Odisha govt to announce new tourism policy

Odisha Government is all set to unveil a new tourism policy soon with a focus on developing infrastructure and promoting hotel industry by providing incentives.
"The draft is almost completed and the new policy will be declared after it is approved by the cabinet," the state Tourism and Culture Minister Ashok Panda said here.
Panda was here yesterday to lay the foundation stone of tourism amenities centre (Jajabara) at Girishola (Rs 1.50 crore), development works of two temples -- Sidha Bhairabi and Dhabaleswar and inaugurated three cottages of the Pathanivas, Gopalpur-on-Sea.
The cottages are constructed with an investment of Rs 1 crore.

"The policy has laid emphasis on infrastructure development and increasing subsidy for establishment of hotels in the state to attract private investors," he said.
The subsidy amount for the establishment of hotel is 25 per cent at present, he added.

"We have asked the district collectors for making land bank by identifying government lands exclusively for the future development of the tourism infrastructure, which is also part of the proposed policy," Panda said.
He said the state government would spend Rs 82 crore for infrastructure development of the tourist sites in 2016-17. The amount for infrastructure development was Rs 72 crore in 2015-16.

Besides, the government would develop the coastal tourism circuit with an investment of Rs 76.50 crore under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme of the central government.
Gopalpur, Tampara, Barkul and Satapada are included in the coastal circuit tourism project. Infrastructure and beach development will be the priority in coastal circuit tourism, Panda said.