Operating mining companies have come forward to promote tourism in Keonjhar district. A meeting was convened under the chairmanship of district Collector N Thirumala Naik where representatives from different mining companies attended and agreed to contribute decently to the tourism projects.
As per sources, the OMC will spent Rs 15 lakh for development of Khandadhar waterfall picnic spot, Tata will spend Rs 25 lakh in Murgamahadeb waterfall, Rs 18 lakh to be spent by Sirajuddin mines in Handibhanga waterfall and Rungta will spend Rs 80 lakh at Bhimkund. Similarly, Indrani Pattnaik mines will spend Rs 30 lakh at Sanaghagra picnic spot, Essar Steel Rs 8 lakh at Sidhamath, TP Mohanty Rs 22 lakh at Chikinia Park and JSPl will spend Rs 1.5 lakh at Mirigisingha. Indrani Pattnaik was assigned to take up development works at Kesari Kund tourist spot. The companies have been asked to submit a detail project report (DPR) to the Collector regarding the nature of development work to be undertaken at the respective sites.
A ropeway is proposed to be built from the Government funds at Bhimkhund, while funds to build tourist rest houses at Gonasika, Handibhanga and Murga Mahadeb have been sanctioned by the Tourism Department, informed the Collector.
Also the Government has sanctioned Rs 50 lakh for Sanaghagara, Rs 50 lakh for Sitabinj, Rs 30 lakh for Bhimkund, Rs 50 lakh for Gundichaghagi, Rs 30 lakh for Chakratirtha, Rs 30 lakh for development of Kesari Kund in the financial year 2015-16, he added.
Chairman Sanaghagra Develoment Committee Purna Chandra Mishra briefed about the development projects already taken up in Sanaghagra out of its own generated funds. Keonjhar district has immense tourism potentialities and development of the tourist sports by CSR initiatives will boost the economy, Tourist Officer Ramesh Chandra Nayak asserted.