Shimla: In recently concluded Global Investor Meet, the State Government has signed 225 MoUs worth Rs. 16000 crores in the tourism sector. Ground-breaking ceremony of 81 projects with an investment of Rs 3322 crore in Tourism sector was performed on completion of two years tenure of state government.
The government making efforts to make tourism sector employment-oriented for local residents and under which 2000 homestays and 3600 hotels have been registered in the state. Last year, 476 new homestay units were registered. Recently, 500 homestay owners from Solan, Shimla, Mandi, Manali, Dharamshala and Kinnaur were provided training at Institute of Hotel Management.
To provide employment to the unemployed youth, State Government has provided training to 939 people in various tourism industries such as tourist guide, taxi driver, porter, Dhaba owners, food and beverage services, trekking guide, basic course of tourism, skiing course by HIMCON, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Mountaineering Institute Manali, Nature and Life Association, Mountaineering centre Bharmaur and HPTDC.
A provision of Rs. 50 crore has been made Under Nai Rahein Nai Manzilein scheme, develop the virgin lands of the State. In the first phase of the scheme, development of Janjheli of District Mandi, Chanshal of District Shimla, Bir-Biling of District Kangra, water sport activities in Largi and Pong area will be done.
To strengthen the tourism sector, the Asian Development Bank has approved a project worth Rs. 656.00 crore. The project will be completed in two phases/ tranches. In Tranche-I 19 subprojects were created and have been completed. In Tranche-II 11 sub-projects have been created and are under progress. Another ADB aided scheme with an outlay of Rs. 1892.00 crore has also been approved for the State. This scheme includes a special package of community development, under which people of rural areas would be encouraged to set up activities related to tourism.
State Government is constructing ropeways as an alternate transport arrangement for facilitating tourists. The upcoming ropeway projects are Dharamshala- Mcleodganj ropeway which would be completed by 2020, whereas the other ropeway projects are Shri Anandpur- Shri Naina Devi ji ropeway in District Bilaspur, Aadi- Himani Chamunda ropeway in District Kangra, Palchan- Rohtang ropeway and Bijli Mahadev ropeway in District Kullu, Maa Shikari Devi ropeway in District Mandi, Shahtalai- Dayotisidh in District Bilaspur-Hamirpur and Narkanda- Hatu ropeway in District Shimla.
