The State Government has planned a host of masures to enhance performance of its Culture and Tourism Department while expressing satisfaction over its present state of activities.
Chairing a review meeting on Wednesday, Chief Secretary GC Pati assessed department’s success at 95 per cent during 2014-15 on the basis of the Result Framework Document (RFD) presented by department secretary Dr Aravind Padhee. Planning and Coordination Department Joint Director JK Mishra was present.
Pati directed the Secretary to strengthen the Odia Bhasha Pratisthan for implementation of Odia in all Government transactions and correspondences. Similarly, he advised Padhee to prepare definite action plan for linking Odisha with Buddhist circuits of the country. Pati wanted that a special coach between Bhubaneswar and Bodhgaya be added to the concerned train.
Other decisions taken at the meeting include refurnishing of State Museum art gallery and linking up tourism and hospitality training institutions with Rojgar Yojna.
Pati expressed happiness over department’s efforts for popularising the Nabakalebara Festival-2015 worldwide. He directed the department to prepare a regular media plan for Car Festival of subsequent years for promotion of Odisha tourism.
It was revealed that tourist footfall in 2014-15 increased by 12 per cent over the last year with around 1.08 crore tourists visiting the State 2014-15.
Dr Padhee said a trial run of light and sound show at Dhauli has successfully been done.