The hotel where Prime Minister Narendra Modi stayed in April 2023, Radisson Blu Plaza in Mysuru, is considering legal action because his bills of ₹80.6 lakh have not been paid, The Hindu reported. PM Modi was in Mysuru to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger, organized by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF).
The State Forest Department was told to organise an event from April 9 to 11, costing ₹3 crore with full funding from the Central government. However, following urgent instructions from top officials at MoEF and NTCA, the event’s total expense rose to ₹6.33 crore, added the publication
Despite communications between the State Forest Department and the Ministry of Environment and Forests, ₹3.33 crore is still pending while ₹3 crore has been disbursed by the Centre.
According to the publication, the letters between the MoEF and the NTCA show that the event’s initial cost was ₹3 crore. However, some extra activities were added following the NTCA’s guidelines and the needs of the schedule.
Because of these additions, the event management company handling the event raised its price. The publication added that this new quote was shared with all the officials in a video conference.
Ongoing discussions about unpaid bills
Discussions about unpaid hotel bills for the prime minister’s stay in Mysuru have been going on. The issue was initially raised by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) to the NTCA in New Delhi on September 29, 2023. The NTCA later responded in February 2024, stating that the State government should cover these expenses.
However, the publication reported that – despite subsequent reminders from the new Principal Chief Conservator in March 2024 and the hotel’s finance manager in May 2024, the ₹80.6 lakh bill remains unsettled.
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Published: 25 May 2024, 12:28 PM IST