Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FJCCI) is still in dilemma to begin Baidyanath dham Hawai Darshanam facility this Shravan, despite the State Government’s assistance to the trade body. The federation which has been trying to restart the service with the government has now put forward the demand of realising the assistance money before rolling out the services.
The State Government considering the huge losses suffered by the federation along with Civil Aviation Department in ferrying the passengers from State capital to Deoghar through helicopter during last season has decided to provide them a sum of rupees three lakh for three day service. Moreover, the pilgrims have to pay Rs10,999 each for availing the facility.
Nevertheless, Chamber members are not happy with the decision and have declined to begin the service under such circumstances.
FJCCI President Bikash Kumar said, “Federation is not a business organisation, it is meant for promoting the business organisations. Government wants us to start the facility with our fund and then will get it reimbursed in near future. The question is from where we will get this amountIJ We are ready to help the Government but not under this criteria. To initiate the facility Government has to give us the amount
beforehand.”
Civil Aviation Department in collaboration with the FJCCI had begun the chopper service for ferrying pilgrims, especially those who were not in a position to carry out the 100 km padhyatra from Sultanganj to Deoghar and offer holy Gangajal on lord Shiva last year. Ironically, due to high prices the service failed to gain popularity among the targeted devotees and was shut down within couple of weeks.
“The hired chopper rents around Rs2.50 lakh. Moreover, per person total travelling cost incurred Rs18,000. How is it possible to operate the service with the offered amountIJ The Government should rethink over the matter,” maintained Kumar. The federation has decided to write back the Tourism department highlighting the grey areas of the decisions and also plead them to rethink over the decision and find a concrete solution over the matter through mutual understanding.
“We will put forward the points and will ask the concerned officials to come up with suitable solution. If all the decks clear out then only we will start the service from July 21 else it’s a complete no from our side,” added FJCCI General Secretary Pawan Sharma.
Meanwhile, the Tourism department has expressed inability to fulfill their demand due to policy constrain which mandates reimbursement of the amount instead of giving in advance.
“It is not in the policy of the Government to make advance payment for the service. I do not think the demands can be fulfilled,” said Additional Secretary
Manoj Kumar.