BHUBANESWAR: The state government has asked collectors to prepare detailed project reports (DPRs) for funding under the One District-Multiple Tourism Initiatives scheme, which aims to develop five to 10 small-scale tourism destinations in every district.
Official sources said the plan is to develop 150 to 200 such destinations across the state which will provide an alternative to the famous Golden Triangle of Puri-Bhubaneswar-Konark. The destinations to be identified in every district should be non-conventional ones, they added.
Stating that it will be a low-cost scheme, they said, allocation for districts will be made once the DPRs are approved.
The initiative aims to create local livelihood opportunities with special focus on women, youth and MSMEs. The focus will be on community-based tourism where local self-help groups and youth can run homestays, food stalls, souvenir shops and act as guides.
It will also provide a market for local MSME products. The Tourism department will provide technical support and ensure convergence with other departments, including Works, Rural Development and Mission Shakti for implementation, they said.
The progress of districts will be reviewed on a monthly basis and best-performing ones will be incentivised. To ensure ground-level implementation, sub-collectors, who head the Local Tourism Promotion Councils (LTPCs), have also been asked to prioritise improvement of basic amenities at existing and upcoming tourist sites, including approach roads, homestay facilities, signage, drinking water, toilets and parking.
Officials said the focus will be on promoting lesser-known destinations, eco-tourism, rural tourism, heritage villages and adventure spots rather than concentrating only on major circuits.
As part of the strategy, the government has proposed a ranking framework for districts to foster healthy competition in terms of infrastructure creation and visitor experience.
