30th Surajkund International Crafts Mela begins

The 30th edition of the annual Surajkund international crafts fair begun today with artists from over 20 countries participating in the cultural extravaganza.
The event was inaugurated by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and said "and the Surajkund Mela offers a platform to people from different cultures to learn from each other."
Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, Union Minister and local MP Krishan Pal Gujjar and Telangana Tourism Minister Azmeera Chandulal were among others present at the fair.
The CM later took rounds of different pavilions, and visited the pavilion of this year's theme state Telangana and interacted with its craftsmen.

Brand ambassador of Haryana Tourism and cinestar, Dharmendra, was also present in the fair.
Mahesh Sharma said the Mela has attained the status of an international calendar event and complimented Haryana's efforts to boost its tourism.

He said the Union Tourism Ministry was preparing a special scheme to attract tourists to the 7,500 km coastal area of the country.
"Tourists could be attracted through ecotourism, golf tourism and rural tourism," Sharma said.
Suresh Prabhu also expressed happiness that this Mela is a "symbol of pride" and has brought "great reputation" to Haryana.
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Khattar said that the Union Tourism Ministry has

announced a Rs 175-crore scheme to develop Krishna circuit in Kurukshetra.
"This circuit would comprise 138 places associated with the epic Mahabharata. A scheme would be prepared to attract tourists by offering a special seven-day package. Similarly, the Kalka-Kalesar stretch also has great potential for tourism," he added.
Praising the people of the State for their efforts in making the ambitious 'Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao' programme successful, Chief Minister said that as a result, the sex ratio at birth for December, 2015, has crossed the 900 mark with 903 girls per 1,000 boys.
Haryana's Tourism Minister Ram Bilas Sharma said that the participation from 23 countries in the Mela signifies the growing importance of this annual event.

Ram Bilas Sharma further said that among the popular measures taken to further popularize the Mela included free entry for girl students of government and government-aided colleges.
The inauguration ceremony of the Mela also saw enthralling performances being presented by Haryanvi dancers based on saving girl child, Telangana and Japanese artistes.
Khattar also informed that Wanda Group of China will invest Rs 60,000 crore for a 3,000-acre project of weekend getaway for people in Delhi-NCR other than a township in these ranges.
"This would also boost tourism in the National Capital Region," he added.