Sunday, June 08, 2008

Tourism minister inspects spot for state’s first ever hotel management institute

IMPHAL, Jun 7: State tourism minister, TN Haokip Saturday inspected Nungsai Chiru in Bishnupur for setting up of a hotel management institute which would be the first of its kind in the state.

Even though the place is located near the Loukoipat tourist centre in the district, it lies under the jurisdiction of the Senapati district bordering Bishnupur which is some 40 kms south west of Imphal.

The institute is to be set up as a part of the plan of the Union ministry of tourism to promote the tourism industry in the states of the north east.

The state government is to set up the institute with a fund amount of Rs. 8 to 10 crores which the ministry assured the state tourism minister of during his recent visit to the national capital.

Haokip during his visit said that as a first step development of a linking road to the spot from the main road and water supply scheme would be taken up.

While stating that for taking up the works engineers and other concerned officials would be sent to the area to inform the local people that the coming up of the institute in the area would develop and provide job facilities to the people, he also urged the cooperation of the people in taking up the project.

The minister also visited places which would be covered by the project like the Ngarian, Chingnung Khul located at the border between three district of Churachandpur, Senapati and Bishnupur.

During his visit the minister also said that his department would take up necessary work for preserving the places where once the king of Manipur Maharaja Bhagyachandra developed a palace and ruled the then princely state of Manipur.

Later, the minister also said that he would convene a meeting with the DCs of Churachnadpur, Bishnupur and Senapati and other concerned officials for taking up the project.

The minister’s visit was also accompanied by former minister Ngamthang Haokip and director of tourism and DCs of Senapati, Bishnupur and Churachandpur.

It could be recalled that during the recent meeting between the Manipur tourism minister TN Haokip and Union minister of tourism and culture Ambika Soni in her office chamber, the former submitted 17 new tourism projects for Manipur as prioritized schemes/projects for financial assistance for the year 2008-09.

Manipur has immense potential for development of tourism industry and the state government had not recognized tourism as an industry so far for the purpose of industrial development.

Haokip also sought the Union minister’s cooperation in approving all the proposals made by the state for the overall development of tourism in Manipur.

For establishment of the institute the Centre would sanction a sum of Rs. 10 crores. The objective of the institute was to train the young people in different trades of hotel management, which had job prospects. New hotels are to come up during the Commonwealth Games 2010 in Delhi, for which the students who had got training in the institute would get jobs, she added.

An area of 5 acres had been acquired for setting up the Institute of Hotel Management at Bishnupur in Manipur. The process for formation of a society to run the institute has also been taken up.

Imphal Free Press

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