Lohani takes over as new ITDC chairman

new delhi: india tourism development corporation, whose properties are slated for disinvestment, has a new chairman-cum-managing director tasked with the job of improving performance. ashwani lohani, a railways officer and a director in the union tourism ministry, has taken over from asha murthy, who was cmd and joint secretary in the ministry. murthy, who was in the news over a recent reshuffle in itdc and whose tenure was allegedly marked by "internal squabblings", has been transferred to the labour ministry as director-general (employment).in more changes, the ministry gets a new director-general (tourism) in v.k. duggal, who was additional secretary in the commerce ministry. the man he takes over from, atul sinha, goes to the commerce ministry. and, amitabh kant, secretary (tourism) in kerala, will join the union government as joint secretary (tourism). based on the recommendations of the disinvestment commission, the government has identified eight properties for action in the first round. ashok hotel in delhi and the bangalore ashok are to be offered on a lease-cum-management basis. in the case of six other hotels, shareholding is to be offered for sale - these are hotel agra ashok, hotel manali ashok, hotel hassan ashok, hotel madurai ashok, hotel bodhgaya ashok and temple bay ashok beach resort, mamallapuram.