Maha govt appoints Shivaji's heir as tourism brand ambassador

In a move aimed at countering the silent morchas being taken out by the Maratha community across the state, Maharashtra government today appointed Rajya Sabha MP and heir of Warrior King Chattrapati Shivaji, Sambhajiraje Bhosale as its Tourism Brand Ambassador.
State Tourism minister Jaykumar Rawal said Bhosale will promote the rich legacy of forts built by Shivaji during his reign.
Rawal, while speaking to reporters here also announced setting up of a heritage committee which will make recommendations on conservation of heritage forts and promoting luxury tourism in the state.
"Chattrapati Sambhajiraje Bhosale will be a member of the committee which will submit its report to the government in four months time," Rawal said.

Accepting the governments proposal to be its Tourism ambassador, Bhosale said the heritage policy will seek to make efforts to convey the rich historical legacy to the world at large.
"Just like Rajasthan has marketed its historical forts as tourist destinations, the state too intends to showcase the same through the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC)," he said.

However, Bhosale refused to comment on the silent morchas being taken out by the Maratha community.
The MP said after taking oath as a new member of the Rajya Sabha, he did raise the issue of the gangrape and murder of the teenager in Kopardi during the Zero Hour.

"I do not want to take credit for raising the issue of reservation quota for Maratha community and thus I won't speak on the issue. But I will definitely raise this issue when I make my maiden speech in the Parliament," he said.
Meanwhile, Rawal lamented at the encroachment of slums in Mahim fort (in Mumbai) and a school being run in a fort in Malegaon in Nashik district.
"There is urgent need for control over the heritage forts. The government intends to set up a Directorate of Tourism headed by a director," he said.
Rawal announced that the state will celebrate 2017 as year of "Visit Maharashtra" and said it has so many heritage forts steeped in rich history, more than what Rajasthan has.

He further said funds will be earmarked in District Planning and Development Committees (DPDCs) of the district for promotion of tourism.
Besides this, each district will have its own district tourism plan which will promote religious, tourist, heritage forts, wildlife sanctuaries in the plan, Rawal added.