Question : PROMOTION OF TOURISM

(a) the number of proposals received, sanctioned and rejected for providing Central Financial Assistance for the promotion and development of tourism infrastructure including religious and historical spots, State-wise and project-wise during each of the last three years and the current year;

(b) the amount sanctioned, State and project-wise during the above period;

(c) whether the Union Government has any monitoring mechanism to ensure proper and timely utilisation of funds by the State Governments in this regard;

(d) if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether the State Governments have adopted Public Private Partnership (PPP) for mobilising additional resources for the development of tourism; and

(f) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM (SHRI SULTAN AHMED)

(a) & (b): Promotion and Development of tourism projects including those pertaining to religious and historical spots are primarily the responsibility of the State Governments/Union Territory (UT) Administrations. However, Ministry of Tourism provides financial assistance for tourism projects based on the proposals received which are complete in all respects as per the Scheme Guidelines, inter-se priority and subject to availability of funds.

A list of projects and amount sanctioned to various States/ UTs during 2008-09 to 2010-11 for promotion and development of tourism is given in the Annexure.

(c) & (d): Timely completion of tourism projects is primarily the responsibility of the State Governments/UT Administration. Ministry of Tourism also monitors the implementation of projects through Regional Conferences, field inspections by the officers of the Ministry, periodical review meetings with the State/UT officers. State Governments/UT Administration are required to submit the reports of the State Level Monitoring Committees to the Ministry of Tourism periodically.

(e) & (f): It is primarily the responsibility of State Governments/ Union Territory Administrations to adopt the Public Private Partnership (PPP) for mobilising additional resources for the development of tourism. However, Ministry of Tourism assists public-private partnership for development of tourism through the Scheme of Large Revenue Generating Projects.