Subansiri river bridge is built over the Subansiri river in Arunachal Pradesh
New Delhi: About 118.45 lakh domestic and 1.04 lakh foreign tourists visited the North Eastern States during the year 2022 following various initiatives for the growth of tourism in the North Eastern Region (NER) by the Government, the Lok Sabha was informed today.
In a written reply today in the Lok Sabha, the Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region G. Kishan Reddy stated the North Eastern Council (NEC) has taken steps including holding consultative meetings with tourism stakeholders like North East Tourism Departments, North East Tour operators. to discuss the challenges and way forward on the development of tourism sector in NER.
He further stated that the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Shillong also organized a round table discussion on developing a framework for seamless movements of tourists to the North Eastern States.
Airports in the NER at Rupsi, Tezu, Tezpur, Pasighat, Jorhat, Lilabari, Shillong, Pakyong, Itanagar and Dimapur involving 64 routes have been operationalised under the UDAN Scheme. Presently, there are 16 operational airports in the North Eastern Region that are contributing to the inflow of tourists there. Additionally, Advanced Landing Ground at Ziro has also been operationalized.
Besides, 14 new line projects covering a total length of 1,181 kms have been planned/sanctioned/executed by the Railways, out of which, 361 kms have been commissioned in the NER during the year 2021-22. Five doubling projects covering a length of 728 kms have also been planned/sanctioned/executed out of which 48 kms have been commissioned.
Besides, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has taken up/sanctioned national highway development works of 5137 kms in the NER.
“These infrastructure projects are providing essential/ critical connectivity for a barrier-free environment for the growth of tourism in the NER,” Reddy said, adding that his ministry under the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) supports infrastructure projects relating to water supply, power, connectivity in the tourism sector in the NER.
The Minister also referred to the ‘Yuva Sangam’ initiative of the Government to strengthen people to people connect especially between youth belonging to NER and other States and provide an immersive experience under five broad areas – Paryatan (Tourism), Parampara (Traditions), Pragati (Development), Prodyogiki (Technology) and Paraspar Sampark (People-to-people connect).
He also referred to various schemes such as the Swadesh Darshan Scheme for the integrated development of theme-based tourist circuits and Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritural, Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) for the integrated development of the identified pilgrimage and heritage destinations. Under its scheme of “Assistance to Central Agencies for Tourism Infrastructure Development,” the Ministry of Tourism has also sanctioned viewpoints and wayside amenities in the NER.
– global bihari bureau
