North East News Agency

According to an ASSOCHAM analysis, the North-East region has emerged the largest beneficiary of Central aid for promotion of its tourism projects with a 75 per cent increase reported till the end of February 2006 as against fiscal 2004-05.

The study, conducted by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASSOCHAM), also revealed that a 65 per cent increase was seen in the number of projects sanctioned to the region for the same period.

“The study indicates the preference of the Central Government to encourage tourism activities in the trouble-torn North-East region of the country,’’ ASSOCHAM said.

The Department of Tourism and the Ministry of Tourism and Culture in the fiscal 2004-05 collectively sanctioned 32 projects for the North-Eastern region with a total   of Rs 7,275.58 lakh to promote various tourist destinations and tourist spots.

“Their number, however, went up to 53 by February 2006, with the sanctioning amount rising to Rs 12,753.36 lakh, reporting an increase of 75 per cent,’’ ASSOCHAM President Anil K Agarwal said.

The study is based on the latest Government figure that it received from the department of Tourism in the form of state-wise tourism projects sanctioned for various states during the year 2004-05 and 2005-06 (up to February, 2006), he further added.

In the case of Assam, the number of projects sanctioned for tourism promotion in 2004-05 stood at six with the allocation of Rs 956.03 lakh. By February 2006, the Department of Tourism enhanced the number of projects to eight, for which it sanctioned Rs 2,125.00 lakh.

For Arunachal Pradesh, six projects were sanctioned in 2004-05 with a sanctioned amount of Rs 1,285.70 lakh and their number was hiked to 10 with the amount up to Rs 2,240.16 lakh by February 2006.

For Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura, while the number of projects sanctioned respectively stood at 4, 6, 5 and 1 with the amount of Rs 377.88 lakh, Rs 1,401.40 lakh, Rs 520.33 lakh and Rs 16 lakh respectively in 2004-05.

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