Rs380m for tourism sector

LAHORE

The Punjab government has allocated a meager sum of Rs380 million only for the vital tourism sector in the budgetary allocation for the fiscal year 2017-18, while slashing it down to over 50 percent as compared to the fiscal year 2016 -17’s allocation of Rs800 million.

A sum of Rs380 million allocated with a vision to preserve, develop and beautify the existing and potential tourist locations to attract tourists from within as well as outside the province and the country.

The strategic interventions included development of eco-tourism in Soon Valley at Khabekhi and Uchali Lake, Khushab, development of resort for religious tourism at Nankana Sahib, feasibility and designing for development of recreational resort along River Indus at Attock Khurd (PC-II), feasibility study for desert tourism in Cholistan, restoration of Punjab in international tourism fairs and holding tourism fairs in Punjab.

For the above-mentioned purposes and its on-going schemes, the Punjab government has allocated Rs211 million, which included development of Bansara Gali Surface Parking into eco-friendly entertainment park, development of resort at Charehan Forest rest house for promotion of tourism, development of resort for religious tourism at Nankana Sahib. 

The new schemes, for which the Punjab government has earmarked just a meager amount of Rs169 million include upgradation of chairlift and construction of missing facilities, fence and staff residence at Patriata, development of tourist park at Uchali Lake, Soon Valley, development of tourist resort/entertainment park and parking area at Kalabagh, District Mianwali, capacity building of department of tourist services, feasibility study for desert tourism in Cholistan, construction of resort at Derawar Fort, Cholistan and representation of Punjab in international tourism fairs and holding tourism fairs in the province.