India to showcase Bengal at London Tourism Meet

Union Minister for Tourism Subodh Kant Sahay on Saturday announced that India will showcase West Bengal in the forthcoming World Travel Mart (WTM) expo in London this year.

“West Bengal will be the Theme state for the forthcoming world travel meet in London in November”, he said while addressing the Travel India Meet organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce here. His announcement came as a response to the request of West Bengal’s Tourism Minister Rachpal Singh on showcasing West Bengal and North east India in the global market to boost-up in-bound tourists.

Responding to Odisha’s tourism minister Prafulla Shamal’s request, Sahay that Union Government will arrange a two-day’s Buddhist Conclave at Benaras from September 29 this year. Buddhists from all over the globe, particularly from the Sri Lanka, Japan and other South Asian nations will participate. He requested Odisha, West Bengal and North Eastern States to prepare a combined Buddhist circuit package involving these states and showcase there.

Sahay urged the participating states in this two-day long brainstorming session to make tourism an ‘economic and political agenda’.

“Till it is not a political and economic agenda and convergence of concern departments are not done, the nation can not progress,” Sahay said disclosing that convergence of 19 ministries could be achieved at the centre under Prime Minister. This has helped to sort out inter-ministerial glitches. “At the state level, it is the Chief Minister who has to take the responsibility to converge other related departments with tourism to remove bottlenecks.”

Stressing need for development of Beach Tourism and redesigning government Guest Houses and Circuit Houses into budget hotels through PPP model, the Union minister asked the state to furnish Detail Project Report (DPR) and get those sanctioned at hand. At a juncture he disclosed that No DPR has reached from the state despite the fact that Chief Minister announced to give priority to tourism sector.

However, his claim was discounted by Bengal’s tourism minister Rachpal Singh. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the meet, Singh said, “Several DPRs have been submitted to the Union Ministry. The minister may not be aware as those might be at different stage and awaiting his nod. Already we have got sanction for a few DPR.” Addressing the Chamber, Singh alleged, “Union Government is very stingy in providing fund to West Bengal. I would request the Union Minister to be little liberal.”