The three- day long 21st Puri Beach Festival was inaugurated on Friday by Tourism and Culture Minister Ashok Kumar Panda.
The festival, aimed to showcase the tourism potential of the State and present Odishan art, craft and delicacies before the visitors, was resumed after elapse of two years.
Announcing that the State Government had finalised the new tourism policy for the year 2016, Minister Panda said under the new scheme, Rs 100 crore would be spent for development of beaches at Puri, Tampar, Barkul, Gopalpur and Satpara. local MlA and festival chairman Maheswar Mohanty said this would help boost tourism and create more employment opportunities. Higher Education Minister Pradip
Panigrahi louded the effort of the hoteliers of Puri for their endeavour to promote tourism and said this festival would help State get a place in global tourism map.
Others who spoke on the occasion include local civic body chief Jayant Kumar Sarangi, chairman of the reception committee Bijay Kumar Das, Hotel Association of Puri (HAP) president RK Dasmahapatra. Rajkishore Patra proposed vote of thanks.