bill of Rs 80 lakh to Radisson Blu hotel in Mysuru, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi had stayed. As per reports, the pending amount of Rs 3.33 crore was transferred to the account of Bandipur Tiger Foundation on Monday.
Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre has addressed recent reports that the Radisson Blu Plaza hotel is threatening legal action over unpaid bills amounting to ₹80.6 lakh incurred during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stay.
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Khandre noted that the program’s initial budget was around ₹3 crore, but the final expenditure reached approximately ₹6.33 crore. He added, “So, the balance ₹3.3 crore has to come from the National Tiger Conservation Authority.”
Reports suggest that “The amount was cleared immediately after the issue came to light. The Centre does not want any embarrassment at the time of elections, so the amount was cleared in one go.”
The forest department communicated with the National Tiger Conservation Authority, which indicated that the state government should reimburse the hotel bill. “We have decided to reimburse. So, there is no issue,” Khandre confirmed.
According to a report by The Hindu, the hotel has threatened legal action if the dues are not cleared by June 1. Minister Khandre assured that efforts are being made to resolve the matter amicably. The two-day golden jubilee celebration of ‘Project Tiger’ commenced on April 9, while the MCC was enforced on March 29, with Karnataka’s Legislative Assembly elections held on May 10.
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