In an effort to boost tourism in Chhattisgarh, an exercise has begun to make an extensive and new tourism policy in place of the seven-year-old tourism encouragement scheme.
Tourism minister Brijmohan Agrawal, at the departmental review meeting held at his residence here on Tuesday, instructed the officers concerned to take immediate action for preparation of the draft of new tourism policy. The minister said that tourism was a comprehensive area, in which, to create identity of the state, it was necessary to develop basic facilities at the tourist places.
To encourage private businessmen for investment in this area, an extensive tourism policy was needed, he added. The minister instructed to make a model tourism policy for Chhattisgarh after study of tourism policy of advanced States. The new tourism policy should be clear and transparent, he added. Agrawal instructed the officers to fill the vacant posts of Chhattisgarh Tourism Board and to take immediate action to resolve promotion cases of employees. Chhattisgarh Tourism Board chairman Krishna Kumar Rai, secretary tourism and culture department RC Sinha, Chhattisgarh Tourism Board managing director Santosh Mishra and other senior officers were present in the meeting.
Agrawal instructed to take action to give industry status to tourism in the State, as many states in the country has given industry status to tourism. The rules and provisions of such States should be studied, he added. Agrawal asked the officers to give special attention toward the operation and maintenance of motels built by the Tourism Board.Discussions were held on the tourism information centres run by the Chhattisgarh Tourism Board, tour operators, registration of private hotels, training to tourist guides, extension of lease period of motels etc, in the meeting. The tourism minister expressed his displeasure over the non-preparation of work plan for medial plan. Detailed discussion was held on the beautification of the historic Budhatalab in the State capital.