The State Tourism, Irrigation, Rain Water Conservation, Watershed Management, Pilgrimage, Religious Fair and Culture Minister Satpal Maharaj issued various instructions to officials while chairing a meeting to review the works of the Tourism Department on Friday.
The ministers stressed on the expansion of infrastructural facilities in order to make the Char Dham Yatra more conveniently accessible. Referring to the proposed Astha Path in Badrinath, the minister said that provision should also be made on it to make it accessible for the wheel-chair users. He said that information regarding how to reach the Char Dham shrines should be officially publicised as much as possible. He also directed the officials concerned to draft a plan for making the natural produce and loca handicrafts of Uttarakhand a major source of the local economy. He said that in addition to incorporating Chaulai (Amaranth) in the Prasad in all the Char Dham shrines, officials should also prepare a working plan for commercial utilisation of the Himalayan Jhangora millet. Regarding bus stand for Kedarnath, the minister opined that Gaurikund was not adequate and directed officials to develop parking space. He also directed officials to install public address system at Gaurikund from where vehicles can be hailed according to the requirements of the travelers. At present, the travelers have to roam around due to the parking space at Gaurikund being limited in size. Maharaj said that the dhabas should be listed along with phone numbers and with the introduction of a grading system, the good dhabas should be encouraged. The tourism minister said that important spots on the adventure tourism circuit should be identified. Apart from this, the heritage circuit development plan to be proposed to the central government should also be linked with the Mahabharata circuit to include the site where the Rajasuiya Yajna was held, the tree where the Pandavas concealed their weapons during their forest exile and the site of the lakshagrah to develop such sites from the tourism point of view. He also directed that various places in Kumaon should also be linked to the heritage circuit.
The Minister further directed the officials to prepare a plan for holding winter sports and skating competitions at the Maharana Pratap Sports College/stadium in Dehradun. Tourist spots where there are steep climbs should be proposed for the setting up of a ropeway.
Directing that a tourism self-employment scheme be prepared in the name of Pundit Deendayal Upadhyay, the minister said that the proposed scheme should be linked to homestay facility.