Bijay Charak
Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 2: The Jammu and Kashmir Tourism department has been organizing road shows in other states for so-called tourism promotion but back home the Department is going very slow on rural tourism projects awaiting completion for nine years.
Sources informed Early Times that with an aim to promote tourism sector, a road show was organized in Kolkata by the department. They further said that Ministry of Tourism, (GOI) had sanctioned six projects under scheme of Rural Tourism nine years back (2005-2006) for product infrastructure development for destination and circuits, out of which four projects were still incomplete.
"The total cost of six projects is Rs.941.13 Lakhs and the amount released Rs. 782.9 Lakhs. The projects, which are incomplete include Development of Integrated circuit Bhaderwah-Sinthan-Srinagar, their cost is Rs. 691.13 Lakhs and the amount released Rs. 552.9 Lakhs, another project Development of Jhiri, with sanction cost of Rs. 50 Lakhs and same was released and the project status is going on", they said, adding that the project for Development of Gagangir, Sonamarg village their cost was Rs.50 Lakhs and Rs. 40 Lakhs has been released, another project for been Development of Surinsar village of Rs.50 lakhs and Rs. 40 Lakhs for said project has also released, but the projects were still lying incomplete.
They further said that another incomplete project which was sanctioned in year 2006-2007 under the product infrastructure development for destination and circuits, Development of Rural Tourism in village Vasakinag valley was started with an estimated cost of Rs 48.53 Lakhs. Union Ministry of Tourism, in year 2006-07 approved a software work plan with an estimated cost of Rs. 52.26 Lakhs under the scheme of Capacity Building for Service Providers (CBSP), for the various villages include (Akingaam, Anantnag), Surinsar and Jhiri, out of which Rs 44.66 Lakhs was released but the status of work is in progress despite lapse of nine years.
"The project cost of (Akingaam and Anantnag) software work plan was Rs. 14.26 Lakhs and same was released but the project still incomplete, similarly the other two projects was software work plan for the site of village Jhiri and Surinsar were still incomplete", they said. Repeated calls by this Jurno to Commissioner/ Secretary to Government, Tourism and Culture Department Shailendra Kumar but be didn't pickedup the phone. |
