Centre to develop Aruchal as NE's tourism hub

OUR CORRESPONDENT

Itagar, April 18: Union Minister of State for Culture & Tourism (Independent charge) & Civil Aviation Dr Mahesh Sharma has announced to develop Aruchal Pradesh as the tourism hub of the North East region by using its rich cultural diversity and huge tourism scope.

Dr Sharma, who arrived the state capital on a two-day maiden visit along with Union MoS (Home) Kiren Rijiju, earlier inspected a DoNER ministry-funded tourism project at Tippi in West Kameng district near Bhalukpong and reviewed various ongoing projects at a high level meeting with Chief Minister bam Tuki before addressing media persons here on Friday. Pointing out that connectivity was the greatest bottleneck in developing the state's tourism, he announced to fast track the construction of green field airport at Hollongi here and ongoing Tezu advanced landing ground to facilitate flying of fixed-wing aircrafts besides developing a helicopter hub at Guwahati for improving air link to the land-locked hilly state before announcing a slew of tourism projects to woo global tourists.  The schemes included Rs 50 crore for developing Bhalukpong-Bomdila-Tawang-fra Valley tourism sector, 20 percent of Rs 8 crore each for developing Pasighat-Jengging-Yingkiong-Tuting, Itagar-Ziro-Daporijo-Aalo-Pasighat and Ziro-Kurung Kumey tourist circuits has already been released to the state government, Rs five crore each for heritage village at Pemaziling near Mechuka and Eco tourism resort at Harupahar, Roing.

Though State Institute of Hotel Magement, Catering Technology & Applied Nutrition has been set up at Banderdewa, which he visited later, Dr Sharma announced another such institute for the state to train, particularly the women under the Centre's Hur se Rozgar Tak scheme.

Realising state's cultural strength, particularly the famous Parshuram Kund and Buddhist pilgrimages, vast tural beauty including flora and flora, Prime Minister rendra Modi has announced Rs 100 crore Swadesh Darshan Yoja, he said, adding all schemes would be implemented on mission mode with speedy clearance of files and release of fund without any hindrance, he committed.

Responding to a question why the Centre failed to encash the benefits of Intertiol Tourism Mart (ITM) conducted at Guwahati, Tawang and Shillong in January 2013, October 2013 and October 2014, respectively, he attributed it to the failure in properly promoting and propagating the cultural tourism scope of the NE region. He said the Prime Minister has already announced mission for cleanliness, security and hospitably for targeting one percent global tourism share within the next two years for which Aruchal would be taken to a new height to achieve the goal. The tourists would be offered a package in collaboration with the Hotel Association of India including subsidised helicopter fare as suggested by state's Civil Aviation Minister Thangwang Wangham, he disclosed.

Rijiju lauded the minister for sanctioning one of the five mega-tourism projects to the NE at his initiative and added that the state would remain dependant on helicopter service because of its topography for which hub will be developed at Guwahati and another at harlagun or other suitable location. The CM, who was flanked by Home Minister Tanga Byaling and Tourism Minister Pema Khandu, informed that the discussion was highly fruitful with the union minister and his senior officers, which would be immensely beneficial for the state and thanked him for his keen interest to develop state's tourism and aviation sector.