Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (MPTDC) has drawn up an ambitious plan to promote religious tourism among domestic travellers by developing quality infrastructure at sacred places in the state.
"Besides focusing on attracting foreigners, the corporation has drawn up a plan to promote religious tourism in the state by developing quality infrastructre at the places of religious importance," MPTDC Chairman Dhruv Narayan Singh told reporters here last evening.
The Centre had recently sanctioned Rs 2.84 crore for developing tourist facilities at Hoshangabad, situated on the banks of Narmada, he informed.
With this fund, tourist facilities and beautification work at several places in the town and also at nearby Bandrabhan will be carried out to promote religious tourism.
Union Tourism Ministry has already sanctioned funds for developing banks of river Narmada in Hoshangabad under the Narmada Parikrama route. The work in this regard has been completed by the MPTDC, Singh said.
Besides, under the scheme tourist facilities will be developed at Chitrakoot, Orchha, Omkareshwar, Maheshwar, Maihar, Ujjain, Salkanpur, Baglamukhi Devi Temple (Shajapur), Kudeshwar (Tikamgarh) and Chamunda Devi Temple (Dewas).
The MPTDC is organising food festivals of various states at Bhopal and also starting a crash course of three months from World Tourism Day (September 27) to provide trained manpower to the growing hospitality sector, MPTDC Managing Director Ashwini Lohani said.