₹7-Crore Thars, ₹5-Crore Modifications: Odisha Forest Department Faces Audit

The Odisha Forest Department has come under sharp public and political scrutiny after revelations that it spent nearly ₹12 crore on procuring and modifying 51 Mahindra Thar SUVs during the 2024–25 financial year.

Official records show the department purchased the vehicles for about ₹7 crore, with each Thar costing roughly ₹14 lakh. The controversy intensified after it emerged that an additional ₹5 crore was spent on vehicle modifications, triggering questions over necessity, approvals and financial prudence.

In response to the criticism, Odisha’s Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia ordered a special audit to review both the procurement process and the expenditure incurred on modifications.

The minister said while certain customisations could be essential for forest operations, any excessive or unjustified spending would invite strict action. “The enquiry will examine why these modifications were undertaken and whether they were genuinely required for operational purposes,” he said.

According to officials, the SUVs were fitted with additional lights, cameras, sirens, special tyres and other equipment to enable operations in difficult terrain. The Forest Department has argued that the vehicles are used for forest fire control, wildlife protection, deployment in remote and border areas, and curbing illegal activities such as poaching and timber smuggling.

However, concerns persist over whether all the modifications were approved in advance and if the scale of spending was proportionate to operational needs. Critics have questioned how the cost of modifications nearly matched the original procurement price of the vehicles.

Government sources said responsibility would be fixed after the audit report is submitted, and further action would follow based on its findings. The state government has maintained that a clearer picture will emerge once the audit concludes, but the episode has already placed the Forest Department’s spending decisions under intense examination.