Union Minister for Tourism & Culture Mahesh Sharma today gave in principle approval to release Rs. 117 crore for the completion of ongoing four major tourism & cultural projects in Punjab.An assurance to this effect was given by Mr. Sharma to the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal during a meeting here at Kapurthala House late this evening.Giving the details, Sharma apprised the Chief Minister that his Ministry would soon girant financial assistance of Rs. 35 crore for the Bhagwan Valmik Tirath Sthal, Amritsar under PRASAD scheme. Likewise, the Union Minister also agreed to release Rs. 10 crore for War Memorial Amritsar besides Rs. 37 crore for funding the upcoming Jang-e-Azadi Memorial at Kartarpur (Jalandhar) through its inclusion in freedom trail under SWADESH DARSHAN.Acceding to another demand raised by the Chief Minister for seeking additional funds for the prestigious Virasat-e-Khalsa at Sri Anandpur Sahib, Mr. Sharma agreed in principle to release Rs. 35 crore shortly for the completion of its second phase.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also extended personal invitation to Mr. Sharma to participate in the prestigious 350thfoundation day of Sri Anandpur Sahib Celebrations on June 19, 2015. He also requested Mr. Sharma to announce some specific project on this historic occasion and thus mooted a proposal of setting up of a Recreation Centre-cum-Theme Park jointly by the state government and GoI here as part of a larger tourist hub encompassing and benefitting the states of Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir besides Punjab. Mr. Badal categorically said that the issue related to availability of land would not pose any problem as the State Government was committed to provide the entire land required for this project free of cost.Badal said that this was the opportune moment to enhance its glory and to make its surroundings more ambient and throbbing. This was in conformity with your Ministry’s aims and objectives to make India clean and green and promote tourism in the country in a big way. Prominent amongst others who were present in the meeting included Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. SK Sandhu, Principal Secretary Tourism & Culture Mrs. Anjali Bhawra and Resident Commissioner Punjab Bhawan New Delhi Mr. K Shiva Prasad.