Nine of 35 tourist units (Panthikas/Panthasalas) operating under the Tourism Department have been incurring losses for the last five years. Similarly, some of 20 Panthanivases of the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) have also been suffering losses for the last four years.
This was revealed from the information furnished by Tourism Minister Ashok Chandra Panda in response to a question of BJP MlA Dilip Ray.
The nine Panthasalas and WACs that are running with losses are at Biraja Temple in Jajpur, Dhabaleswar in Cuttack, Gupteswar in Koraput, Girisola in Ganjam, Chandaneswar Yatrinivas, Khiching Panthasala, Nrushingnath in Bargarh, Atri Tourist Complex in Khurda and Rameswar WAC in Khurda district. While Panthanivases in Bhubaneswar, Puri, Chandipur, Sambalpur, Rourkela, Barkul, Rambha, Taptapani and Gopalpur have been making profits, the units at Cuttack, Baleswar and Satapada have made loses each year during the last five years. However, Panthanivases at Chandbali, Keonjhar, and Baripada have started making profit for the last two-three years.