The Malda administration has taken up a slew of initiatives to promote heritage tourism in the district following a prod by chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

Mamata had in January directed the administration to explore tourism possibilities in the district in coordination with Nadia and Murshidabad districts.

Sources said that Nitin Singhania, the Malda DM, presided over the meeting that was attended by the Malda hotel owners' association, the Malda Merchant Chamber of Commerce, the Malda Mango Merchants' Association and the officials of the district industrial centre, among others on Thursday.

A decision was taken to make attempts to include major monuments located in Gauda, Adina and Pandua in the Unesco heritage status list.

“We believe tourism would receive a major boost if we can get the Unesco recognition,” said Singhania.

Gauda was the capital of three dynasties of ancient Bengal — the Buddhist Palas, the Hindu Senas and the Muslim Nawabs. Pandua on the other hand has the third largest concentration of Muslim monuments in Bengal.

Plans are afoot to further promote Jagjivanpur in Habibpur. Jagjivanpur is an archeological site situated in the Habibpur block about 41km east of Malda headquarters. The most significant findings from this site include a copper-plate inscription of Pala emperor Mahendrapaladeva and the structural remains of a 9th century Buddist Vihara, the Nandadirghika-Udranga Mahavihara.

"This place is popular among Buddhists. Earlier, a number of Buddhist tourists used to visit Jagjivanpur. We are considering the possibility of bringing this place under the Buddhist tourism circuit,” said a senior administrative official.

A decision was also taken to use the expertise of bloggers to further promote the monuments among travellers.

Officials have also decided to remove encroachments around the historical sites.

The forest department has also prepared a plan to upgrade the mini deer zoo at Adina. "Proper planning is underway for the upgrade," a forest official said.

Singhania said that a mango festival would be held in Malda from June 20 to 25 and plans are afoot to invite various tourism-related bodies from across the state.