The Bengal government has constituted a task force headed by chief secretary H.K. Dwivedi “to unlock and augment the tourism potential in the state”.

A notification to the effect was issued by the tourism department on Thursday.

After Mamata Banerjee had become the chief minister in 2011, she time and again underscored the need to explore all possible options to boost tourism in the state. Over the past 11 years, a number of new destinations were promoted in various districts, infrastructure improved and investments made in the hospitality sector.

A senior official of the tourism department said the task force had been formed because of realisation that it was necessary to integrate different government departments to develop tourism infrastructure and boost investments in the sector.

“For example, as we took up the ‘Bhorer Alo’ project (the mega tourism hub that came up at Gajoldoba in Jalpaiguri district), we had to approach a number of departments like land & land reforms, public works, power and irrigation to carry out different works. The task force, which comprises senior officials of various departments, will help us take an inclusive approach which would expedite development of the tourism industry,” the official said.

The notification says the 12member task force with chief secretary as the chairman will have principal secretaries of 11 departments — home and hill affairs; forest, environment, PWD, land and land reforms; tourism, finance, transport and MSME (micro, small and medium enterprises) and textile; technical education, training and skill development; and information and cultural affairs.

According to the notification, the task force has been entrusted with the responsibility of developing tourism in consonance with “the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the state”, working for promotion of folk, art craft and different folk genres and boosting rural tourism, eco tourism and river tourism. It will also work for skill development of all those associated with tourism.

In Bengal, around 12 per cent of the state’s GDP comes from the tourism sector. It also provides employment to around 10 lakh people.

A senior official pointed out tourism was an important focus of the Mamata Banerjee government as it could generate employment, especially in rural areas where migration to other states in search of jobs was rampant. He has said the concept of homestay accommodations is a hit, especially in north Bengal, and hundreds of people are making a livelihood by providing accommodations to tourists.

“The task force will hold meetings regularly to review its activities and for interdepartmental coordination to expedite the execution of different proposals,” the official said.

Stakeholders of the industry have welcomed the decision.

“It is great to see that a task force, which comprises top officers of the state government, has been constituted for the promotion of tourism. We are confident that in coming days, the tourism sector in Bengal will witness a rapid growth,” said Samrat Sanyal, the general secretary of the Himalayan Hospitality & Tourism Development Network.