State seeks Delhi's help
Source: The Sangai Express / Manipur Info Centre
New Delhi, May 30:
Tourism Minister TN Haokip called on the Union Minister of Tourism and Culture Ambika Soni in her office chamber at Transport Bhavan, Parliament Street here this afternoon and highlighted the 17 proposals submitted to promote tourism in Manipur.
During the half an hour meeting, TN Haokip informed the Union Minister about the submission of 17 new tourism projects for Manipur to the Ministry to be treated as Central Prioritized Schemes/Projects for financial assistance for the year 2008-09 .
TN Haokip imforned that Manipur has immense potential for tourism and the State Government had recognized tourism as an industry for all purposes of industrial development.
For all round development of tourism in Manipur, the new proposals had been submitted to the Ministry, he added.
Seventeen projects costing about Rs 433 crores wereDevelopment of Marjing polo Complex at Heingang, Construction of City View Point Complex with Hotel and Gift Shop at Cheiraoching, Reconstruction of Goddess Durga Temple Complex at Hiyangthang, Reconstruction and Renovation of Masjid at Lilong, Construction of Cultural Museum for Cathedral Church at Mantripukhri, Construction of Singda Garden, Construction of Loktak Tourist resort, Development of Sendra Foothill at Moirang, Development of Adventure Tourism Complex at Lamdan, Development of Chingphu Ching Mahadev at Ishok, Construction of Tourist Centre at Hanuman Temple at Mahabali, Construction of Tourist Centre at Ramji Prabhu Temple at Imphal, Construction of Tourist Resort at Hundung, Integrated Tourist Circuit for Imphal - Mahadev - Lambui - Finch Corner - Hundung - Khangkhui Cave - Ukhrul - Siroi - Nungbi - Kharasom - Jessami, Integrated Tourist Circuit for Imphal - Luwangsangbam - Sekmai - Kanglatongbi - Henbung - Senapati - Maram Khullen - Mao, Construction of Tourist Destination at Jiribam and Construction of Tourist Destination at Makhan.
Haokip sought the Union Minister's cooperation in approving all the proposals made by the State of Manipur for the over-all development of tourism in Manipur.
Smt Ambika Soni assured the Minister all necessary cooperation in the regard.
The Union Minister asked the Manipur Government for early submission of the proposal for setting up the Institute of Hotel Management in Manipur.
The Centre would sanction a sum of Rs.10 crore for the Institute.
The objective the Institute was to train the young people in different trades of hotel management, which had job prospect.
New hotels were to be coming up during the Commonwealth Games 2010 in Delhi, for which the students who had got training in the institute would get job, she added.
The State Tourism Minister said that an area of 5 acres had been acquired for setting up the Institute of Hotel Management at Bishnupur in Manipur.
The Process for formation of a society to run the Institute had also been taken up.
During the meeting, Haokip drew the attention of the Union Minister for expediting sanction of the eight tourism projects for Manipur pending with Ministry.
The projects were Integrated Tourist Circuit for Imphal - Bishnupur - Churachandpur (2006-07), Rural Tourism Projects at Liyai Village, Thongjao Village and Hengkot Village (2007-08), Kut festival (2007-08), Lui-ngai-ni Festival (2007-08), Mera Houchongba Festival (2007-08) and Purchase of mountaineering and trekking equipments (2007-08) .