CHHATTISGARH DEMANDS INCLUSION IN ‘SPECIAL CATEGORY OF STATES’
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Ajay Chandrakar, Minister of Tourism and Culture, Govt. of Chhattisgarh reiterated his commitment to develop Chhattisgarh as India’s top tourism destination at the Second National Conference of Tourism Ministers held at New Delhi. At the conference Chandakar was much vocal on the need of according a special tourism status to Chhattisgarh on lines of the same special status accorded to Jammu & Kashmir and the north-eastern states for developing its tourism industry.
The Minister said that as Chhattisgarh has immense potential for eco-tourism with 44 per cent of the state being forested, the central government should help create special conditions to develop the same. This will help in establishing Chhattisgarh as the country’s prime eco-tourism hub, and can help bring in greater number of tourists into the state.
He put forth demands for greater cooperation from the Central Government in ways of infrastructure support and funds with which the state aims to leapfrog its tourism development activities. Chandrakar informed the gathering that he is requesting the Centre for funds to develop the country’s biggest tribal hub in Chhattisgarh where the intent is to organise India’s first and biggest International Tribal Fest. This fest is aimed to bring together tribal components from across the state in terms of social living, food, culture and tradition and showcase it in a never seen before platform to the world.
Chandrakar further stated that the State Government has made greater efforts to get ‘World Heritage Site’ recognition for Sirpur which is of great religious importance for Buddhism, Shaivism and Vaishnavism.
In addition, he advocated that development of para-tourism activities in the state will help in creating employment opportunities for the youth and bring greater prosperity to the state’s economy. He discussed forward going plans to fast-track the development of Institute of Hotel Management in the state which will enable bringing out local cuisine and tastes to the world, while enabling better training to local talents thus preparing them to service the tourism industry better.
The minister reiterated the fact that expansion of tourism industry in the state would generate employment opportunities for tribal youths and help in curbing Left Wing Extremism. The Minister also discussed Chhattisgarh Government’s elaborate plans for expansion of tourism in Left Wing Extremism affected areas of Bastar and Sarguja, which in way will help in curbing naxal-violence. Chandrakar believes that the development of tourism industry in Chhattisgarh will help in creating employment opportunities for youth and will save them from influence of Naxals.
He reiterated the commitment in reaching out to prospective tourists with ambitious tourism plans, with which the state aims to become the most favoured tourism destination in the country. The ambitious tourism plans of the Minister is in continuation with his recent interaction with the Union Minister for Culture and Tourism, Shripad Yasso Naik where Chandrakar submitted a proposal for a central grant of Rs. 113.15 crores to promote eco-tourism and develop centres across Chhattisgarh as dream tourist destinations.
In line with developing services across tourist locations like Gangrel Dam and of the Sirpur-Kodar-Raipur-Tandula circuit that is to be developed as a mega eco-tourism circuit, the demand for extended funds is planned to allocate for increasing tourist flow into the state. With these ambitious plans, theMinister stated that Chhattisgarh aims to increase the number of tourists from a current 20 million inflow to nearly 100 million in the next 10 years.