Government declared Kangra district tourism capital without concrete plan: MP

Kangra MP Rajiv Bhardwaj yesterday accused the state government of neglecting biggest district Kangra. He said that the government had declared the district as the tourism capital of the state without first drawing up a development plan.

Bhardwaj, while addressing mediapersons at the Nurpur Press Club here, said that tourism development, including of religious places, could boost the state’s economy. Kangra and Chamba districts had untapped tourism potential, he added.

He said that the state government had not submitted proposals under the Central Government-sponsored ‘Swadesh Darshan Scheme’ and ‘Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive’ (PRASAD) Yojana for the world-famous shrines in Kangra and Chamba districts. He added that the ‘Swadesh Darshan Scheme’ could create sustainable and responsible tourism infrastructure with full financial assistance from the Central Government while the PRASAD Yojana, too, was a Central Government-funded scheme for the creation of an integrated and well-planned tourism infrastructure at identified pilgrimage and heritage sites.

Bhardwaj said that he would meet Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu along with a delegation of sitting MLAs from Kangra and Chamba districts and appeal to him to submit proposals under the Central Government-sponsored schemes. He added that he would personally pursue the detailed project reports (DPRs) of these development projects with the Union ministry concerned for their early approval.

The MP said that two big water bodies – the Pong Lake in Kangra district and the Chamera Lake in Chamba district -- had potential to develop backwater tourism on the pattern of Kerala but the state government had no concrete strategy to harness this hidden and untapped tourism potential.

Bhardwaj lashed out at the state government for scuttling the ambitious Central Government-funded project for the establishment of a campus of the Central University of Himachal Pradesh in Kangra district. He added that the government couldn’t even deposit Rs 30 crore to clear the outstanding liability of the Union Forest, Environment and Climate Change Ministry.

He said, “The Central Government has sanctioned and earmarked Rs 256 crore for the construction of two university campuses at Dharamsala and Dehra in Kangra district but the project.” Local MLA Ranbir Singh Nikka was also present on the occasion.