PM sets up GoM to get Taj festival going

All that is planned is the day the celebrations will take off 8212; September 27 8212; World Tourism Day. The UP government will play host and the six-month period is equally divided between the Tourism and Culture ministries and the UP government. The Tourism Ministry will release a stamp commemmorating the event on the day, besides marketting the event in its 8216;Incredible India8217; campaign both here and abroad.

There is fear of an overlap of programmes, though. All three departments are looking at sufi festivals, cultural shows of dance and music, crafts melas, meena bazaars and such like. But, of course, the permission to hold any of these events around the protected environment and heritage zones is yet to come.

The inaugural event is on a full moon day but permission to throw open the Taj is yet to be cleared by the Supreme Court, which had earlier issued directives banning entry to the Taj at night.

Sources say the reason for Arjun Singh8217;s inclusion is two-fold 8212; he is a senior minister in the Congress, and, therefore, his inclusion would help soothe ruffled feathers. For if any of the four ministers had been selected to head the committee, it would have led to an ego clash on ranking.

Sources said the PM intervened only after a nervous Tourism Minister Renuka Choudhury approached him last week. Several meetings between the Tourism, Culture and Environment ministries and the UP tourism department had yielded nothing and time was running out. Choudhury is tight-lipped on the circumstances that led to the GoM but she says she is happy with the PM8217;s action.

UP Tourism Minister Kokab Hamid brushes off the development, saying the Taj celebrations is a 8216;8216;collective effort anyway between the Central ministries and the state government8217;8217;.