To professionalise the tourism sector, the Uttaranchal government has decided to take it out of the hands of bureaucrats.
This has been done to convert tourism into a major driver of growth rather then a side activity, which it was till the state was a part of Uttar Pradesh.
The new state aims at generating employment, earning revenue and involving entrepreneurs in the sector.
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According to Uttaranchal tourism secretary Naresh Prasad, the old style tourism directorate has been abolished and replaced by a new look Uttaranachal Tourism Development Board.
To boost the sector, five tourism experts have been hired. Also three new directors will be chosen through a competitive process to look after the three departments of project formulation, finance and investment, publicity and marketing.
All the major projects are being formulated by the specialised agencies rather then the government departments.
Those entrusted with the task include Tata Consultancy Services, PKS Consultants and JCTI Consultants.
In fact over 100 consultants in 18 different categories are on the rolls of the tourism development board and each has been chosen to perform a specialised job.
To ensure a planned development and growth, a master plan approach is being adopted.
To further this, a 20 year long perspective plan is being prepared, for the tourism sector; master plans are being prepared for CharDham pilgrimage circuit,a new ski resort at dayara bugyal, trek routes,development of airstrips, and tehri dam as a tourist resort, cave tourism at Patel Bhuvaneshwar etc,besides plans are being readied for eco-tourism near Ramnagar, for auri, Khirsu, Lansdowne, Binsur, Munsiyari, Pithoragarh, and for the lake district of Nainital, adventure tourism with focus on mountaineering is being prepared.
IDFC is doing handholding for an evaluation of all tourist rest houses in the with the end objective of privatizing their management as well as locating private sector partners for major tourism projects like Sir George Everest Estate eco tourism project near Mussoorie.
INTACH has been roped in for restoration/conservation of heritage properties such as George Everest properties and Rangers college in Dehradun.
This is being done with the expectation that these will result into investment opportunities to be presented to the private sector.
Airports like Jolly Grant are alredy being improved and airstrips at places like UttarKashi,Gaucher andPithoragarh would be completed in course of the next six months. Similar is being done for road and rail connectivity.
To involve local people in tourism related activities a major scheme has been drawn up through which local villages will be developed on the major yatra and trek routes, which will be developled to provide drinking water and food, accomodation; these will also be developed from the view point of handicrafts as well the historical traditions, cuisine and folk theatre of these areas will also be promoted,craft bazaars and craft villages will also be set up.
A major plan has been drawn up to provide asisstance upto 20% projects with a capital investment upto Rs.10 lacs.
These projects will include fast food centres,setting up of retail outlets for local handicrafts, plying of buses and taxis, provision for equipment for adventure sports, establishing small motel like residential accomodation, setting up tourism inofrmation centres withPCO/restaurants,tented facilities,and garages.
The government is conscious that in the name of development of tourism, environmental degradation should not take place.
Thus the state is not being turned into a concrete jungle. "We are aware of the fragile nature of its ecology."
Besides Leh and Laddakh, Uttaranchal has been chosen for the development eco-tourism. To furthr this, new forests are sought to be developed. These are Badri van near Badrinath, where a tree plantation programme has been luanched.
Two more jungles on similar lines, viz Pitri van at Haridwar and Paryatak van at all important tourist destinations is being established.EOM.