Thursday, September 29, 2016

Centre sanctions Rs 97.35 crore for development of tourism infrastructure

CHANDIGARH, SEPT 29
The Central Government has sanctioned a financial assistance of about Rs 97.35 crore and has released its first installment of about Rs 19.47 crore to Haryana Government for implementation of the ambitious project of ‘Development of Tourism Infrastructure at places related to Mahabharata in Kurukshetra’ under the Krishna Circuit Swadesh Darshan Scheme.
          This was stated by Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Manohar Lal here today. He said that the Government has decided to constitute a State Level Project Monitoring Committee and a District Level Implementation Committee to ensure timely completion of the project. He said that the State Level Project Monitoring Committee has been constituted under the Chairmanship of Managing Director, Tourism and has seven other members including a nominee of Finance Department, Director General, Urban Local Bodies, Chief Engineer, Haryana Tourism Corporation (HTC), General Manager, HTC, Chief Accounts Officer, HTC, representative of Ministry of Tourism not below the rank of Director and Joint Director, Tourism Department as Member Secretary.
          The Committee will monitor the physical and financial progress of the project and submit the progress report to the Union Ministry of Tourism on quarterly basis. The Managing Director, Tourism will maintain regular contact with Deputy Commissioner, Kurukshetra.
          The District Level Implementation Committee will be headed by Deputy Commissioner, Kurukshetra and have eight other members including Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kurukshetra, Chief Executive Officer, Kurukshetra Development Board, Architect of HTC, Executive Officer, Municipal Council, Kurukshetra, XENs of HTC at headquarter, Public Works (Building and Roads) Department, Kurukshetra and Public Health Engineering Department, Kurukshetra. The Drawing and Disbursing Officer of HTC, Parakeet, Pipli would be the Member Secretary.
          The Deputy Commissioner, Kurukshetra will be the Controlling Officer for the project in the district for the physical and financial monitoring as well as implementation.
          While giving details of the project, the Haryana Tourism Minister, Mr Ram Bilas Sharma said that the Haryana Tourism Corporation would be implementing agency and would put into place the mandatory facilities for barrier free access by the physically disabled persons. The project would be completed and commissioned within 24 months. Strict control over quality of construction at each stage of work will be ensured by the executing agency.
          Mr Sharma said that the components of the project included development of Braham Sarovar, Jyotisar, Narkatari, Sanhit Sarovar and city infrastructure. He said that while developing the city infrastructure, CCTV cameras, Wi-fi and security system would be added.
          He said that these places of religious significance would be given a massive facelift and more facilities would be added to facilitate the pilgrims and tourists visiting Kurukshetra. Such facilities would include multi-purpose tourist information centre, multimedia laser show with musical fountain at Braham Sarovar, War Formation at Abhimanyu Ghat, in addition to other new facilities. He said that at all these places, there would be more parking space and adequate number of benches, flood lights, dustbins, water coolers, LED facade flood lights, well laid pathways, tree up lighters and public toilets.
          He said that the State Government would make land for the project available free of cost and render all possible assistance for completion of project on time. No portion of the project would be executed on land or property owned by any private individual or trust.
---balbirsingh227@gmail.com

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