Chandigarh, October 22:- Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that the Haryana Government will now provide financial assistance to 100 pilgrims each for the Swarn Jayanti Guru Darshan Yatra, Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and Sindhu Darshan Yatra. Until now, financial assistance has been provided to 50 pilgrims annually for each of these three yatras. He also directed that beneficiaries should register for these yatras online through a dedicated portal.
The Chief Minister issued these directions on Thursday while chairing a review meeting at the Haryana Civil Secretariat on the Tourism Department’s five-year action plan under Haryana Vision-2047. He gave comprehensive directions to officials to improve the functioning of the Tourism Department and develop Haryana into a tourism hub.
Tourism Department Commissioner and Secretary Dr. Amit Agrawal said that the Haryana Government provides financial assistance of Rs. 20,000 per pilgrim for the Swarn Jayanti Guru Darshan Yatra, Rs. 50,000 per pilgrim for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and Rs. 20,000 per pilgrim for the Sindhu Darshan Yatra. Under each of these three yatras, 50 pilgrims receive financial assistance every year. The Chief Minister directed that the number of beneficiaries for each yatra be increased from 50 to 100 annually. He said that an online portal should be developed for pilgrims’ registration and that registration should be carried out through this portal. Only registered pilgrims will be eligible for financial assistance.
Dr. Amit Agrawal said that Haryana currently has tourism-related infrastructure comprising 42 tourism complexes, 21 banquet and convention halls, 35 conference halls, 842 air-conditioned rooms, eight dormitories, 243 shops and 1,192 acres of land. Five institutes of hotel management and 15 petrol pumps are also operating in the state.
Directions to Redevelop Key Tourism Department Sites
The Chief Minister said that important sites under the Tourism Department should be redeveloped as required. Keeping the broader public interest in mind, locations that can be operated on a lease basis or through the public-private partnership (PPP) mode should be developed through private companies. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Wed in India’ vision, he also issued directions regarding the establishment of a wedding city in Pinjore, renovation of the Suraj Temple in Yamunanagar, development of a golf course in Faridabad and promotion of water sports activities.
Farm Stays and Homestays to Expand Employment Opportunities in Rural Areas
The Chief Minister said that under Haryana Vision-2030, the plan for registration, marketing and promotion of farm-stay and homestay units should be amended as required to encourage agro-tourism. He directed that the number of registered farm stays and homestays in the state be increased to 100 from the current 38 farm stays and 11 homestays. He also directed officials to connect tourism-related units with online platforms and develop a plan to present rural life, local cuisine and traditional experiences attractively to tourists.
Local Products and Self-Help Groups to Receive a Boost
The Chief Minister said that a plan should be prepared to display products made by self-help groups, handicrafts and local food items at tourism information centres, linking rural tourism with the local economy. This will provide rural entrepreneurs, women and local artisans with opportunities to promote and sell their products. He said that this model should be developed in phases at Kurukshetra and other tourist destinations.
Millet Festival and Organic Farm Stays to Enhance Tourism Appeal
The Chief Minister said that preparations should be made to organise a Millet Festival in Gurugram this year to connect agro-tourism with new experiences. The festival should promote coarse grains, traditional cuisine and agro-tourism. He said that plans should also be prepared to organise special fairs at locations featuring ripe mustard and wheat crops in the fields, lily flowers around Narnaul, and sunflower cultivation near Shahabad, so that these places can also be developed as tourist destinations. The Chief Minister also reviewed departmental matters related to his announcements, budget announcements, promises made in the Sankalp Patra and complaints received on the CM Grievance Portal, and issued comprehensive directions to officials.
Additional Chief Secretary of the Finance Department Sudhir Rajpal, Deputy Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Yashpal Yadav, Chief Minister’s OSD and Director General of the Swarn Jayanti Haryana Institute for Financial Management Dr. Raj Nehru, Tourism Department Director Parth Gupta and other officials were also present at the meeting.
