Even as months have passed since the State Government sent a proposal to include Buddhist sites like Lalitagiri, Udaygiri and Ratnagiri and many other tourist sites under the Swadesh Darshan, the Union Government has not yet responded, informed Tourism Minister Ashok Chandra Panda in the State Assembly on Saturday.
Replying to a question of Congress MLA Naba Kishore Das and many other MLAs, the Minister said the State Government has made various incentive provisions under the Tourism Policy 2013 and 2016 for establishment of star hotels in prominent cities and town across the State. All district Collectors have been asked to take steps in this regard.
The Single Window Clearance Authority has approved 36 hotel industry proposals so far, he said.
The Minister said the Idco has provided land for establishment of hotels s at 77 industrial estates across the State and, of these, hotels have been established at 63 places.
The 14 entrepreneurs, who have not established hotels, have been issued notices.
Besides, the Bhubaneswar Development Authority has provided land at five places for hotels through e-auction, he said.
Opposition Leader Narasingha Mishra demanded that the Government expedite infrastructure project work at the Bhimapahada in Balingir district, which has as many as 63 caves.
He too demanded that communication system be strengthened to the Ranipur Jharial and early lifting of Central forces from Harishankar.
BJP Legislature Party Leader KV Singh Deo said the Centre has not responded to the State’s Swadesh Darshan inclusion proposal as the DPR was sent late in October last year.
Among others, Amar Prasad Satpathy, Sanjay Dasburma, Debashish Nayak, Pravat Biswal and Priyadarshi Mishra (all BJD), Pradeep Purohit (BJP) and Ansuman Mohanty (Congress) pub supplementary questions.