Despite lapse of several months, newly created TDAs await CEOs, manpower

Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 24: Crea-ting impediments in integrated development of tourism sector, the General Administration Department (GAD) has failed to appoint Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of newly created Tourism Development Authorities (TDAs) despite lapse of several months although it is making frequent transfers of Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Ser-vice (KAS) officers.
On January 23 this year, the Tourism Secretary came up with a statement mentioning that Tourism Department has submitted the proposal for establishment of four more Tourism Development Authorities to the General Administration Depart-ment for placement before the State Cabinet so that more places could be equipped with latest infrastructural edifice for development as attractive and alluring tourist destinations.
He even named the proposed Development Authorities—Shopian-Peer-Ki-Gali Develop-ment Authority, Basohli-Bani Development Authority, Tosa Maidan Development Authority and Nubra Development Authority and mentioned that following the creation of these new TDAs, the total number of such authorities will go up to 24 in Jammu and Kashmir and this step will be a big boost for the integrated development of tourism sector.
Thereafter, the State Cabinet in its meeting held on February 13, 2017 under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti accorded sanction to the creation of Tourism Develop-ment Authorities for Tosa Maidan, Bani-Basohli, Shopian-Dobjan-Peer-Ki-Gali. However, the proposal regarding Nubra Development Authority was shelved for some unknown reasons. The Cabinet even gave nod for creation of 21 posts of various categories for each of these Tourism Development Authorities.
One more Tourism Develo-pment Authority for Hygam-Ningli-Tarzoo was sanctioned along with creation of 13 posts of various categories by the State Cabinet in its meeting held on June 7, 2017 with the direction to the Planning, Development and Monitoring Department to earmark necessary funds for the authority to enable it to take up the works of urgent nature.
However, Chief Executive Officer for only Tosa Maidan Development Authority has been appointed while as other Tourism Development Authorities still await CEOs as well as other manpower, official sources told EXCELSIOR, adding “in this way even after creation of TDAs no step could be initiated towards creation of infrastructure to tap the available tourism potential”.
“It is a matter of concern that on one hand the General Administration Department is frequently making transfers of KAS officers and on the other side it has failed to appoint CEOs of three newly created Tourism Development Author-ities”, sources regretted, adding “even Tourism Department has yet not initiated any step towards recruitment of manpower against the posts sanctioned by the State Cabinet”.
They further said that in the absence of Chief Executive Officers neither offices of these TDAs could be identified till date nor funds released by the Planning, Development and Monitoring Department for enabling the TDAs to take up the works of urgent nature.
“Merely creating new Tourism Development Authorities is not going to ensure integrated development of tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir as it is the prerogative of the CEOs to identify the places to be developed for tourists attraction and subsequent creation of facilities in consultation with the Tourism Department”, sources said.
Even those politicians who were vociferous in demanding these new Tourism Development Authorities have failed to get the CEOs appointed by taking up the issue with the General Administration Department, they said, adding “it seems that they are satisfied with only creation of new TDAs just to highlight this as one of their achievements in the official statements”.
Meanwhile, resentment is brewing among the people of Nobra over inordinate delay in sanctioning of Tourism Development Authority for the area by the Government. The demand in this regard is being raised by elected representative from the area during the past several years.
“The Development Authority for Nobra is in the pipeline and is likely to be announced shortly”, a senior officer of the Tourism Department said while expressing ignorance about the reasons behind non clearance of proposal by the Cabinet at the time of sanctioning of TDAs for Shopian-Peer-Ki-Gali, Bani Basohli and Tosa Maidan and then while sanctioning TDA for Hygam-Ningli-Tarzoo.
When contacted, Director Tourism Kashmir, Mehmood Ahmed Shah confirmed that only CEO of Tosa Maidan Development Authority has been appointed while as no officer has been appointed for Shopian-Peer-Ki-Gali and Hygam-Ningli-Tarzoo TDAs.
Similarly, Deputy Commis-sioner Kathua Ramesh Kumar confirmed that Government has yet not appointed CEO for Bani-Basohli Tourism Development Authority.

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