Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren will launch the new tourism policy 2021 at New Delhi on Saturday.
“Tourism has been badly hit due to Covid-19. To foster a thriving tourism ecosystem in the state, Jharkhand government in association with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry will host the function at Delhi to launch Jharkhand Tourism Policy 2021. Focus would be on promotion of religious, eco, adventure, wellness, rural, and mining tourism along with weekend getaways,” said a release issued by the state public relation department on Thursday.
The policy seeks to build upon a holistic approach, which takes into account the rural tourism, and the local economy, at the same time makes room for the modern and urban traveller seeking their refuge and rendezvous with nature. “The key focus areas of the policy is to develop Parasnath, Madhuban and Itkhori as places of religious pilgrimage. To exhibit the immense potential the state has in terms of eco-tourism by the development of eco-circuits like Latehar-Netarhat-Betla-Chandil-Dalma-Mirchaiya-Getalsud circuit. Efforts would be made to promote various fairs and festivals and to give opportunities to the tourists to experience a slice of the rich and varied cultural heritage of the state by boosting cultural and rural tourism,” the release said.
“The policy also unravels an array of adventure related activities like paragliding, water sports, rock climbing, motor gliding that the state has to offer,” it added.
It focuses on promoting Jharkhand as a haven to ‘rest and recuperate’ in order to take forward its pursuit in developing wellness tourism. Jharkhand has a geographical advantage in being at a close proximity to the major urban centres in neighbouring states of Bihar, West Bengal and Odisha, and thereby serves as an ideal destination for those looking for Weekend Getaways. A unique aspect of the policy is the focus on promotion of mining tourism, a concept which is gaining increasing traction nationally and internationally,” it added.
In order to achieve all the goals identified under the policy, the government plans to modernise the Jharkhand Tourism Development Corporation, upgradation of the existing tourist information centres catering to all reservations, accommodation and transport oriented needs of the tourists.
“The new tourism policy offers a host of incentives and subsidies to attract investors across the nation and abroad. With a streamlined system for license, incentives and subsidies through a single window system, the entire process shall become seamless. A constructive and mutually beneficial partnership between the private and public sector through Built Operate Transfer (BOT), BOOT (Built own operate transfer), BLT (Built Lease Transfer) has been proposed. Procedures to make Foreign Investments and technological collaborations by Overseas Corporate Bodies (OCB’s) and NRI’s feasible have also been adopted,” the release added.
