Imphal, February 09: Absence of clarity and hastiness in presenting proposals to the Centre regarding tourism development in Manipur may be attributed to failure in tapping the huge tourism potential as Central Govt had been consenting almost every proposals put up by the State Government for the last many years.

Of the 64 tourism schemes proposed by the State Government in between 1985 till 2001 through respective incumbents holding the Tourism portfolio the Union Tourism Ministry during this period had approved and even sanctioned funds to carry forth the projects.

Ironically, less than one-third of the scheme proposals could be implemented as the State incumbents were found lacking in home-works as most sanctioned funds had little reference to the proposals.

Explaining on the matter to the Sangai Express today, a top State Tourism Department official preferring anonymity said Govt of India realising potential of Manipur in attracting both domestic and foreign tourists had no promptly approved almost the entire proposals and even earmarked Rs 20 crore so as to enable Manipur Government augment its income generation prospect.

Out of Rs five crores released by the Centre some initial tourism development programmes had been initiated but further fund provision by the Union Tourism Ministry ran faced road blocks as the scheme proposals were found lacking in minute study of the proposed tourism spots in Manipur.

Citing main cause of the tourism development impediments, the top official said lack of detailed spot assessment of the tourism sites, furnishing of wrong information and delay in release of previous Central Government funding among others had derailed the project implementation.

Only Rs 2.5 crores out of the total Central Government had been utilised in taking up proposed tourism development schemes of which the allocation were pumped in implementing only 11 of the proposed schemes, said the official.

The schemes are Moirang Tourist Guest House - 1985-86; Mao Gate Cafeteria - 1986-87; Litan Wayside Amenities - 1987-88; Santing Wayside Amenities - 1987-88; Kangpokpi Wayside Amenities - 1987-88; Jiribam Tourists Home - 1988-89; Rempang Tourists Home - 1989-90; Tengnoupal Tourists Home - 1989-90; Khonghampat Wayside Amenities - 1991; Ukhrul Tourists Home - 1993-94; and the recent Moreh Yatriniwas - 2004.A document illustrating detailed information of problems faced by the State Tourism Department had also been placed to the Parliamentary Committee on Transport and Tourism members who had recently visited Imphal to study tourism potential in the State, conveyed the official.

As advised by the Parliamentary panel insisting on submission of renewed spot inquiry report a meeting between top State Government officials and the Central panel was held, continued the official.

In the meeting decisions were taken to drop 18 schemes out of the proposed 64 found to be inviable and infeasible, added the official.

It was further resolved to expedite implementation of 17 other ongoing projects/schemes currently undertaken by the State Department out of which 16 are likely to fall behind as no specific spots could not be identified while steps are on to club two others as a single scheme, highlighted the official.

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