The Hindu : Kumbalanghi tourism project to get UNDP aid

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 12, 2004

Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

Kumbalanghi tourism project to get UNDP aid

KOCHI, JAN. 11. The Kumbalanghi tourism village project taken up by the Department of Tourism will soon get a fillip in the form of financial support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

A two-member team from the UNDP completed its visit to Kumbalanghi today, as part of the process of approving the village tourism project initiated here.

As a preliminary step, Rs. 25 lakhs each will be released for developing software components required for creating awareness among the local public in Kumbalanghi and Aranmula, the two village tourism destinations identified in the State under the project.

The team members appreciated the work being done at Kumbalanghi. "The village panchayat is playing a positive role and we consider it as a step in the right direction," said A. K. Prasanth, specialist consultant for the programme. He visited the sites along with the programme officer, R. K. Anil.

The village panchayat and the project team have been asked to submit a pilot report, citing the uniqueness of the project, based on which the funds will be released. The team met the District Collector, Gyanesh Kumar and Minister for Tourism and Fisheries, K.V. Thomas and held discussions in this regard.

The Minister was apprised of the concept of endogenous tourism and discussed ways of channelising funds to the local beneficiaries and of retaining the funds in the village itself rather than utilising it for construction work. The Minister had agreed to channelise the existing fund sources identified by the Department of Tourism to the UNDP venture, Mr. Prasanth said.

The team members were taken around the project site and they inspected the different works that have already been started. They also visited the Kudumbasree units and traditional fishing centres and inspected the work for the conservation and promotion of mangroves. The project manager had already started working on the report to be filed, the Kumbalanghi panchayat president, M. P. Sivadathan, said.

Kumbalanghi and Aranmula are two among the 12 village tourism destinations identified in the nation under this project. A key objective of this programme was to develop tourism destinations while creating means of sustainable livelihood for the local people, Mr. Prasanth said.

However, at some sites like Pochampally, outside intervention was required immediately as the condition of traditional workers in the region was poor, he said.

A similar intervention would be required in the case of Aranmula also. The region was now losing out due to the destruction of its lifeline - the Pampa River. The project would aim at proper deployment of manpower by bringing back men from sand-mining to farming, Mr. Prasanth said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala

News Update

Stories in this Section

Kumbalanghi tourism project to get UNDP aid

Call to stand for truth

Charred body found

GIDA to take up work on link road

Ambalamugal residents to observe hartal tomorrow

Around the City

In Kochi Today

Reporter's Diary