Bihar : Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture and Janata Dal (United) leader Sanjay Jha said on Monday that the committee's visit to Bihar will focus on strengthening air and road connectivity, preserving the state's cultural heritage and developing tourism infrastructure.
Speaking about the committee's three-day visit to Bihar, Jha said discussions will be held on the expansion of airports and air connectivity, including the international greenfield airport announced in the Union Budget, as well as national highway and road projects in the state.
"There will be a complete discussion related to aviation. There will be a discussion on NH and road-related projects in Bihar, like Patna-Purnia, Gorakhpur-Siliguri and other projects like NH-27, which are not in good condition," Jha told News Agency.
He said the committee will also review issues related to Bihar's art and cultural heritage, including the upkeep of museums, the Khuda Bakhsh Library and historical sites under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). "There will be a discussion on culture. We are going to the Bihar Museum and Khuda Bakhsh Library. There are many historical sites of ASI which are not well maintained, like Kumrahar. There will be a discussion on that," he said.
The committee will travel to Gaya on Monday evening, where a meeting on tourism will be held on Tuesday. Jha said discussions will cover the development of major tourist destinations, including Bodh Gaya and Rajgir, as well as projects announced in the Union Budget.
"Tourism is a very big sector for Bihar. We believe that if tourism succeeds, it becomes a very big sector for employment," Jha said. He said the committee's recommendations will be submitted to Parliament, following which the concerned departments will take further action.
"When a committee comes, all the officers stay. So there is a detailed discussion. And then the timeline of other things is decided. The committee's report is submitted to Parliament. And then the department follows it up on the basis of this report," he said.
Jha said the committee's visit was important for reviewing centrally funded projects and giving further momentum to development of transport connectivity, tourism and culture in Bihar. The committee will also visit Bihar Museum in Patna and later conduct on-site inspections of Bodh Gaya, Rajgir and Nalanda.