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The Karnataka government has decided to foot the pending hotel bills totalling Rs 80.6 lakh incurred during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stay at Mysuru in April 2023, after a private hotel threatened legal action if dues were not cleared by June 1.
PM Modi had stayed at the Radisson Blu hotel in Mysuru, during the commemoration of 50 years of Project Tiger at Bandipur Tiger Reserve in April last year.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, State Foreign Minister Eshwar Khandre said the Model Code of Conduct was in force in Karnataka during Modi’s visit ahead of elections in May 2023. “It was purely a Central government program. Initially, they had planned to spend around Rs 3 crore (for the event), but the expenditure incurred was around Rs 6.33 crore,” he added.
The balance amount was supposed to be reimbursed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). The Karnataka Forest Department had written to the NTCA requesting them to clear the bills.
“Finally, what they have said is that the hotel bills amounting to Rs 80 lakh the state government should reimburse. So, state government has decided to reimburse,” Khandre said.
Caught between the Centre and the state government, the hotel had written to the Mysuru Forest Department seeking clearance of dues by June 1. Along with the outstanding bill, the hotel had also sought a delayed payment interest of Rs 12.09 lakh from the government.
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