The Jammu and Kashmir government today said the Centre has agreed to provide a grant of Rs 50 crore each for three mega tourism projects in the state. "Centre has agreed to sanction three mega tourism projects of Rs 50 crore each in Jammu and Kashmir during the current financial year," state's Tourism and Culture Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora said.

He was speaking after inaugurating the Baisakhi festival organised by the state tourism department in collaboration with the J&K Cultural Academy, at Mansar near here. The projects have been identified as Sufi Circuit for Kashmir, Spiritual Circuit for Jammu and Buddhist Circuit for Leh, Jora said, adding that Detailed Project Reports of two projects have already been formulated and that of the third one is in the final stage.

He further said that the Centre has also approved funding of Rs 5 crore for conservation and development of Suransar lake, and approval for another project of Rs 5 crore for development and conservation of Mansar lake is expected to be received soon from the Centre. Necessary conservation work at these lake sites will be taken up

soon and the government will also harness the potential of religious tourism in the state, Jora said. He said focused attention will be given to religious sites like Shiv Khouri, Sudh Mahadev, Chichi Mata and Chandi Mata temples. Jora said that sanction of a project for conservation of Mubarak Mandi Heritage Complex in Jammu is also expected to be approved by the Centre.

Jora has said that Suchetgarh would be developed a mega ‘border tourist destination’ for pilgrim tourists visiting Mata Vaishno Devi and other holy shrines of Jammu division.

He said a project of Rs 6.39 crore in this regard is under implementation for creation of tourist related infrastructure in the area.

Laying foundation of restoration and conservation work of historical Ragunath temple at Suchetgarh in presence of Minister for Medical Education and Youth Services and Sports,   R. S. Chib and local MLA Ch Sham Lal on the eve of Baisakhi festival,   Jora said that conservation work of the temple would be completed at Rs 1.25 crore, an official statement said.