Destination kaziranga

Guwahati, May 23: Dispur has chalked out a Rs 50-crore project dividing the state into four tourist zones.

Assam tourism minister Rockybul Hussain said the state government, in its effort to showcase the state as a tourist hotspot, had aimed to create a tourist circuit and three tourist destinations.

Around Rs 25 crore will be spent to develop Guwahati and its surrounding areas like Sualkuchi, the “silk town,” and religious places like Hajo and Baihata into a tourist circuit, he said.

There will be three tourist destinations — Kaziranga, the twin districts of Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills, and Dhubri.

Destination Kaziranga will be extended to neighbouring areas like Majuli, Jorhat, Sivasagar and Nameri.

Around Rs 8 crore has been earmarked in the plan submitted to the Centre for infrastructure development like renovation of bungalows.

The second tourist destination will cover the twin hill districts as well as the adjoining Barak Valley. Destination Dhubri will be based on the tourism potential of Lower Assam.

Hussain said around Rs 16 crore had been earmarked for the two destinations.

The amount would be spent to improve the houses of local villagers for better lodging facilities, create more sightseeing points and repair of roads leading to the tourist spots, he added. A haat in the line of Delhi Haat will be set up at Lokhra as part of the plan to make the city more attractive to tourists.

Officials of the state tourism said the focus would be to develop five prime segments of tourism in Assam. These include wildlife and eco-tourism, river tourism, tea and golf tourism, pilgrimage and cultural tourism as well as rural and heritage tourism.

According to official sources, besides government-funded projects, Dispur was also eyeing more private sector participation in the tourism sphere.

The state government has also launched an innovative scheme for setting up of varied tourism projects across the state by involving self-help groups.

Hussain, who is also the forest minister, said the Centre had agreed to send an expert team to study the growing man-elephant conflict in the state. The team will suggest remedial measures after studying the ground realities.

The state government has also sought central assistance for creating “neem villages” in every district of the state to encourage plantation of neem trees.

Hussain said besides protecting the environment, neem trees could generate revenues as neem “is in great demand for its medicinal value”.