Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 6: Under the new initiatives in tourism sector, the Union Ministry of Tourism, today rolled out two mega projects worth Rs 194.74 crore for development of tourism infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir.
These are in addition to the projects worth Rs 2241 crore already approved and ongoing under Prime Minister’s Development Programme (PMDP) and Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Programme (PMRP) for the State.
Under the two new projects announced today, integrated development of tourism facilities on Gulmarg-Baramulla-Kupwara-Leh circuit will be undertaken by the National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) at a cost of Rs 96.92 crore, while another project for integrated development of tourism facilities on Mantalai-Sudhmahadev-Patnitop circuit will be executed by National Projects Construction Corporation (NPCC) at a cost of Rs 97.82 crore.
The major components sanctioned under these projects include Yoga centre, wellness SPA, log huts, heliports, open air theatres, walking trails, landscaping, solar lighting, solid waste management and public amenities etc.
A tripartite MoU for implementation of these flagship projects was signed between Union Ministry of Tourism, J&K Government, NPCC and NBCC in New Delhi this morning in presence of Union Tourism Secretary, Vinod Zutshi.
Welcoming the signing of MoU for development of tourism facilities on Gulmarg-Baramulla-Kupwara-Leh and Mantalai-Sudhmahadev-Patnitop circuits, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti said the Government is laying immense thrust on upgradation of tourism infrastructure in the State and in the coming months and years facilities for tourists would be upgraded exponentially in all the regions of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Chief Minister said that the action plan conceptualized for tourism promotion in the State would be accomplished by the present Government with all seriousness. “Jammu and Kashmir has immense potential for varied tourism activities and with adequate infrastructure in place, every part of the State can benefit from tourism promotion,” she said and added that the tourism sector also has huge employment generation potential which would go a long way in addressing the problem of unemployment in the State.
Ms Mehbooba said given the resources available for infrastructure development in tourism sector, the State is going to witness huge augmentation of tourism-related facilities in the coming years. She said the Government of India has already announced Rs 2100 crore package for infrastructure development in tourism sector in the State under PMDP which is to be spent over the next five years.
Similarly, she said projects worth Rs 141 crore are already under implementation under PMRP.
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