Rajasthan government on back foot, decides not to sell RTDC properties
The government had earlier proposed to privatize nearly 42 RTDC properties. They were proposed to be either sold off or managed on Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
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Jaipur: The Rajasthan government has dumped its plan to privatize Rajasthan Tourism and Development Corporation (RTDC) properties, fearing backlash ahead of the assembly elections.
The government had earlier proposed to privatize nearly 42 RTDC properties. They were proposed to be either sold off or managed on Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode. The government’s plans were being criticized by the RTDC employees and people as some of these including Khasa Kothi in Jaipur and Anand Bhawan in Udaipur are prime properties.
“The government has dumped its plans to privatize the RTDC properties. All the files concerning the matter have been closed,” said an RTDC officer, requesting anonymity.
The government wants to avoid any controversy in the election year. The state will go to polls by the end of this year. After facing an embarrassing defeat in the recently held byelections, the government doesn’t want to face allegations that it was favoring some private companies by selling premium tourism properties at throwaway prices.
The BJP government had floated its plan to privatize tourism properties ever since coming to power in 2013. The proposal was approved by the cabinet. Some of these properties were making good profits, but the government was still insisting on selling them off to private companies.
