Tourism sector ‘disappointed’: ‘Mission Purvodaya’ fails to continue in Bengal

Amitava Banerjee, MP, 24 July 2024, Darjeeling: The Union Budget 2024 has left the tourism and hospitality sector rather disappointed. The stakeholders from North Bengal have stated that the Union government’s “Mission Purvodaya” has abruptly halted in Odisha and failed to continue to Bengal with respect to tourism. 

“We are utterly disappointed. Actually there is nothing for tourism in this Budget. While they have laid emphasis on the Buddhism circuit encompassing Rajgir-Nalanda in Bihar, they have forgotten the Vajrayana (Tibetan) Buddhism circuit of this region that attracts a large number of international tourists. It seems ‘Purvodaya’ has halted in Odisha,” stated Samrat Sanyal, Secretary, Himalayan Hospitality and Tourism Development Network. 

Union Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday announced the government’s decision to develop Nalanda-Rajgir and Vishnupad Temple (Gaya) corridors in Bihar along with Odisha as a tourism destination. 

“After the G-20 Summit in Darjeeling, we were expecting that this Budget would lay emphasis on this region in the tourism sector. We were expecting a big announcement for North Bengal. The homestays and rural tourism of this region is a model for India. Bengal is also the highest source of tourists in the whole country. 

However, the Budget emphasised on neighbouring Bihar and Odisha but failed to address Bengal. 

Tourism cannot be restricted by borders, with this the continuity has been lost,” stated Raj Basu, Convenor, Association for Conservation of Tourism (ACT). 

Basu urged the Government to address the four avenues, including infrastructure development, training, policy and events of this region through special packages under “Mission Purvodaya” (Act East) policy. 

“Tourism is the economic backbone of this region. It also generates employment and provides opportunities for self-employment. 

The Union government talks of being sympathetic to the Gorkhas and this region but has miserably failed to translate it into action. We feel it is the shortcoming of our Member of Parliament also. \

He has failed to present our problems and our issues when the opportunities arise,” stated SP Sharma, spokesperson, GTA. 

Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/tourism-sector-disappointed-mission-purvodaya-fails-to-continue-in-bengal-572950