TNI Bureau: The official celebration of Pakhala Dibasa 2026 by the Odisha Tourism Department has come under scrutiny after expenditure records revealed that the event cost approximately Rs 1.54 crore.

According to official bills, the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) received Rs 1,54,03,940, out of which an event management agency, Color Plus was paid Rs 77,88,177 for organising the event. In addition, there was a supervision cost of Rs 6.60 lakh + GST, making the total around Rs 86 lakh.

The expenditure includes Rs 31.35 lakh paid as the Guinness World Records fee, Rs 9.44 lakh for food arrangements, Rs 9.43 lakh towards Panthanivas expenses, Rs 7.59 lakh for souvenirs and other materials, Rs 2.92 lakh for air travel, and nearly Rs 2 lakh for hotel accommodation for officials and guests.

Official records also show that OTDC levied 8% and 10% supervision charges on different bills, besides applicable GST, taking the total payment to OTDC to Rs 1.54 crore.

Color Plus, the event management agency, received Rs 86 lakh, including GST, for managing the event.

The disclosed expenditure has triggered questions over the scale of public spending on the celebration. Critics have demanded greater transparency on the allocation of funds, supervision charges and vendor selection, while the Odisha government has not yet issued a detailed clarification on the expenditure.