BHUBANESWAR: Aimed at giving tourism infrastructure and investment in the state a boost, the Tourism department has identified a land bank of over 5,000 acre across several destinations.
As per official reports, the department in collaboration with the Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) has identified land parcels of 5,300 acre (1,888 plots) and 22 tourism destinations in the state. These destinations include Bhitarkanika, Chandaka, Chilika, Dhauli, Satkosia, Debrigarh, Tampara and Puri-Konark, among other places.
Interestingly, the otherwise neglected Buddhist circuit of Lalitgiri, Langudi, Ratnagiri, too, finds a place among these 22 locations. The highest 1,104.5 acre has been identified in Tampara followed by 1,076 acre in Chilika. Sources said the acquisition process is underway. The land bank will help the state in attracting more investment in the hotel sector.
According to the department’s annual report, in 2023-24 financial year, the state government had approved 24 tourism projects through its single window system, which entailed an investment of Rs 1,812.11 crore.
These projects include hotels, convention centres, resorts, motels, wayside amenity centres, amusement park, water park, house boats and water sports. The projects promise employment for 3,000 people, both in direct and indirect modes. Officials said the government has released a capital investment subsidy of Rs 19.32 crore towards the eligible tourism projects.