The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : YSR approves scheme for east coast tourism corridor

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 12, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

YSR approves scheme for east coast tourism corridor

Special Correspondent

In-principle decision to bring back Nizam's jewellery

HYDERABAD: The Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, on Saturday approved the scheme for the development of the east coast into a tourism corridor. He suggested special cruises in the area to boost tourism potential of the coast.

He announced this at a meeting where existing and proposed tourism projects were reviewed. The Union Minister of State for Tourism, Renuka Choudhary and the State Tourism Minister, J.Geeta Reddy and officials attended.

It was decided in principle to bring back Nizam jewellery to Hyderabad and set up a new facility at Public Garden for exhibiting the same.

A committee constituting Ministers of Tourism, Endowments and Archaeology would be formed to focus attention on heritage and pilgrim tourism besides starting a special conservation wing in the Endowments Department. He directed that no repairs or renovation of any temple be carried out henceforth without the permission of this committee.

The meeting proposed to acquire and transfer 10 acres of land belonging to the AP Infrastructure Corporation, located adjacent to Shilparamam Arts & Crafts village, to the Shilparamam Society to set up a Night Bazar. The Union Ministry of Tourism would lend budgetary support to provide the infrastructure required for this Bazar.

It was also proposed to rationalise the taxation policy covering luxury tax, service tax and inter-State transport tax to help give a fillip to tourism. Likewise, there should be a rational land alienation policy for setting up star hotels, it was felt.

Tourism sub-plan urged

Ms. Renuka Choudhary appealed to the State Government to evolve a tourism sub-plan with contribution from departments like Roads & Buildings / PWD, Urban Development, Irrigation, Transport, Forest, Endowments and Archaeology to develop tourist circuits and destinations.

The meeting decided to hasten the formalities in acquiring the `special purpose vehicle (SPV)' for Southern Splendour Train Project. A meeting would be held at Tirupati on June 27 to finalise the modalities.

Andhra Pradesh in general and Hyderabad in particular have been identified as potential places to develop medical tourism by attracting people from Middle-East, African and other countries. European and Latin American citizens could also be easily attracted due to high quality medical treatment, it was felt.

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