Rs 12-crore project for development of Deepor Beel on the anvil

 Forest Department yet to issue NOC

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Department of Tourism, Government of Assam, had taken up a scheme for the preservation and overall development of Deepor Beel, a Ramsar site. However, since the Forest Department has not yet issued a NOC (No Objection Certificate), the scheme has not been implemented. State Tourism Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah said this in the House today during the ongoing autumn session of the Assam Assembly while replying to a question put forth by Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) MLA Ramendra Narayan Kalita.

In his reply, Mallabaruah further said that under the signature scheme for the overall development of Deepor Beel, Rs 10 crore had been approved by the government in 2019-20. Again in 2022-23, Rs 2 crore budget provision was made under the same scheme. A scheme estimated at Rs 12 crore had been prepared for the development of the wetland. The tendering process had also started for this project. However, as the Forest Department has not issued an NOC, the project has not been able to take off, said the minister.

This Rs 12-crore project includes a watch tower, office of the Forest Department, cafeteria, information centre, public felicitation centre, parking lot, jetty, and glass-bottom bridge.

The minister further said, “To develop Deepor Beel into a tourist attraction site, the Tourism Department is mulling to appoint a consultant to prepare a masterplan. The Tourism Department has taken up the matter with the Finance Department for making budget allocation for the appointment of a consultant.”

Mallabaruah also presented in the House today the statistics of the tourist footfall in Assam. In 2021-22, the number of tourists visiting Assam was 17,02,932. Of these, 17,01,701 were domestic tourists and 1,231 tourists were foreign tourists. In 2022-23, the number of tourists went up to 98,31,141. These included 98,12,195 domestic tourists and 18,946 foreign tourists.

The Tourism Department earned direct revenue of Rs 1,69,18,063 in 2021-22 while in 2022-23, the revenue earned was Rs 2,64,47,895. The minister said that there was need for an analytical research on the overall revenue earned by the State due to tourists.

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