Forest based tourism and water based tourism should be promoted in the state: Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai

JeetApril 11, 2025

4 minutes read

Tourism facilities should be developed in the major Shakti Peethas of the state

Water Resources and Forest Department should work in coordination with the Tourism Department to promote tourism – Chief Minister

Tourism corridors will be prepared to promote tourism in Chhattisgarh

Review of efforts to promote tourism in the state

Raipur, 11 April 2025: Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai has said that there are immense possibilities of tourism in Chhattisgarh. To establish Chhattisgarh on the tourism map of the country, the Tourism, Forest and Water Resources Department should work by preparing an integrated action plan. He said that forest based tourism, water sports in the major dams of the Mahanadi, Indravati rivers in the state should be promoted. Tourism facilities should be developed in the Shakti Peethas of the state. The Chief Minister directed to prepare tourism circuits and corridors by including nearby places in the major tourist destinations. He also directed to prepare new proposals for tourism projects of the state for assistance from the Central Government. Chief Minister Sai was reviewing the work being done to promote tourism in the state at the Ministry Mahanadi Bhawan today. In the meeting, the possibilities of eco-tourism, ethnic tourism, adventure tourism, wellness tourism, heritage tourism, wildlife tourism and water sports were discussed. The Chief Minister said that the major tourist places of the state including Bastar and Surguja should be established as brands. The cooperation of tour and travel agencies and well-known hotel institutions should be taken.

In the meeting, the Chief Minister said that a plan should be prepared to develop circuits and corridors by including major tourist places like Kanger Valley National Park, Guru Ghasidas Tamor Pingla National Park, Barnawapara Sanctuary, Achanakmar Sanctuary, Tatamari View Point along with small tourist places located near that area. He said that places of religious importance, historical importance, archaeological and natural importance of the state should be identified and developed as better destinations from the tourism point of view. He also gave instructions to promote eco-tourism and adventure tourism. The Chief Minister said that to promote tourism in the state, possibilities of increasing tourism in the state should also be explored by holding meetings with tour and travel agencies and well-known hotel institutes. Water sports will be promoted. Chief Minister Sai said that there is a lot of potential for the development of water sports activities in the state. Our government has developed Gangrel Dam in Dhamtari, Kodar Dam in Mahasamund, Mini Mata Hasdeo Bango Dam in Korba, Saroda Dam, Chitrakote Waterfall in Bastar. A large number of tourists come for water boating. Keeping these possibilities in mind, sites should be identified in various rivers and dams of the state and developed as water sports.

Tourism corridors will be developed in Bastar, Champaran, Madheshwar Mayali, Bhoramdev. The chief minister said in the meeting that the Bastar corridor should be developed by including Chitrakote waterfall, Dantewada, Dholka, Tatamari, Barsoor, Tirathgarh, Kutumsar cave, Dhudmaras, Tamra Ghumar, Mahendraghumar waterfall in Kanger Valley National Park in Bastar. It should be branded at the national level. Similarly, a corridor should be made by including Madheshwar temple, Mayali lake, Kailash cave in Jashpur district. He said that a large number of Gujarati tourists visit Champaran, the birthplace of Mahaprabhu Vallabhchar, and events like weddings also take place here. To give it a national level recognition, tourism facilities should be developed and wide publicity should be done. The progress of various tourism projects being operated in the state under the Swadesh Darshan and Prasad Yojana was also reviewed in the meeting. The Chief Minister said that under Swadesh Darshan, an amount of Rs 145 crore has been approved for Bhoramdev Corridor. By connecting religious and natural places, it is being developed as a better destination from the tourism point of view. The Chief Minister said that guidance should be taken from the people of the film industry to develop Chitrotpala Film City. Chitrotpala Film City is being built by our government in Nava Raipur. For this, Rs 95 crore has been approved by the Central Government.

Tourism has been given the status of industry The Chief Minister said that tourism has been given the status of industry in the new industrial policy of the state government. Provision of grant has also been made for the development of tourism facilities in these areas, so that tourism infrastructure can be developed with the help of investors. These possibilities should also be exploited by contacting investors at the national level. He said that 2 crore tourists visit tourist places in the state every year. The Chief Minister has given instructions to engage people in small cottage industries including home stays with an aim to provide regular employment to local residents of the tourism area. He said that the villagers of the tourist areas should also be encouraged to promote home stay business. Chief Secretary Amitabh Jain, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief of Forest Force V. Srinivas Rao, Additional Chief Secretary Mrs. Richa Sharma, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Subodh Singh, Secretary of Tourism Department Anbilgan P., Secretary to Chief Minister Rahul Bhagat, Basavaraju S., Secretary of Industries Department Rajat Kumar, Secretary of Water Resources Department Rajesh Sukumar Toppo and senior officers of the concerned departments were present in the meeting.