Absence of policy affected tourism in Mizoram: CAG

Development of tourism in Mizoram has been adversely affected by the absence of a state tourism policy as promotional measures have been undertaken without any roadmaps or targets, said a report of the CAG.

The CAG Report for the year ending March 31, 2014, which was laid on the table of the state legislature on Wednesday, said 42 tourist lodges and highway restaurants in the state incurred a maintenance cost of Rs 734.05 lakh during 2009-14 against which only Rs 266.85 lakh was collected as revenue.

"The fact pointed to the gross under-performance of tourist establishments as well as uneconomical maintenance of the assets by the state tourism department officials," the report said. Though the state tourism department received liberal financing from the Ministry of Tourism for development of tourist infrastructure across the state, growth of tourism in Mizoram was highly unsatisfactory due to lack of a policy and incompetence of the officials, the report added.