'No plan to develop Mysore as Heritage City'

New Delhi, Aug 1: The government today denied that the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) had come out with a Rs 300 crore proposal for converting Mysore into a heritage city.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Tourism and Culture Minister Ambika Soni said no such proposal had been received by the ministry during the current financial year.

However, a project for integrated development of Mysore had been sanctioned for Central financial assistance of Rs 358.21 lakh during 2005-06, she pointed out.

Replying to another query whether the KSTDC was planning to outsource the implementation of its projects, Ms Soni said execution of projects was the responsibility of the state government.

''The Ministry of Tourism sanctions project on the basis of proposals prioritised in consultation with them and selection of implementing agency is the responsibility of the state government,'' she said.

The minister further said that for the year 2005-06, funds to the tune of Rs 1863.58 lakh had been sanctioned for new and ongoing projects to Karnataka.

To a query about development of the ''Tea Tourism Circuit'' covering Darjeeling and other places in north Bengal, Ms Soni said an amount of Rs 388.98 lakh had been sanctioned during 2006-07 in the first phase under the scheme for integrated development of tourist circuits.

UNI