The Minister of Tourism and Culture Ambika Soni has said that the development and promotion of tourism is primarily undertaken by the State Governments/Union territories themselves. However, the Ministry of Tourism provides financial asistance for development of tourism infrastructure on the basis of project proposals received from the State Government/Union Territories. In a written reply in the Lok Sabha recently she said, no proposal has been submitted by the Government of Assam or other North Eastern (NE) States, for a Public-Private partnership for setting up an international tourist destination in the heart of Bodoland, with a five star hotel-cum-casino in Gangtok. The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India has sanctioned projects to the tune of Rs 392,04.64 lakh in the Tenth Plan and Rs. 227,44.31 lakh in the year 2007-08 fo development and promotion of tourism in the North Eastern Region.