Tourism Minister Chhagan Bhujbal admitted that tourism promotion schemes in five Konkan districts have been delayed by five years.

Replying to a query raised by MLC Ashok Jagtap, Bhujbal said that he had held 4-5 meetings in this regard. "I have personally inspected the works. The number of engineers was inadequate, so an extra man-force has been deployed to expedite the work," he said. 

As per the recommendations of central govt 12th finance commission, a sum of Rs225 crores, was approved for five districts of Konkan in the year 2006 and 2007. An additional amount has also been sanctioned for development of tourism in Konkan under regional tourism plan. This amount has been made available to Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation and facilities for tourists are being improved with the cooperation of the district administration.

These facilities include public toilets, parking lots, and approach roads to beaches, tourist information centres, repair of jetties and purchase of house boats. Facilities for scuba diving, snorkelling and construction of a sea world have been taken up in Tarkarli.

Giving the break-up of the Rs 225 crores' tourism development fund, the ministers said that Sindhudurg district had been allocated Rs 70.90 crores, Ratnagiri- Rs 36.86 crores, Mumbai- Rs 73.25 crores, Raigad- Rs 24.60 crores and Thane- Rs 11.89 crores.

TOI