State writes to Centre on development of Peelibanga

JAIPUR: The state government had recently written to the Centre requesting commencement of work for the development of Peelibanga in Hanumangarh district, the assembly was informed on Tuesday.
The Centre had sanctioned Rs 7.96 crore in 2003 for development of Peelibanga, the only place in the country which has remnants of the Indus Valley civilisation.
However, due lack of co-ordination between the Archaeological Survey of India and the central public works department, no progress could be made in the matter.
Assuring the house of developing Peelibanga as a tourist place, minister for rural development and panchayati raj Bharat Singh, speaking on behalf of minister for art and culture Beena Kak stressed on the importance of developing Peelibanga. Singh was replying to a question raised by BJP MLA Abhishekh Motaria during the question hour.
"It is unfortunate that most people are not aware of the importance of this place. Most of those who come to Hanumangarh do not even visit this site. But we have written to the Centre to ensure the utilisation of the sanctioned amount so that it does not lapse," he said.
"Under the integrated development of tourism scheme of the Centre, a sum of Rs 7.96 lakh was sanctioned though the state till now got just Rs 26 lakh," he added.
The minister said that 25 bighas of land has also been sanctioned in Hanumangarh for the construction of an archaeological complex. "But the work is to be done by the public works department and nothing much has happened. We have recently given them a reminder for the same," the minister said.
The minister said that a sum of Rs 2.46 crore was sanctioned by ministry of tourism for Hanumangarh and Sriganganagar on November 12, 2003 out of which Hanumangarh, Kalibanga and Baror in Sriganganar were given Rs 52 lakh each while Rang Mahal was granted Rs 90 lakh.