AGARTALA, January 19 (TIWN): Failure of the State Government in providing the project land for the Government of India sponsored tourism project “Destination Development of Agartala” deprived the state of the intended benefits of the project.

According to the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India Government of India (GOI) sanctioned (March 2007) Rs. 3.19 crore and released (April 2008) Rs. 2.55 crore (80 percent of the sanctioned amount) to the Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (ICAT) Department for the project “Destination Development of Agartala” with stipulation to commission the project within a maximum period of 30 months (upto September 2010) from the date of issue of sanction.

The project was intended mainly to promote the destination to local and intra-regional tourists by providing improved accommodation facilities, way side amenities, recreational activities and up-gradation and enhancement of existing facilities. The project consisted of two components viz. (i) Tourist Facilitation Centre at Kunjaban and (ii) Memorial Park at Kunjaban. As per the Detailed Project Report (DPR) prepared in October 2007, the proposed site for the Tourist Facilitation Centre was in the proximity of circuit house at Kunjaban. The site for the Memorial Park was to be a lush green area of 6 acres proposed on a hillock overlooking the central area of Agartala Town at Kunjaban.

Scrutiny (May 2013) of records revealed that while forwarding the DPR to GOI, the State Government/Department had given an undertaking that the required land for the project was readily available with it. It was, however, observed that while the proposed site for Tourist Facilitation Centre was in the possession of the Department, the land required for the Memorial Park was pending for acquisition by the State Government.

Accordingly, the Department requested (October 2008) the DM and Collector, West Tripura District to allot six acres of land at the southern side of State Guest House and State Tourism Lodge to implement the project but no land could be found for allotment in that area. In June 2009, the Department transferred the project funds amounting to Rs. 2.55 crore as released by GOI to the Tripura Tourism Development Corporation Limited (Company) for implementation of the project.

Subsequently, the company also requested (April 2010) the DM and Collector to allot at least one acre of land in the vicinity of Kunjaban for setting up of the Memorial Park. But no land could be acquired for the purpose.

Ultimately, GOI asked (September 2012) the Department to refunded the money immediately, following which the funds of Rs. 2.55 crore had to be refunded by the Tripura Tourism Development Corporation Limited (Company) to GOI due to the non-implementation of the project. This indicated that the proposals for the project were made to GOI for sanction of funds without due regard to availability of land. Consequently, the objective of the project remained unachieved due to lack of timely action on the part of the State Government.