TNI Bureau: Odisha government in a major development has announced to create seven divisions for the tourist destinations across the state. One division will function at New Delhi.
Earlier a proposal was approved by the state Cabinet presided over by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday.
An Odisha Tourism Service (OTS) cadre officer in the rank of joint or deputy director will head each tourism division. The tourist destinations under 30 districts will be kept under the seven divisions for effective management.
Odisha currently has 358 authorised tourist destinations. The state government has laid out a budget of Rs 375 crore for infrastructure development tourist places in this financial year.
A master plan has been prepared for development of 13 tourist places under this project.
The Cabinet also decided to bring limestone under the purview of the long term linkage (LTL) policy to sell the mineral through Infrastructure Development Corporation of Odisha Limited (IDCOL)/Odisha Mining Corporation Limited.
The decision has been taken encompassing all aspects concerning sale of limestone from Ampavalli Limestone Mines of IDCOL/OMC and in future any limestone mine reserved/allocated in favour of OMC for the State-based industries for sustained supply of the mineral.
State’s tourism industry will be super benefited with large numbers of tourists will get attracted with the development.