Centre sanctioned 14 tourism projects of Rs. 73.50 crore to J&K: Jora

‘Reviews pace of progress of CFA tourism projects’

            SRINAGAR, JULY 16 – The Centre has sanctioned 14 tourism mega projects of Rs 73.50 crore for the State during last 3 months of current fiscal, meant for creation of tourist related infrastructure, development of potential spots and conservation of heritage sites in the State, revealed Tourism and Culture Minister, Mr. Nawang Rigzin Jora here today while reviewing the pace of progress of different tourism related projects being executed under Central Financial Assistance (CFA) in the State.

            The Minister said that 9 tourism projects of Rs. 38.35 crore which includes conservation of heritage corridor of Jamia Masjid Srinagar, Construction of TRC at Yousmarg, budgeted accommodation at Aharbal, Construction of Kashmir Haat at Chinar Bagh Srinagar, Development of picnic spot at Pahalgam, Sarbal Lake at Verinag are being carried out in Kashmir Valley.

            Mr. Jora said that 4 tourism projects have been sanctioned for funding for Jammu Division by the Centre, under which another mega heritage conservation project of Rs. 16.92 crore have been sanctioned for conservation of Mubarak Mandi heritage palace. He said a whooping amount of Rs. 13.78 crore would be also incurred on development of tourist infrastructure at Mansar, Sanasar and Natha top, besides development of Darhal as Base Camp and Shikar marg as gate way of tourist destination of Pir Panjal. He said the centre has also sanctioned a project of Rs. 4.45 crore for development of tourist infrastructure in Kargil.

            The Minister directed the concerned authorities for ensuring timely completion of formalities for taking up of these projects well in time.

            Commissioner Secretary Tourism and Culture, Mr. Atul Dulloo, Managing Director JKTDC, Mr. Satish Nehru, Director Tourism Kashmir Mr. Talat Parvaiz, Director Tourism Jammu, Mr. R.S.Mehta, Joint Director Planning Tourism Department, Mr. Parvaiz Handoo, Chief Executive Officers of Development Authorities besides other Senior officers and Engineers of concerned departments attended the meeting.

            The Meeting reviewed in detail pace of progress of each CFA project. It was informed that during last 10 fiscals the centre has sanctioned 147 tourism projects of Rs. 428 crore to the State against which so far Rs. 263 crore has been released by the Centre for the purpose, of which over Rs. 221 crore expended on execution of these projects up to May 2012 in the State.

            The Meeting was further informed that out of 147 tourism projects the work on about 60 projects have been completed while as work on remaining projects is almost near completion.

 The meeting also reviewed pace of progress of 29 tourist development villages being executed in the State under Central Finance Assistance of Rs. 18.46 crore, against which the centre has released Rs. 15.13 crore and of which Rs. 14.14 crore has been incurred on hardware and software components in these villages. It was informed that hardware and software work of 10 villages has been completed while as the hardware work on another 15 tourist villages have almost been completed and software works are in progress, besides the development work on 4 tourist villages recently sanctioned by the Centre are is in progress.

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister underscored the need for timely completion of all ongoing tourism projects. He stressed on concerned authorities to submit utilization certificates of each project well in time for release of second instalment of funds from the Centre. He directed the concerned authorities that tourism projects hampering for want of forest NOC’s should be handed over to forest department for execution. He also instructed that only those projects to be taken where state land is available, as there is no component of land cost in funding of central tourism projects.

Mr. Jora exhorted upon the concerned authorities to monitor the works in their jurisdictions closely and there should be no compromise in quality of work. He directed that the tourism projects should be completed well in time so that the visiting tourists would not face any inconvenience at tourist spots. He also instructed concerned authorities to submit the tourist infrastructure related projects through administrative department for centre funding and ensure that State land is available for creation of infrastructure at tourism spots.

JKP focusing on upgradation of training institutes, enhancing investigation abilities: Rajendra

            SRINAGAR, JULY 16: The Director General of Police (DGP), Mr. K. Rajendra Kumar has said that adoption of latest techniques of trainings have assumed much importance in the present scenario and Jammu and Kashmir Police has been focussing on up-gradation of all the police training institutions across the State to sharpen the training skills for better policing.

            Mr. Rajendra was addressing a meeting of senior police officers at Police Headquarters (PHQ) here this morning. The meeting was called in the back drop of a high level meeting convened by Union Ministry of Home Affairs, (MHA) in New Delhi recently to review the modernization scheme of JKP which was attended by a team of state police officers headed by the DGP.

