By: Ibni Maqbool
Srinagar: Jammu & Kashmir government has completed 65 projects in the tourism sector under the Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP).
The latest status report of PMDP shows that the Union Tourism ministry has sanctioned five tourist circuits consisting of 98 infrastructure projects.
“65 projects stand completed, 33 are in progress; which includes 10 in Ladakh UT,” reads the status report, a copy of which is in possession of The Precious Kashmir.
According to the document, the Centre has also sanctioned three more tourist circuits under the package after the state government submitted seven projects.
“In addition to already sanctioned projects/circuits, the department has submitted 07 projects worth Rs.802.32 crore to Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, out of which, three circuits namely adventure, heritage and eco circuit have been approved by the Ministry in the meeting held on Oct 4, 2019,” the documents reveal.
They said the projects will be sanctioned after the Centre revises guidelines of its” Swadesh Darshan” scheme.
“………..Ministry of Tourism, GOI is revising the guidelines of Swadesh Darshan scheme and projects shall be sanctioned as and when the guidelines are finalized by the Ministry of Tourism ,” the status report further revealed.
Under the PMDP, Rs 2000 crore- Rs 400 crore for each year in five-year period- were provisioned for development of the tourism sector in Jammu & Kashmir. Of which projects worth Rs 431.91 crore have been sanctioned while 321.34 crore stands released. According to the status report, Rs 270. 27 crores have been utilized till date.
It is pertinent to mention that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had himself announced the mega development package for Jammu & Kashmir on November 7, 2015 during a joint rally by PDP and BJP in Srinagar.
The development package consists of 63 projects with an outlay of Rs 80,068 crore.
