Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 2: Minister of State for Industries & Commerce, R&B Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo while replying to a question of Jugal Kishore informed the Upper House that the bridge over Anji Nallah in village Sukhal Ghati of District Reasi was approved under District Sector at an estimated cost of Rs. 67.20 lakh against which Rs. 24 lakh stand utilized ending March, 2012 and Rs. 1 lakh has been released last year.
The Minister said that the road from Katra Domail to Maghal including a 25 meters bridge has been taken up for construction under Special Infrastructure Development Fund (SIDF) in 2007 and partly financed under State Sector Projectization in 2011-12. The work on bridge has been completed, while as the work on approach road to the bridge will be resumed after acquisition of land. The road namely Panasa to Dasana was not approved under any programme, he added.
Replying to another question by Dr. Shehnaz Ganai, Mr. Kitchloo informed that 20 Tourism Development Authorities have been established in the State during the last ten years.
The Minister informed that a whopping amount of Rs.15408.16 lakh and Rs. 4446.47 lakh under State Plan and Central Financial Assistance stands released and utilized for development of tourism related infrastructure at these TDAs.
Mr. Kitchloo said that Central Financial Assistance is the main source of funding for these Development Authorities for creation of tourism related infrastructure. He said that the Union Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned 97 projects at a cost of Rs. 318.68 crore and set target to complete these projects within three years from the date of sanction, adding of these 43 projects have been completed and work on rest of the 54 projects is going on and expected to be completed within stipulated time.
The Minister said that the Union Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned 5 Central Projects at a cost of Rs. 19.11 crore to explore and develop the virgin tourist spots of Poonch for which Rs. 9.37 crore stands released for implementation of these projects. The work on 2 projects has been completed so far and work on the rest of the projects are at different stages of implementation, he said and adding that the Government has also supplemented Rs. 1.25 crore annually under State Plan for execution of smaller projects and schemes for creation of tourist related infrastructure.
Referring to development of tourist spots on Mughal road, the Minister said that Development of Mughal road lake Circuit Infrastructure Development of Girgan and the Valley of seven lakes, Poonch has been sanctioned by the Union Ministry of Tourism at a cost of Rs. 419.09 lakh and Rs. 83.82 lakh for which Ist instalment has been released and is under implementation through Poonch Development Authority. Construction of cafeteria along Mughal road at an estimated cost of Rs. 20 lakh is in progress under State sector.
The Union Ministry of Tourism has also prioritized two projects of Rs. 8 crore each for future for providing basic amenities on Mughal road between various historic sites scattered along the route from Peer Ki Gali to Shopian and development of wayside amenities on Mughal Road Circuit from Jammu side.
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