Bhubaneswar: Raising voice over non-inclusion of any tourist sites from Odisha in the list of 17 Iconic Tourism Sites to be developed by Centre, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik wrote a letter to Union Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel. He demanded inclusion of at least two Odisha sites in the list.
While the people of Odisha welcome the inclusion of Mahendragiri peak in Gajapati district as one among 15 thematic destinations to be developed under the Swadesh Darshan scheme for the Ramayana Circuit, the omission of Odisha from the list of 17 Iconic Tourism Sites referred to in the Budget 2019-20 has come as a surprise to the state, Naveen said.
“Odisha houses a mesmerising array of tourism sites, from ancient to modern, and from manmade marvels to nature’s most captivating abodes, some of which are Konark Sun Temple, Chilika Lake, Bhitarkanika National Park, Simlipal National Park and Diamond Triangle Buddhist Circuit,” he wrote to Patel.
The Chief Minister, in his letter, described about the importance of the above five tourist sites of Odisha and urged the Union Minister to consider inclusion of at least two of the above mentioned tourist places of importance in the list of Iconic Tourism Sites.
In her first Budget speech, Union Finance Minister had announced that 17 Iconic Tourism Sites will be developed into world class tourist destinations and to serve as a model for other tourism sites. These sites would enhance visitor experience, which would lead to increase in visits of both domestic and international tourists at these destinations.
The non-inclusion of any site from Odisha in the union government’s list has led to resentment among different sections of the society of the state. Even political leaders across the party line have demanded reconsideration of the demand of the state and revision of the list. Hotel and Restaurant Association of Odisha (HARO) had also submitted a memorandum to the Union Minister in this context.