            Mr. Rajendra informed the meeting that Jammu and Kashmir Police had submitted a project of Rs. 280 crores for up-gradation of all police training institutions including Sher-i-Kashmir Police Academy Udhampur, PTS Manigam, PTS Kathua, STC Sheeri, STC Talwara, PTTI, Vijaypur, and CTC Lethpora. He said that the project include strengthening of building infrastructure, procurement of specialized equipments and introducing special training courses for its personnel. 

He said that apart from this, the department has also established a Training Centre at Sujwan Jammu which is spread over 400 kanals of land and police personnel are being imparted training in the use of special methods of policing in the centre. The Centre has imparted training to more than 3,000 police personnel since its inception in 2011.

The DGP disclosed that the MHA has agreed to release Rs.30 crores to the Organization for the purpose which are being utilized to raise the building infrastructure in all the training institutions during the current year. Moreover Rs.50 crores would be release in the second instalment under the project.

 Mr. Rajendra said that latest techniques of investigation, office automation, automatic weaponry, communication system and enhancement of training infrastructure including, outdoor and indoor firing butts are focussed to enhance our training abilities. Syllabus for various training courses has been reviewed from time to time in consultation with the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) New Delhi to meet the latest requirements of policing, he added.

            The DGP said that special focus has been given to enhance the investigation abilities for providing better professional policing and this has enabled the force to prevent and detect the heinous crimes. Intelligence gathering mechanism, commando training facilities, procurement of latest gadgetry and up-gradation of Forensic Science Laboratories are the other fields which are also attended to, he added.

Governor reiterates effective sanitation measures at all Camp locations, along Yatra routes

 Directs Special Sanitation Drive

SRINAGAR, JULY 16 – At a high level meeting held under his chairmanship at Raj Bhavan here today, Mr. N. N. Vohra, Governor, who is Chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, reviewed the enforcement of the cleanliness and sanitation arrangements which have been put in place in all the Camps and on both Baltal and Pahalgam routes for the ongoing Shri Amarnathji Yatra.  

Mr. Nawang Rigjin Jora, Minister for Tourism and Culture; Mr. Navin K. Choudhary, Chief Executive Officer, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Boad; Mr. Atal Dulloo, Commissioner/Secretary, Tourism; Mr. Farooq Ahmad Shah, Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag; Mr. Showkat Ahmad Mir, Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal; Mr. Preet Pal Singh, Additional CEO of the Shrine Board; Mr. Mir Altaf Ahmad, Chief Executive Officer, Pahalgam Development Authority; Mr. Mohammad Yousuf, Chief Executive Officer, Sonamarg Development Authority; and Mr. J. R. Bandey, Officer Incharge Sanitation in the Shrine Board participated in the meeting.

Reviewing the Camp-wise and route-wise sanitation arrangements, the Governor directed that a Special Sanitation Drive should be launched by the Pahalgam and Sonamarg Development Authorities to ensure cleanliness along the tracks and around the Camps, by deploying additional manpower, if necessary, to secure visible outcomes. He also directed the CEO, Shrine Board, to intensify the cleanliness and sanitation measures within the Camps and on the Baltal-Brarimarg-Sangam track. He said that he, along with the Tourism Minister, will be shortly visiting the Yatra area to review the results of this Special Sanitation Drive.

The Governor directed the CEO to ensure that all the Langarwallas and other service providers keep their establishments neat and clean. He also reiterated directions for the CEO to ensure the collection and transportation of garbage to the identified dumping sites on daily basis. The Governor was informed that the Sewage Treatment Plants set up at the Baltal and Nunwan Base Camps are working satisfactorily.

The Governor discussed with Mr. Jora and the officers participating in the meeting the urgent need for identifying the short and long-term measures for protection of environment and ecology of the Yatra area. He observed that, interalia, the environment and ecology would be protected by ensuring the regular collection and treatment of all wastes. He stressed the use of plastic shedders for disposal of plastic bottles and other plastic materials and segregation of waste materials for appropriate treatment. He said that the Yatris need to be repeatedly reminded not to carry polythene bags and, instead, use jute bags which have been made available at the Baltal and Nunwan Base Camps.

The Governor said that after the culmination of this year’s Yatra, a Sanitation Drive would be launched, as in the past years, to clean up all the Camp sites and the tracks of all sorts of garbage. He asked CEO and Secretary Tourism to examine the viability of installation of biodegradable toilets while planning the arrangements for the Yatra 2013 besides formulating a detailed Master Plan for putting in place arrangements for the next Yatra keeping in view the conservation of environment and ecology.

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