Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju on Tuesday, July 21, directed officials to draw up a comprehensive action plan for developing eco-tourism in the state, saying it held significant potential to generate employment for youth and boost revenue through the tourism sector.
Jaju was chairing a high-level review meeting at the Dr BR Ambedkar Secretariat on eco-tourism development, tiger conservation and the development of tiger reserves, which was attended by senior officials from the forest and tourism departments.
He asked officials to prepare action plans for eco-tourism development at specific locations, including Kinnerasani near Bhadrachalam, Amrabad in the Srisailam-Nallamala forest region, the Kawal Tiger Reserve along the Godavari river and the Adilabad and Mulugu areas.
Harness Telangana’s forest wealth: Chief Secretary
The Chief Secretary said funds allocated to the state under central government schemes should be fully utilised for eco-tourism development, and asked officials to draw up a comprehensive plan to harness the state’s forest wealth, biodiversity and natural beauty for tourism. He said taking up eco-tourism projects through public-private partnerships could boost both employment and the state’s GDP.
Jaju asked the Forest Development Corporation and the Tourism Development Corporation to jointly focus on developing infrastructure, and said eco-tourism should be promoted particularly in Future City, Anantagiri, Vikarabad and city-urban areas.
He said tourism infrastructure in forest areas should be developed while maintaining ecological balance and adhering to regulations, to provide better facilities to visitors, along with employment opportunities for local youth.
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