Meghalaya adopts projects to boost tourism

Shillong, Aug 6: The Meghalaya government has adopted several projects to develop tourist spots in rural areas following the tourism ministry's thrust to promote rural tourism in the country.

According to official sources here, all the eight NE states are rich in natural beauty and the respective state governments were initiating a number of proposals to develop rural tourism.

This step was to bring change in the socio-economic condition of the rural people, especially of this region.

More than Rs two crores had been sanctioned for various tourist destinations scattered in rural areas of the state.

The state government proposed to request the North Eastern Council to sanction fund for development of tourist spots in West Garo hills, Jaintia hills and East Khasi hills districts respectively.

The DoNER ministry had urged the NE states to upgrade facilities to promote tourism in the region.

The ministry had also assured the governments to support the development of infrastructure in the North-East.

The Centre had already allocated huge funds for the development of tourist sites in the region but expressed concern over internal facilities, including hotels, transportation and amusement.

''The region should formulate and roll out an integrated regional tourism development and road-map to cash in on its amazing diversity in the form of wildlife, landscape, culture and heritage,'' tourism department officials underlined.

UNI