Powers and functions of SOU Tourism Authority

(1) The SOU Tourism Authority shall secure planned development of the Tourism development area and take steps to provide basic infrastructure and measures for effective management thereof. (2) The SOU Tourism Authority shall, in particular, exercise the following powers and perform the following functions namely:- (i) to engage or assist or promote necessary facilities for tourists; (ii) to establish, maintain and operate services connected with the Tourism industry and to coordinate the activities of the persons providing such services for tourists; (iii) to prescribe, regulate, maintain and enforce the standards to be maintained by the different persons engaged in Tourism trade and Tourism activity; (iv) to acquire hereinafter by sale, take on lease, hire, pledge or otherwise, grant, allocation, donation, town planning scheme, consent agreement or through proceedings under the Right to Fair compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, hold or manage any moveable or immoveable property as it may deem necessary subject to general or specific directions of the State Government in this behalf; (v) to sale, lease, transfer or dispose of any land or building belonging to it subject to the regulations made by the State Government; (vi) to enter into contracts, agreements or concession agreement with any person, entity, developer or organization as it may deem necessary for performing its functions; (vii) to undertake preparation and execution of development plan for whole or part of the area of the Tourism development area; (viii) to undertake preparation and execution of town planning scheme for whole or part of the Tourism development area; (ix) to make general or specific regulations or issue directions to fix so as to implement the standards and the norms for building structures, infrastructure development, aesthetics and other construction activities; (x) to remove encroachments from Tourism development area and constructions therefrom not duly authorized or made in violation of the regulations, directions and norms laid down; (xi) to control the development activities in accordance with the development plan and to bring aesthetics, efficiency and economy in the process of development; (xii) to ensure and make provision for sufficient civic amenities including drainage and services including hospitals and medical services, schools, fire services, public parks, markets and shopping places, play grounds, entertainment areas and disposal of waste; (xiii) to make sustainable arrangements for providing and maintaining the highest standards in civic amenities such as water supply, sewerage, power supply, transportation, communication, infrastructure and services particularly for cleanliness, aesthetics, health, hygiene, etc.; (xiv) to provide for disaster management and mitigation; (xv) to levy and collect such fees, development charges, or user charges as may be fixed by the State Government; (xvi) to exercise such other powers and discharge such other functions for proper planning, management and development of the Tourism development area, the SOU Tourism Authority may issue such directions or instructions as it may consider necessary to any person, unit, entity, developer or any other stakeholder; (xvii) to exercise such other powers and discharge such other functions as may be prescribed by rules or regulations; (xviii) to appoint directly by contractual appointment / deputation/ outsourcing or in any other manner the staff for carrying out various functions and duties specified by the Act and determine remuneration thereof; (xix) to exercise such other powers and perform such other functions as are incidental or consequential to any of the foregoing powers and functions or as may be directed by the State Government. (3) On receipt of the proposal from the SOU Tourism Authority or otherwise, the State Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, delegate any of the powers and functions of the SOU Tourism Authority to the local authority or authorities or an officer within its jurisdiction. (4) Notwithstanding anything contained in the relevant State Acts, rules or any existing instructions of the State Government, the provisions made under clause (iv) of sub-section (2) shall prevail.