Ruckus over leasing of tourism properties

lit Mohan

Advertisement

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, December 14

The Congress today staged a walkout from the House over leasing of tourism properties by the state government to private players. It alleged that the four tourism properties that were created at a cost of about Rs 200 crore using Asian Development Bank (ADB) loans had been leased to private players for just a few lakhs of rupees without following the due process.

The properties in question include a convention centre brought up in Mandi at a cost of Rs 47 crore, an art and culture centre in Janjheli area of Mandi district brought up at a cost of Rs 27 crore, a convention centre in Baragraon area of Mandi district and another convention centre brought up Kiari Ghat area of Solan district.

CLP leader Mukesh Agnihotri in a point of order alleged that the convention centre brought up at a cost of over Rs 47 crore in Mandi had been leased to a private company for Rs 25 lakh per annum whereas the art and culture centre in Janjheli raised at a cost of over Rs 27 crore had been leased for Rs 17.52 lakh per annum.

He alleged that the state had been burdened with an ADB loan of Rs 200 crore while less than Rs 1 crore would be earned from the properties.

The Congress MLAs raised slogans of ‘Himachal on Sale’ and moved into the well of the House. After some time, they walked out of the House.

In the House, IPH Minister Mahinder Singh Thakur said that the properties were raised with ADB loan. Most of the amount spent on raising the properties came in the form of grants under the aegis of the Central Government and only some component was loan. He added that the properties had been leased following the due process so that adequate revenue could be generated for tourism promotion.

Outside the Assembly, Congress MLA Bhawani Singh Pathania said that the properties would fetch a return of just about 0.75 per cent per annum. At this rate, the government would be able to recover its investment in over 100 years. “I am ready to pay double the price for the properties that have been leased in Mandi,” he said.