Districts should chalk plans to tap tourism potential: Deshpande

Tourism Minister R V Deshpande said, the respective district in-charge ministers should chalk out plans and execute them in coordination with the deputy commissioners to tap the tourism potential in their region and also to generate employment opportunities.

Addressing media persons, here, on Monday, after the first meeting of the newly-formed Cauvery Tourism Development Authority, he said, the authority would function with the existing administration machinery of the Tourism department and respective district administrations with the office of the Regional Commissioner as the nodal agency.

Recalling the long-pending assurance of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, he said, the CM was particular about the development of tourism in the Cauvery basin and it included Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar districts and Kanakpura taluk of Ramnagar district. “The government will provide basic infrastructure for the development of tourist destinations, while it has to be developed further by private stakeholders. Proposals for a cable car for Chamundi Hill; modernisation of illumination of the Palace; setting up of a museum on the civilisation, heritage culture and life of the people in the basin; etc are before the authority. Under Corporate Social Responsibility, private players will be roped in to adopt some monuments,” he said.

“The objective of the government is to make tourism attractive even for the common man. A Tourism Facilitation Act would be enacted soon to introduce transparency. The department will take up grading of all services related to tourism and publish it on its website to facilitate prospective visitors. The government will concentrate on providing proper guidance and security to tourists. So, coordination with key departments and training of guides will be stressed,” he said.