SHILLONG, April 1: Rajya Sabha member, Prof Rakesh Sinha, who has been vocal in Parliament on issues concerning Meghalaya and the Northeastern region, raised a number of important queries related to his adopted village – Kongthong – particularly about raising its tourism potentials.
Sinha queried whether the Centre would take steps to consolidate the touristic character of Kongthong in Meghalaya and make the place tourist friendly as it is the only ‘Whistling Village’ in the country and has potential to become an important tourist place.
Sinha further queries whether the government would use its natural sites and develop it as a tourist spot and also provide facilities for tourists due to its added attraction and natural beauty keeping in mind the protection of indigenous culture, people, language and ecology.
In his reply, Union Minister for Tourism G Kishan Reddy said the Ministry of Tourism under its flagship schemes of ‘Swadesh Darshan’ and ‘National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD)’ has not received any proposal from the Meghalaya government for development of Kongthong village.
Reddy further added that the Ministry of Tourism has now revamped its Swadesh Darshan scheme in order to develop sustainable and responsible destinations with tourist & destination centric approaches. The Ministry of Tourism has earlier sanctioned two projects under its Swadesh Darshan scheme and one project under its ‘PRASHAD’ scheme in Meghalaya.
Under Swadesh Darshan’s NE Circuit in 2016-17 the Centre had sanctioned Rs 99.13 crore for development of Umiam (Lake View), U Lum Sohpetbneng, Mawdiangdiang and Orchid Lake Resort.
In 2018-19 the government sanctioned Rs 84.97 crore for development of Nongkhlaw Krem Tirot – Khudoi & Kohmang Falls, Khri river and Mawthadraishan in West Khasi Hills; Krang Suri Falls, Shyrmang and Iooksi in Jaintia Hills and Nokrek Reserve, Katta Beel and Siju caves in Garo Hills.
Under the PRASHAD scheme the Centre sanctioned Rs 29.32 crore in 2020-21 for development of pilgrimage facilities in Meghalaya, the Union minister said.
Sinha also raised important questions related to the miniscule number of FM radio stations in the Northeastern states from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Sinha queried whether the Ministry has plans to increase the density of FM radio stations in the NER. He also wanted to know if there was any proposal to reduce the license fee and operational cost etc., for setting up FM radio stations in the region considering the commercial, demographic and resource constraints.
To the above query, I&B Minister Anurag Singh Thakur said there are 130 All India Radio (AIR) Broadcasting Centres with 138 FM transmitters operational in the North Eastern Region (NER). In addition, FM transmitters at 7 more locations have also been approved for installation by AIR in the NER.
Apart from this, under the policy guidelines for expansion of FM radio services through private agencies (Phase-III), 18 channels are operational in the NER. Private FM broadcasters in NER are required to pay only half the rate of annual license fee for an initial period of three years from the date from which annual license fee becomes payable and the permission period begins.
Similarly, Prasar Bharati infrastructure is made available at half the lease rentals for cities in NER during the initial 3 years. Channels allotted in the NER are allowed over and above 15% national limit to incentivise the bidding for channels in such areas.