JAMMU: Commissioner Secretary, Tourism Department, Yasha Mudgal, today chaired a pre-budget meeting at Civil Secretariat, Jammu, to discuss Revised Estimates (RE) 2024-25, Budget Estimates (BE) 2025-26 besides reviewing the ongoing development activities.
Present in the meeting were senior officers of the Tourism Department, Director of Tourism Kashmir, MD JKTDC and heads of Tourism Development Authorities.
During the discussion, the Commissioner Secretary emphasised the need for optimal utilisation of allocated funds and timely completion of ongoing works. She asked the agencies to ensure that projects scheduled for the current financial year are completed without delay. Savings under RE 2024-25, if any, should be proposed for reallocation to projects requiring additional funds to maximize financial efficiency, she added.
The Commissioner Secretary also directed the agencies to prioritise repair and renovation of internal roads at tourist destinations under BE 2025-26. She emphasized addressing basic amenities for tourists, ensuring that pending power bill payments are cleared on priority. Further, she stressed the importance of selecting projects with visible impacts that could enhance tourist attractions, proposing new initiatives to create fresh tourist experiences, and ensuring that existing non-functional assets are made operational instead of focusing on new constructions.
The review included an assessment of works approved under the Capex Budget 2024-25. Agencies were asked to provide details of approved projects where funds have not yet been released. All agencies were instructed to submit revised RE 2024-25 and BE 2025-26 proposals by tomorrow, incorporating the directives issued during the meeting.
