Minister for Tourism M. Mathiventhan on Thursday urged the Centre to release funds under PRASHAD Scheme to create facilities for tourists in the temple town of Rameswaram.
The Minister met G. Kishan Reddy, the Union Minister for Culture and Tourism, in New Delhi and submitted a set of demands on behalf of the State. He later told presspersons that the Centre had granted in-principle approval for the project that aims at developing a walkers’ pathway, a boat jetty, parking spaces and facilities at the ‘agni theertham’ at a cost of ₹49.70 crore.
According to the Ministry of Tourism’s directives, the Department of Tourism is in the process of obtaining CRZ clearances and other permissions required to start the project’s execution, he said.
He said the department was preparing a project report for Tiruvannamalai temple town under PRASHAD scheme, which will be submitted soon to the Centre for review, approval and funding.
He urged Mr. Kishan Reddy to consider the proposal submitted for the development of Mamallapuram into a world-class tourist destination at a cost of ₹461.22 crore. The town had been identified as one of the 17 tourism iconic sites in India by the Ministry of Tourism.
Though the State had successfully completed all the projects under Swadesh Darshan scheme and PRASHAD Scheme, funds had not yet been released, Mr. Mathiventhan said. The projects for which funds were yet to be released include the development of coastal circuit under Swadesh Darshan Scheme and the development of Kancheepuram under PRASHAD Scheme.
‘Simplify system’
The Minister, who was accompanied by Secretary of Tourism B. Chandra Mohan and TTDC Managing Director Sandeep Nanduri, also sought to simplify the system to obtain permissions in a timely manner for filming world heritage sites and to be exempted from paying for filming at these sites.
