Footfall, crowd handing to funds: UP govt comes up with SOP for holding state fairs
The SOP issued by state Urban Development Dept will be applicable to melas taking place under urban local bodies
4 min read
The SOP also lays down the norms on which funds can be used, creating amenities for the visitors like temporary tents, barricading, temporary toilets, water arrangement, temporary roads, arrangement of boats and boatmen where required and signboards etc.
The Uttar Pradesh government for the first time has come up with a detailed standard operating procedure (SOP) for conducting state fairs attracting more than 5 lakh visitors, which once cleared will get a funding of Rs 25 lakh to Rs 1.5 crore, officials said.
The funding will depend on the number of the visitors to these religious, traditional and historical fairs. Special committees under of the district magistrates concerned will scrutinise the various parameters of holding the fairs.
The SOP has been issued by the state Urban Development Department and will be applicable to melas taking place under urban local bodies.
Thus, for fairs getting 5 lakh to 10 lakh visitors, the government will provide an assistance of Rs 25 lakh to Rs 50 lakh; Rs 50 lakh to Rs 75 lakh for fairs getting 10 lakh-20 lakh visitors, Rs 75 lakh to Rs 1 crore for the fairs witnessing 20 lakh to 40 lakh visitors, and Rs 1 crore to Rs 1.25 crore for those with a footfall of 40 lakh to 60 lakh.
“The idea is to formalise and standardise the organisation of these fairs with proper amenities, safety and management. While melas have been declared as state fairs in the past and funds were also provided, the SOP will make the system more transparent and organised with a set criteria from declaring these as state fair, releasing and utilising the money,” said Amrit Abhijat, Principal Secretary, Urban Development Department.
A proper detailed project report (DPR) will be prepared before and after holding these fairs followed by a third-party verification to ensure proper planning and management at the venues, which see large gatherings.
Urban Development Department officials said the need for the SOP was felt for at least 22 state fairs — big and small — and set the standards and guidelines for organising and planning. The SOP will also comprise factors like determining the standards for making special arrangements to provide urban amenities to the visitors, maintaining cleanliness and sanitation, allotment of shops and sites in a transparent manner, administrative operations of the fair, financial and crowd management and promotion.
The special committee under the district magistrates concerned will have representatives from various departments, including police, municipal bodies, Public Works Department, Tourism Department etc will be formed in the districts, where these fairs take place.
The committee will review the religious, mythological and historical importance of the fair, the time when it is organised, or whether it is inter-state or international in scale.
The minimum average number of visitors attending the fair would be 5 lakh.
Also, no proposal would be made to organise any new fair under the category, it is learnt.
The SOP also lays down the norms on which funds can be used, creating amenities for the visitors like temporary tents, barricading, temporary toilets, water arrangement, temporary roads, arrangement of boats and boatmen where required and signboards etc.
For verification of works, a third-party agency will be deployed, while the annual report of the fair would have to be submitted to the divisional commissioner concerned, along with mandatory provisions within a month of its conclusion.
The footfall factor for funding
Rs 25 lakh-Rs 50 lakh: Fairs getting 5 lakh to 10 lakh visitors.
Rs 50 lakh-Rs 50-Rs 75 lakh: Fairs getting 10 lakh-20 lakh visitors
Rs 75 lakh-Rs 1 crore: Fairs witnessing 20 lakh to 40 lakh visitors
Rs 1 crore-Rs 1.25 crore: Those getting a footfall of 40 lakh to 60 lakh
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