Bhubaneswar, March 26: [ADN] Chief Minister Sri Mohan Charan Majhi today assured senior journalists that the revised tariffs for Inspection Bungalows (IBs) and Circuit Houses, which came into effect from April 2023, will be reconsidered.
During an interaction at the OLA Chamber this afternoon, a delegation of senior journalists raised concerns over the steep hike in room tariffs. The Chief Minister acknowledged the demand and promised to explore measures to ease the burden.
Law, Works and Excise Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan also assured that the government would adopt a multi-pronged approach to address the issue. He further announced the launch of the e-IB online booking system, aimed at streamlining reservations for inspection bungalows across Odisha.
The delegation was headed by senior journalist Sri Surendra Sahoo and included Sanjay Pradhan, Partha Sarathi Jena, Sanjaya Das, Debakanta Mahapatra, Suresh Kara, Kishor Chandra Mangaraj, Sarojranjan Pattnaik, Pradyumna Dadh, Swarup Mohanty, among others.
The revised tariffs had drawn criticism after rates for PWD IBs in prime locations such as Satyanagar (Bhubaneswar), Nirman Niwas (Puri), and Konark were sharply increased.
Deluxe Suites: Raised from ₹300 to ₹900 per day for private duty, and to ₹200 for government duty.
VIP Suites: Raised from ₹650 to ₹2000 per day.
Previous Rates: Some bungalows earlier charged as little as ₹12 per suite per day, with provisions for partial-day stays.
The journalists emphasized that affordable access to IBs is essential for their professional duties, urging the government to balance modernization with inclusivity.
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