Rewalsar to be developed as tourist destination: HP CM

Rewalsar town in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district would be developed as a tourist destination as it was a religious place for the followers of three religions, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said.

He said this while addressing a public meeting at Rewalsar in Balh assembly segment of Mandi district yesterday.

Thakur said Rewalsar will be developed as a tourist circuit as it is a religious place for followers of three religions.

"The state is blessed with immense tourism potential but nothing was done by earlier Congress governments in this direction. It is for the first time that a budget provision of Rs 50 crore has been made for the tourism sector, " he said.

Rewalsar is sacred to adherents of Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism.

The Chief Minister said that airport would be constructed in Balh as he had already taken up the matter with the Centre and the land for the same had already been selected.

He said steps had been taken for protecting cows in the state besides generating revenue for construction of 'Gau Sadans'.

Thakur said Re 1 cess had been imposed on the sale of every bottle of liquor in the state for construction and maintenance of Gau Sadans.

He announced that a commission would soon be constituted in the state for protection of cows.