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| Tourism Department flouts norms, spends Rs 2 Cr on FAM tour | | |
Saahil Suhail
Early Times Report
Anantnag, Oct 29: Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department is understood have spent around Rs. 2 Cr on recently concluded mega FAM (Familiarization) tour. The department however has allegedly flouted norms to benefit blue-eyed event management companies and hoteliers.
According to sources, the department instead of floating tenders for the event roped in some event management companies for organizing the different programs at Pahalgam, Gulmarg and in Srinagar.
Tourism department had empanelled three local companies for organizing different programs and events on behalf of Director Tourism Kashmir but all three companies and the empanelment process is under scanner as administrative department is enquiring the issue therefore couldn't be engaged.
A tourism officer told Early Times that event management companies weren't hired for FAM tour instead tourism department directly hired transportation and booked hotels directly on minimum rates.
According to the documents accessed by Early Times the money being spent on FAM Tour, beginning from 25th of this month, will be deducted from the amount kept for discovery Channel ad-promoting film.
Documents available with ET reads, "It has been decided that Kashmir Autumn FAM tour shall be organized w.e.f 25th to 27th October approx. (approximately) at a cost of Rs 2.00 crores. The expenditure on this account shall be borne by the Director Tourism Kashmir out of publicity and advertising grants of 2018. The expenditure for this event shall be made out of the provision earlier kept for the documentary to be produced by the Discovery Channel."
According to the details, Director Tourism Kashmir had extended invitation to almost 150 guests which include guests from Doordarshan, Radio, Director Information and PR of different states, National Tour operators, Media Fraternity (Print and Electronic Media), Travel bloggers and writers across the nation. Tourism department arranged to and fro air tickets, boarding, lodging and local transportation for visiting guests.
Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation (JKTDC), Sher-e-Kashmir International Convocation Center (SKICC) and private hoteliers were roped in and asked to facilitate the visiting guests at Pahalgam, Gulmarg and Srinagar.
Director Toursim Kashmir, Tassaduq Geelani said that Tourism department hosted 3-day Familiarization (FAM) tour of about 100 delegates in an effort to "remove negative perception about Kashmir." |
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