Even as 16 sub-committees were constituted for organising and overseeing Dasara celebrations this year in Mysuru, the district administration and the Mysuru City Corporation would be seeking funds from the State government based on the estimates prepared with regard to the conduct of various programmes as part of the festivities.
However, the Mysuru Palace Board would be bearing the expenditure of the events that are going to take place within the palace premises. Also, the Mysuru Urban Development Authority has been asked to release a sum of ₹10 crore towards the celebrations.
Disclosing this to mediapersons after the Dasara Executive Committee meeting at the Deputy Commissioner’s office here on Saturday, Minister in charge of Mysuru district S.T. Somashekar said a decision has been taken at the Dasara High Power Committee meeting that the Palace Board would fund ₹5 crore towards the expenditure incurred for the palace events.
He said the Mysuru district administration and the Mysuru City Corporation would submit estimates and seek funds accordingly based on the programmes planned for the festivities.
The Minister said it’s going to be a grand Dasara this year after two years of low-key celebrations over COVID-19. A lot of publicity will be done this year to showcase Mysuru Dasara and attract visitors from across the world, he added.
Mr. Somashekar said the decision on the person to be invited to inaugurate the Dasara festivities atop Chamundi Hills will be taken by the Chief Minister. “We also invite suggestions on this but the final decision rests with the CM,” he replied.
Three jumbos for Srirangapatna Dasara
Mr. Somashekar said Srirangapatna Dasara and Chamarajanagar Dasara celebrations would get a sum of ₹1 crore each.
Three elephants have been sought for the Jamboo Savari at Srirangapatna as part of the celebrations. The executive committee meeting agreed to the suggestion.
Gajapayana
The Minister said the first batch of nine elephants for Dasara will be flagged off at the Gajapayana event at Veeranahosahalli gate near Hunsur on Sunday. “There were suggestions to bring elephants by foot to Mysuru instead of trucks as part of Gajapayana from the forests. But, on the suggestion of the Forest Department, it has been decided to bring them by trucks to Mysuru. The department advised us that the elephants should not be made to walk long distances. The distance between Gajapayana venue and Mysuru is around 74 km,” he said.
The Minister said the grand entry of Dasara elephants into the palace will take place on August 10. The second batch of five elephants will arrive later.
Former Ministers and MLAs S.R. Mahesh, C.S. Puttaraju, Tanveer Sait, Mayor Sunanda Palanetra, MLAs Harshavardhan, Ashwin Kumar, MLCs Manje Gowda and Thimmaiah, Deputy Commissioner Gautham Bagadi, Police Commissioner Chandragupta, Superintendent of Police Chethan, DCFs V Karikalan, Kamala Karikalan and other officials were present.
Earlier, the Minister released the posters on the Dasara elephants.
