Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 21: The members from the ‘House of Elders’, cutting across the party lines, demanded framing a House Committee to monitor the renovation/ restoration work on the prestigious Mubarak Mandi heritage site, as just Rs 1 crore is being spent on the work when the Government of India sanctioned Rs 50 crore for the purpose.
National Conference Member, Vijay Bakaya, Congress members Ravinder Kumar Sharma and Naresh Gupta expressed their surprise over the slow pace of work and very poor utilization of funds despite the fact that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was himself chairman of the Society set up for this heritage site. They also pointed out that since a committee headed by Minister Incharge Tourism has been set up for the purpose but the progress has not been witnessed on this historical monument of Dogra art and culture. They strongly pleaded for the framing of House Committee for the purpose.
The legislators also sought the list of the members and their background/ expertise in the relevant field for which they were nominated as members. Ravinder Sharma pointed out that when the members like Ajatshatru Singh from Upper House were excluded from the list who belonged to the family of the rulers to whom it originally belonged, fair treatment could be expected. The chairman also directed the Government to produce the list of members of the Society and the official committee and assured the members that if needed the committee can be announced. The Minister however, claimed that since some MLAs/MLCs were already in the list there was no need of framing such committee.
Minister incharge Higher Education, Mohd Akbar Lone was responding on behalf of Government (Minister incharge Tourism) on the discussion raised by Congress legislator Naresh Gupta in the Legislative Council. Ajat Shatru Singh suggested that State should not depend on the Central funding but also approach foreign agencies as they have also funded for several similar nature of projects of heritage sites in Rajasthan. Dr Bashir Ahmed Veeri, Sayed Rafiq Shah, Bashir Ahmed Magray also expressed their concern over the issue and stressed for up-keep and preservation of heritage sites.
Earlier, giving detailed reply the Minister for Higher Education said that for the repair and restoration work of erstwhile Army headquarters, Foreign office of the then Maharaja at Mubarak Mandi heritage site, the work was entrusted to Archaelogical Survey of India in 2008. The work was completed in 2012. An amount of Rs 3.58 crore has been spent on it. Under 13th Finance Commission Award, projects of various heritage buildings like Raja Amar Singh Palace, Dogra Art Museum, Baddi Deodi, Royal Court, Mahal of Queen and Gadvai Khana etc were sent to the Union Ministry of Tourism for an amount of Rs 53.95 crore. The Government sanctioned Rs 50 crores. Out of it Rs 8.51 crore were released as first installment. The Restoration work has been started and for this Re 1 crore has been advanced to ASI.
A major project worth Rs 24.92 crore, under Tourism has been sent for the renovation of Dewane Aam, Durbar Hall and Raja Ram Singh Palace to the Union Government. The Government has sanctioned Rs 16.80 crore and Rs 3.38 crore has been received as first installment. The Tourism department has taken up the project. The work on cable car project worth Rs 40 crore from Pirkhoo to Bahu Fort will start shortly. The Cabinet has already cleared the project. The work on broken Bahu Fort wall has already been taken up and Rs 69.70 lakh is being spent on it by JDA. Nearly 90 % of the work has been completed on it.
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