TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM :An amount of Rs 3.5 crore for tourism infrastructure development sanctioned under the centrally sponsored scheme for heritage and hinterland tourism is set to be forfeited by Goa as projects envisaged under this category have made no headway since 2008.
Funds sanctioned for development of the River Mandovi circuit, development and River Zuari circuit and tourism information and interpretation centers in north Goa are some of those which the Tourism ministry proposes to return, in addition to scrapping of the projects.
While officials in the ministry have cited these projects being unfeasible for the state as one of the reasons, it appears that repeated caution from the Centre over delay in utilization of the funds previously sanctioned and fears of reduction in central assistance for the future has compelled the state ministry to return the unutilized amount.
Nilesh Cabral, Chairman of the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) which is the state appointed special purpose vehicle for fast tracking tourism projects in Goa said, “We have decided to return the money to the tune of Rs 3.5 crore back to the Centre so that we can re-submit fresh proposals for re-allocation of funds in the new fiscal year under centrally sponsored schemes.”
Cabral pointed out that the Rs 3.5 crore sought to be returned is from an amount of Rs 21 crore allocated to Goa in the year 2008-09.
While justifying the return of the money for several reasons including that of the projects being un-feasible, he said that Goa had to face the flak over non-utilization of Rs 43 crore also sanctioned then by the Centre which he claimed was allegedly diverted towards non-tourism projects. He said that Goa had to pool in its share and take on the burden of the ‘missing’ Rs 43 crore owing to which the state could not seek funds for the Centre until last year.
Close to launching a large number of tourism infrastructure projects from funds sanctioned by the Centre in the past, Goa is now targeting huge funding from the Union Tourism Ministry and has decided to drop some of the ‘unfeasible projects’ and forfeit Rs 3.5 crore.
It is learnt that the high powered committee for tourism infrastructure development projects has also consented to returning the money to the Centre.
Information from the special purpose vehicle cell under the GTDC reveals that an amount of Rs 39.91 lakh has been utilized towards the River Mandovi circuit project. However, issues pertaining to CRZ are also bogging down the project forcing the Tourism Ministry to drop the same.
So far the Tourism Ministry has made progress in projects for the cruise jetty, multi level car parking, its Patto Plaza, development of heritage and religious centers at Old Goa, IHM at Farmagudi, Convention Centre, Colva circuit, Baga circuit and Goa Haat.
