Guwahati: Union Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned an amount of Rs 98.35 crores for a Heritage Tour Circuit for Assam. Union Minister of State for Tourism and Culture Mahesh Sarma announced this while taking part in a meeting with the Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal here on Sunday.
This amount which has been sanctioned for development of the Tezpur -Majuli – Sivasagar heritage circuit under the scheme of Swadesh Darshan that includes development of a composite tourist infrastructure in Majuli , comprising of an interpretation centre near Kamalabari ghat, log huts, watch towers, cafeteria, elevated walkways, solar illumination, landscaping etc., worth Rs. 61.26 crores, development of Ahom Era manuments Ranghar, Joy Sagar and Talatal Ghar in Sivasagar and development of Kanaklata Udyan and Bamuni Hills in Tezpur.
The first instalment of Rs. 19.67 crores against the sanctioned amount has already been released by the Government of India. Also in a major development, the Union Tourism Ministry has decided to transfer the rights of Brahmaputra Ashok Hotel presently managed by ITDC to Assam government.
All necessary modalities to formalize the transfer of rights will be executed within next 15 days.
The Tourism Ministry has also decided to work collectively to enlist Majuli in the coveted list of World Heritage Site. Already Tourism Ministry has engaged the Archaeological Survey of India to prepare the dossier for submitting the same to UNESCO.
The Union Tourism Ministry has also sanctioned Rs 2 crore for the Namami Brahmaputra festival organized for the first time by the Government of Assam to glorify the river Brahmaputra as well as to promote tourism, economy and civilization of the state at global arena.
