J&K frames 21 tourism development authorities

LG Sinha to head Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Patnitop authorities  
Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Tuesday reconstituted 21 development authorities of the Tourism Department out of which three are to be headed by the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. As per the order issued by the General Administration Department, 21 development authorities of the Tourism department are reconstituted, established under The Jammu and Kashmir Development Act-1970. Each development authority of the Tourism department will have 12 members, read an order. “The members of these (21) development authorities shall hold the office for a period of two years from the date of issuance of this order,” it read. While three development authorities would be headed by Lieutenant Governor, Chief Secretary of J&K would chair meetings of the remaining 19 authorities.
As per the order, LG has been appointed as chairman of development authorities for world famous tourist resorts of Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Patnitop. The CS would head development authorities for Aharbal, Bhaderwah, Doodhpathri, Hygam-Ningli- Tarzoo, Kokernag, Kishtwar, Lolab-Bangus-Drangyari, Surinsar-Mansar, Poonch, Rajouri, Sonamarg, Shopian-Dubjan-Peer Ki Gali, Verinag, Wular-Mansbal, Yousmarg, Bani Basholi, Bilawar-Duggan (Lakhanpur-Sarthal) and Tosa Maidan. As per order, administrative secretaries of Finance, Tourism and Planning Development and Monitoring departments would be members of every authority. Apart from them, these bodies will have Deputy Commissioner, Director Tourism, Special Secretary/ Additional Secretary Tourism Department, concerned Chief Executive Officer and local officers of Forest department, Wildlife Department and Roads & Building department as their members. These development authorities have been constituted from time to time under The Jammu and Kashmir Development Act-1970. As per the Act, the objects of the Authority shall be to promote and secure the development of the area for which it is constituted. The Authority shall have the power to acquire, hold, manage and dispose of land and other property, to carry out building, engineering and other operations, to execute works in connection with supply of water and electricity, disposal of sewerage and other services and amenities and generally to do anything necessary or expedient for purposes of such development, read the order.