HYDERABAD: The State government has sent proposals to the Ministry of Tourism worth Rs 473 crore for the development of Nature Tourism Circuit Packages in the State. The Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC), which is the nodal agency for the Tourism Department, is intended to develop tourist infrastructure such as hotels, resorts, boats/ cruises, wayside amenities, restaurants, suspension bridges, sound and light shows, glow garden, musical fountains and others for the overall development of tourism across the State.
The State government allocated Rs 750 crore in the 2022-23 Budget towards the development of ‘Kaleshwaram Tourism Circuit’, including the Medigadda barrage, Kannepally pump house, Kaleshwaram temple, Annaram barrage, Annaram water canal, Sundilla barrage and Yellampally reservoir. These works are under design stage.
The State government also proposed recently to the Ministry of Tourism, for developing some other new project schemes under “Swadesh Darshan & PRASHAD Scheme for consideration with an outlay project cost worth of Rs 473 crore. In the proposals, the development of pilgrimage and nature tourism circuit in Mahabubnagar district under Swadesh Darshan Scheme with Rs 101.72 crore, the development of Eco-Tourism Circuit in Mancherial district with `98 crore, development of fort circuit in the State with an estimated cost of Rs 101 crore for development of Sri Venkateshwara Swamy Temple,
Manyamkonda in Mahabubnagar district with Rs 50 crore, development of Pilgr image Facilities at Bhadrachalam Group of Temples at Bhadrachalam, Bhadradri-Kothagudem district with Rs 61.84 crore and development of pilgrimage and heritage infrastructure of Rudreshwar temple (Ramappa) in Mulugu district with Rs 62.73 crore. According to data provided by the Tourism Corporation, as many as 3.2 lakh foreigners visited the State before the pandemic during the year 2019 - 2020.