"27, Not 200 Crores": Telangana Government On Miss World Pageant Row

The Telangana government has refuted claims that it is spending Rs 200 crore on hosting the 72nd edition of the Miss World pageant, set to take place in Hyderabad from May 7 to May 31. Speaking to NDTV, Smita Sabharwal, Secretary of the Telangana Government's Tourism, Culture, Heritage, and Youth Affairs Department, provided a breakdown of the state's funding of the event. 

"There is a standard agreement signed on paper between Miss World and Telangana Tourism," Ms Sabharwal told NDTV. She clarified that the state government has committed to covering only 50 per cent of the event's cost, amounting to approximately Rs 27 crore.

"The exuberant numbers doing the rounds are absolutely false," she added, dismissing reports that Telangana is spending Rs 200 crore on the pageant.

Ms Sabharwal further said that the majority of the event's funding is being sourced from corporate sponsorships. "We are raising most of the money through sponsors," she said, adding that there are over 100 corporate and brand sponsors eager to associate with the event. "There is no burden on the government," she reiterated.

The announcement of Telangana's hosting of Miss World 2025 has sparked criticism, particularly from opposition parties questioning the government's financial priorities. The opposition has raised concerns about whether public funds should be allocated to an international beauty pageant.

Ms Sabharwal, however, defended the government's decision. "We have made rapid strides in the last ten years in terms of infrastructure, roads, and Hyderabad airport. Now it's time to showcase our real potential," she said.

She stressed the economic benefits of tourism, calling it a "growth engine" that has been underutilised in Telangana compared to other states. "We want to promote Telangana as a tourist destination. I see it as a revenue and growth engine," she added.

The Miss World event will begin on May 7, with the opening and closing ceremonies, including the grand finale, taking place in Hyderabad on May 31.