Bhubaneswar, April 20: The Centre has put 10 tourism projects of Odisha on priority list to promote infrastructure development so that Odisha could get more footfalls in tourism sector.

The Odisha government has to submit utilisation certificates (UCs) worth Rs 36 crore of four financial years from 2008-09.

The tourism projects on the central priority list include several circuits, Jayadev circuit (Bhubaneswar, Kenduli and Konark), temple circuit (Old Town, Bhubaneswar and Sikharchandi), Angul circuit (Angul, Hingula, Anantasayan and Mandaragiri), Ekamrakshetra (Old Town, Bhubaneswar), Chandrabhaga beach near Konark, Talsari-Chandipur-Dagara mega project, mega Buddhist circuit in Jajpur, Panchalingeswar circuit in Balasore and development of a convention center in Cuttack.

However, since 2008-09 financial year to 2011-12, the Odisha government has to submit the certificates. The fate of these new proposals depends on the quick submission of the report card.

On the sidelines of the inauguration of the Eastern Regional Centre of Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management here on Thursday, Union minister of state for tourism K. Chiranjeevi said: 'Entire Odisha is a mega circuit for tourism development and it shall be developed holistically as it has various interesting destinations.’’

On the other hand, Odisha tourism and culture minister Maheswar Mohanty said making Odisha a mega circuit would only be possible if there was a special sanction for development of tourism infrastructure for the state.

“In the past, Odisha has asked for funds to undertake new projects to make the region a mega tourist circuit, but there was not enough fund flow from the Centre,’’ Mohanty said.

On development of tribal tourism in the region, the Union minister said: “We have come across a case in Madhya Pradesh where a couple of foreign nationals were found staying in a remote tribal pocket. Concerned about tourists’ security, we have to devise a formulae after consulting the ministry of home affairs and find out a single-window clearance system.’’

Additional director-general, ministry of tourism, Usha Sharma, said: 'Many projects have been sanctioned and some are awaiting the nod, but the Odisha government should submit the UCs, so that more projects can see the light of the day. It is April now and we may clear more projects this year as proposed by the Odisha government.’’

On the funding of the coming Nabakalabar festival of the Sri Jagannath temple, Sharma said the Odisha government was yet to send a formal request about the festival to be celebrated in 2015. Nabakalebara is a ritual when the Trinity would be made from fresh new wood selected from sacred logs.