World heritage status for more places sought

The tourism ministry has requested the Unesco panel to accord the world heritage status for more than one historical monument at a time in place of accepting one nomination by a country once in a year.

Disclosing this here today, tourism minister Ambika Soni said the ministry had prepared proposals for 16 sites, including Golconda Fort, Red Fort, Charminar and Tanjore, for world heritage site status from the Unesco.

"The policy of single proposal from each country a year adopted by the Unesco panel is making it difficult for a country like India, which has more number of heritage sites, to get all of them recognised by the body," she said, after inaugurating the Rs 30-crore Paryatak Bhavan jointly funded by the Centre and the state government. The facility features an 84-room hotel, and offices of tourism departments of various states among other provisions.

The minister said the Centre was giving more importance to the tourism sector since it had the potential of creating employment in rural areas too. The Andhra Pradesh model would be replicated in other parts of the country in terms of tourism development in rural areas, she said.

The Government of India has increased the funding to Rs 25 crore and Rs 50 crore for the development of tourist destination and tourist circuit respectively as part of the efforts to promote more tourist destinations and tourism circuits across the country, according to the minister.