Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre assures resolving PM’s hospitality bill issue amicably
Bengaluru, May 25: Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre on Saturday said that the hospitality bill of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in Mysuru in April last year to commemorate 50 years of Project Tiger, which runs up to Rs 80 lakh, will be settled amicably.
Following media reports that the hotel where the prime minister had stayed has threatened to find legal recourse to recover his dues, Khandre said he will try to resolve the issue amicably.
"The cost of the three-day event last year was Rs 6.33 crore. Out of this, Rs 3 crore had been received and still Rs 3.33 crore are due from NTCA," Khandre’s office quoted him as saying in a statement.
The minister said the stay at the star hotel cost about Rs 80 lakh.
ALSO READ: Mysuru hotel owner threatens to take legal action for non-clearance of Rs 80 lakh bill for PM’s stay
"When this programme was held in April 2023, the Model Code of Conduct for Assembly Elections was in force and therefore the state government was not involved. Neither was the use of the state emblem. It was a complete National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) programme," he said.
The minister added that the officials of the forest department were in the committee formed locally to manage the hospitality in the wake of the prime minister's visit to the state.
He explained that NTCA had actually said that they would bear the entire cost of the programme.
"The NTCA has not paid this amount (hotel cost) even though the officials of our department have written many letters and spoke about this over the phone. Now the matter has come to my attention. I will try to resolve it amicably," Khandre said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
TN seeks duty-free cotton imports to support textile sector: CM Vijay writes to PM
Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remove the import duty on cotton.
In his first letter to Modi after taking over as chief minister of the state, he said Tamil Nadu is the country’s largest textile and apparel exporting state.
Lakhs of people are dependent on this sector for both direct and indirect employment, especially women from rural and semi-urban backgrounds, Vijay pointed out.
Stating that the industry is facing a severe crisis due to an increase in cotton prices and consequently yarn prices, he said, “I understand this is caused primarily due to a shortage in cotton production and increased trading activity in the country.”
Pointing out that the price of cotton has increased from Rs 54,700 to Rs 67,700 per candy—an increase of 25 per cent over the last two months—while yarn prices have increased from Rs 301 to Rs 330 per kg, he said, “In this situation, the continued supply of raw material can be ensured only through imports.”
However, there is an import duty of 11 per cent on cotton, he said, adding that in such a situation, permitting duty-free cotton imports will help the industry meet increasing export commitments and remain globally competitive.
Vijay said that after agriculture, the textile and apparel sector is one of the largest employment-generating sectors.
“There is a significant responsibility on the government to safeguard the employment of lakhs of people and ensure the sustainability of the textile value chain," he said.
“Hence, I request your intervention to remove the import duty on cotton from the existing 11 per cent to 0 per cent to ensure the availability of raw material. This measure will enable the textile and apparel industry to remain globally competitive, enhance exports, and protect jobs,” he added.
