STATES
TAKE BENEFITS OF SCHEME : VERMA
For the construction
of youth hostels building, Central Government bears 100% cost
under the scheme of Youth Hostels. Therefore, state should avail
the benefits of the scheme. The Minister of Youth Affairs and
Sports, Shri Vikram Verma said this in the meeting of the Consultative
Committee of Parliament today.
He agreed with
the suggestions of members of the Consultative Committee that
serious efforts should be made for speedy construction of Youth
Hostel buildings for which funds had been sanctioned & released,
and are under construction currently.
During the meeting,
members said that badly delayed construction projects, where even
the land had not been identified by the State Government after
in principle approval, may not be continued and States should
be informed accordingly. In reply, the Minister said that he will
personally write to the concerned States. Also, in this regard
the Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports, Shri Pon
Radhakrishnan had already written letter to the States .
In the meeting, Prof.
I.G.Sandai and Shri Samik Lahiri, both from the Lok Sabha , were
present as member of the committee.
The scheme of Youth
Hostels has been conceived as a joint venture of Central and State
Government. While the Central Government bears the cost of construction
of the building, the State Government provides developed plot
of land. Till now 63 youth hostels have been constructed and 20
are under different stages of construction. Presently, 30 youth
hostels have been approved in principle. The Ministry of Youth
Affairs and Sports is the nodal Central Ministry for the Youth
Hostel Scheme.
