Tamil Nadu minister urges Center to provide funding for projects under PRASHAD Scheme

Published on : Saturday, May 21, 2022

The Minister for Tourism in Tamil Nadu M. Mathiventhanurged the Center to providefunding under PRASHAD Scheme, so that there are amenities for tourists in the temple town of Rameswaram.

In New delhi, the Minister met G. Kishan Reddy, the Union Minister for Culture and Tourism and submitted certain demands on behalf of Tamil Nadu. The minister said that the Center had permitted in-principle approval for the project that focuses on creating a walkers’ passageway, a boat jetty, parking spaces and amenities at the ‘agnitheertham’, which would cost aroundRs. 49.70 crore.

As per the directives of theMinistry of Tourism, the Department of Tourism is in its path to obtain CRZ clearances and other permissions that are important for launching execution of the project.

The minister said that the department is preparing a project report for Tiruvannamalai temple town as part of the PRASHAD scheme, which will be submitted to the Center at the earliest for assessment, sanction and subsidy.

Mr. Mathiventhanurged Mr. Kishan Reddy to contemplate the proposal submitted submitted regarding improvement of Mamallapuram into a world-class tourist destination spending Rs. 461.22 crore. The town wasacknowledged as one of the 17 tourism iconic sites in India by the Ministry of Tourism.

Although Tamil Nadu had effectively completed all projects under the SwadeshDarshan scheme and PRASHAD Scheme, there was no funding for the projects, saidMr. Mathiventhan. Among the projects for which funds need to be released are the development of coastal circuit under SwadeshDarshan Scheme and the expansion of Kancheepuram under PRASHAD Scheme.