Guwahati, April 13: Price hike and competition to invite glamorous artistes have led to the steep rise in the budgets of the Bihu committees here.

Although the Bihu organisers are not willing to reveal the amount they pay to the artistes, sources said it would be between Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 7 lakh.

Sources also said Zubeen Garg and Papon demand the highest - between Rs 6 lakh and Rs 7 lakh a show.

The Latasil Bihu Sanmilani has invited Mausumi Saharia, Dikshu and Anindita Paul.

"This time we had to increase our budget by about Rs 6 lakh more than the previous year. Last year our budget was around Rs 19 lakh, which has increased to Rs 25 lakh this year," said Latasil Bihu Sanmilani president Kailash Sharma.

In addition to paying the artistes, the Bihu committees have to spend a huge amount of money to bring cultural troupes from different parts of the state as well as from outside. Latasil Sanmilan is bringing folk dance troupes from Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur and Sikkim. Dhulia Circus of Kamrup will also perform.

The Bihu committee that organises Bihu function at Sonaram Higher Secondary School playground in Bharalumukh has increased its budget by about Rs 10 lakh this year. The committee has invited Zubeen Garg, Babu and Pranamika Goswami.

"Last year our budget was about Rs 12 lakh. But this year we have increased it to Rs 22 lakh. This year we are going to organise a mega show. Folk artistes from Cooch Behar in West Bengal and many local artistes will participate in the function, which will be held from April 14 to 17," said secretary of the committee Rupam Deka.

Geetanagar Bihu Sanmilani is organising a souvenir competition as the special event for Bihu. According to its organising committee, the budget has increased by 20 per cent. "This year our budget is nearly Rs 26 lakh, which is about 20 per cent more than the budget last year," said Dipankar Sarma, a member of the organising committee.

Pub Guwahati Bihu Sanmilani, which holds its programme atAssam Engineering Institute playground in Chandmari, has invited Priyanka Chakraborty, Babu and Subasana Dutta to perform. "Last year our budget was about Rs 16 lakh, which has increased to Rs 18.5 lakh this year. A martial arts group from Manipur will perform here," said Dip Jyoti Misra, secretary of the organising committee.

The Pandu Maligaon Bihu Sanmilani has not increased its budget. Ashok Bharali, secretary of this sanmilani, said, "This year our budget is about Rs 18 lakh to Rs 20 lakh, which is the same as last year."