Kohalpur, 25 September. The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has received 713 projects from across the country for promoting tourism in cost-sharing partnership.
The proposal to this was called by the Ministry on August 17. Over Rs 33 billion has been projected as the estimated cost for the 713 projects for which the state and local units have pledged to chip in around Rs 12 billion.
The proposal to this was called by the Ministry on August 17. A total of 713 projects have been proposed, including 10 from the states, 9 from the metropolis, 10 from the sub-metropolis, 307 from the municipalities and 377 from the villages.
For the implementation of this scheme, the village municipality will have to bear 30 percent, the municipality 35 percent, the sub-metropolis 40 percent and the metropolis and the state 50 percent. The rest will be borne by the federal government.
The estimated cost for 713 schemes is Rs. 33.18 billion. The state and local levels have expressed commitment to bear the cost of around Rs 12 billion.
The ministry is preparing to give Rs 300 million to the state, Rs 150 million to the metropolis, Rs 100 million to the sub-metropolis, Rs 70 million to the municipality and Rs 50 million to the village municipality for such programs.
In the past, the government had introduced a program of 100 destinations for the development of tourism infrastructure. Stating that its implementation has not been effective, the ministry has brought another program in the partnership model.
Kamal Prasad Bhattarai, joint secretary at the ministry and chief of the planning division, said that the 100-destination program could not be effective due to lack of local level affiliation.
The ministry had sought proposals to build infrastructures such as toilets, sewerage, roads, belts, parks, tourist bus parks, drinking water and electricity and rest areas in major tourist (religious, cultural) areas.
According to the ministry, the scheme will be selected on the basis of the possibility of attracting tourists, accessibility, employment opportunities for the community and so on.
An evaluation and facilitation committee has also been formed to assist the state and local levels in the implementation of the program and to evaluate the project.
