Friday, January 28, 2011

More funds to ensure better tourism facilities

28-01-2011
More funds to ensure better tourism facilities
Times of India By Himanshu Kaushik
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Client.asp?showST=true&login=default&Enter=true&Skin=TOINEW&GZ=T&Daily=TOIA&AW=1296210352406

The state tourism department is all set to give an infrastructure boost to all places in Gujarat that attract visitors.

It has proposed to reserve 10 per cent fund for roads, building and urban department departments to boost the infrastructure at tourist spots in the state.

During a meeting, chaired by chief secretary A K Joti, it was decided that the tourism department will get a viability gap funding from Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services. Once a study is completed on the issue it may be forwarded to the urban and road and building departments to take up the works.

In addition, the two departments will carry out works based on the requisition of the tourism department in the shortest possible time.

After every 100 km of roads, the tourism department will ensure that parking facilities and places offering refreshments are available. It was also decided that the industries and mines department will ask major chains of restaurants to open outlets where ever
required.

The tourism department will also train about 1,000 guides under the Kaushalya Vardhan scheme of the state government. The guides would be paid stipend for one year before they get popular among the tourists. The government officials said the decision to train the guides was taken after it was found that there was a shortage of trained guides in the state, especially in the G i r forest area where beat guards had to often double up as guides.

The tourism department is now taking its job seriously, a senior government official said, adding that after witnessing the increased inflow of tourists, it had become necessary to have amenities and infrastructure in place.

BON VOYAGE
Every 100 km will have parking facilities and places offering refreshments Major restaurant chains to be requested to open outlets The tourism department to train about 1,000 guides

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