PUDUCHERRY: COVID-19 has hit hard at the major source of revenue in Puducherry – the tourism sector. With a view to reviving economy, the government has, once again, sent a request to the Union Ministry of Tourism, urging it not to scrap 10 tourism projects sanctioned at a cost of Rs 37.46 crore, as announced earlier.
These are part of 90 projects proposed at Rs 227 crore in 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19. Though the first instalment of funds was released, the Union Ministry of Tourism had, in January, recommended the dropping of 10 projects as they were non-starters.
Talking to Express, Tourism Minister Malladi Krishna Rao said, “Following Unlock 5.0, there has been just a 20 per cent tourist inflow in Puducherry. As tourism happens to be the engine of growth in the old French town of Puducherry, the government sent a request to the Union Ministry in July requesting it to reconsider the proposal to drop the 10 projects. Seven out of the 10 projects are under coastal circuit schemes and three, under heritage circuit.
These include beach development projects at Nallavadu/Narambai (Rs 8.58 crore), Kalapet (Rs 8.51 cr), Chinna Veerampattinam (Rs 2.12 cr), Mannapet (Rs 4.58 cr), beach promenade extension in northern and southern sides (Rs 2.50 cr), revitalization of Bharathi Park, Cultural Complex with Art and Digital Museum on Old Distillery premises (Rs 8.5 cr), restoration of façade of heritage buildings and other smaller projects. Besides, other projects are in various stages of implementation and some are nearing completion.”
Saying the Union Ministry had not sanctioned any new project for Puducherry in 2019-20, Rao added that these 10 projects are necessary for the Union Territory’s growth.
“We sent letters in January and then in March urging the Ministry not to drop the projects. Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and I met the Union Tourism Minister and officials in March and put up the request, following which the Ministry agreed to consider it. With the unlock in place, we once again sent a letter in July, urging the Ministry to consider our request.”The government has taken up theme-based tourism circuits like beach, spiritual, heritage and adventure sports, to draw more tourists, he added.
“Under wellness tourism, hotels and resorts are being encouraged to promote wellness and alternative therapy. Rural tourism is being promoted through arts and crafts; ecology, agriculture and educational tourism through museums, ecological farming.” With the pandemic badly affecting the hotel industry, the government wants to provide relief to the affected by lowering the tax rates and tariff and is looking up to the Centre for support, he said.