Chandigarh, Dec. 16 -- The Chandigarh administration allocated about Rs.33 crore to its tourism department over the past three financial years, with nearly Rs.11 crore paid to artists, performers and event organisers for tourism and culture-related programmes, the Lok Sabha was informed on Monday. Replying to a question raised by Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari, Union minister of tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat clarified that the ministry of tourism does not make any direct budgetary allocation to the Chandigarh tourism department. He said the ministry provides financial assistance to states and union territories, including Chandigarh, for organising fairs and festivals. According to details furnished by the UT administration, the tourism department received Rs.11.15 crore in 2022-23, Rs.9.73 crore in 2023-24 and Rs.12.37 crore in 2024-25, taking the total allocation to Rs.33.26 crore. Reacting to the reply, Tewari said it was "astounding" that Rs.33.26 crore had been spent on what he termed "alleged tourism-related activities" over three years. He pointed out that nearly one-third of the amount-Rs.11.84 crore-had been paid to artists and other vendors, leaving around Rs.22 crore unaccounted for in the government's response. The MP further alleged that the Union government and the Chandigarh administration had "conveniently ducked" the part of the question seeking a detailed break-up of payments made to individual artists for specific performances. He demanded that the tourism sub-committee of the UT administrator's advisory council seek a full accounting of how the remaining funds were spent and assess whether Chandigarh had witnessed any tourism activity "worth its name". In his reply, the tourism minister stated that during the same period, Rs.11.84 crore was spent on organising and supporting tourism and culture-related events, of which Rs.11.58 crore was paid to artists, performers, event organisers and other service providers. On financial oversight, the government informed Parliament that all expenditures were audited regularly by the office of the director general of audit (Central) under the comptroller and auditor general of India (CAG) up to March 31, 2023. The audit, covering from April 1, 2018, to March 31, 2023, did not flag any audit objections or adverse audit paragraphs in relation to these expenditures. Most payments were made to artists from Craft Mela held at Kalagram. The UT administration has been working on a comprehensive tourism policy since October last year to enhance tourism's contribution to the local economy. After studying the policies of other states and UTs, a draft policy was prepared but is yet to be finalised. Chandigarh's major tourist attractions include the Capitol Complex, the Rock Garden, Sukhna Lake, the Bird Park, the IAF Heritage Centre, Govt Museum, and Art Gallery....