New Delhi, Feb. 6 (ANI): Union Tourism Minister Chiranjeevi has complimented Madhya Pradesh Government for becoming the first state in the country to fully utilize plan funds released to them by the Tourism Ministry for the development of tourism infrastructure at various tourist sites in the state.
After a meeting held here today to prioritize projects pertaining to the development of tourism in Madhya Pradesh for the year 2013-14, Chiranjeevi commended the efforts of the State Tourism Department for timely implementation of projects and utilization of funds released to them under 11th Five Year Plan (up to 2010-11).
Madhya Pradesh is thus the first state to have submitted all utilisation and completion certificates and has achieved 'zero pendency' of Government of India funds lying with them, thus fully complying with the directions issued by the Ministry of Finance on the utilisation of funds.
Chiranjeevi expressed confidence that other states would follow the suit.
The Madhya Pradesh Government has utilized all the funds released for the development of tourist destinations such as Mandu, Vidisha, Shivpuri, Burhanpur, Maheshwar, Datia, Indra Sagar, Mandasaur, Handia, Betul and Chitrakoot etc. Tourism development at these sites has increased footfalls and the sites are becoming popular with domestic and foreign tourists.
The Madhya Pradesh Government has now come up with plans to develop more destinations with potential to attract tourists to sites such as Bhopal, Indore, Nagod-Maihar, Noorabad, Nemawar, Vindhya Phase II, etc. These destinations will be taken up for the integrated development of tourism infrastructure from 2013-14 onwards. (ANI)
