Overview
- Forest minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia directed a special audit on December 18 and told officials to treat the order as most urgent.
- The review targets the PCCF (Wildlife) office and will examine procurement steps, Finance Department concurrence, and adherence to norms.
- Records show 51 Mahindra Thars were bought in November 2024 for about ₹7.1 crore, with reported customisation costs of roughly ₹5–5.25 crore.
- Officials say 21 add‑ons per vehicle were fitted for patrolling, surveillance, firefighting, and operations in rugged terrain, with action promised if excesses are found.
- All 51 vehicles are already deployed across 22 wildlife divisions, including nine at Similipal, and the issue was earlier raised in the Assembly by BJD MLA Arun Kumar Sahoo.