To get its outstanding dues cleared, the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) has issued directives that 60 per cent of the total charges for banquet booking for marriages and parties should be taken as advance.
The HPTDC, which has more than Rs 3.04 crore outstanding dues, has also issued directions that all heads of the tourism units must collect the outstanding dues by November 17. Various government agencies still owe Rs 2.45 crore to the HPTDC and all officials concerned have been told to issue notices to the heads of the departments to recover the dues.
The HPTDC has also issued directives that besides taking 60 per cent of the banquet charges as advance, 20 per cent of the charges must be taken a week before the proposed function. It is following strict directives issued by Justice Ajay Mohan Goel that the HPTDC has been able to recover the money.
The court had on November 12 issued directions that if the outstanding dues of the HPTDC from the government were not cleared by November 30, the heads of departments concerned would be liable of contempt of court. The court had also ordered that the HPTDC shall not offer its services or properties without receiving 80 per cent of the tentative amount, which would be due. Following the court directives, the HPTDC swung into action and managed to realise Rs 2.15 crore.
The directives came at a time when serious efforts are being made to bring the HPTDC out of the red and a retired IAS officer Tarun Shridhar has been entrusted the task of suggesting ways to improve its financial health. The HPTDC has 55 properties, including hotels and cafes, but 35 of them are in loss. The total outstanding dues of the HPTDC are Rs 5.19 crore and Rs 4.13 crore of these were payable by various government undertakings.
