Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre announced on Monday that the state government would cover the ₹80 lakh hospitality bill for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited Mysuru in April of last year to mark the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger.
The minister’s office released a statement stating that it is customary for the state government to receive visiting dignitaries such as the president and prime minister. However, because the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) was in effect at the time of the Karnataka Assembly elections in April of last year, the state government was not involved in the program’s planning (Project Tiger).
Speaking to reporters, the minister said that the prime minister had visited Mysuru-Bandipur on the eve of the commemoration of 50 years of Project Tiger. At that point of time, the MCC was in force. Elections were declared. So, it was purely a Central government programme. Initially, they had planned to spend around ₹ 3 crore but the expenditure incurred was around ₹ 6.33 crore. So, the balance of ₹ 3.3 crore has to come from the National Tiger Conservation Authority.
“The state government’s forest department had written to them (authority). They informed that the hotel bill (Rs 80 lakh) should be reimbursed by the state government and we have decided to reimburse. So, there is no issue,” he added.
Following media reports that the hotel where the prime minister had stayed has threatened to find legal recourse to recover its dues, Mr Khandre had on Saturday said that he will try to resolve the issue amicably.
