TAAI To Focus On NER States

Anindita Chattopadhyay - New Delhi

TAAI is scheduled to have a special session on showcasing the north-east states. Most of these states have their own tourism boards but lack proper connectivity and infrastructure, which has lead to their low profile existence. Interestingly, the north-east region (NER) has been a tourism priority for the government since the early 80s and was mentioned so in the five-year plans. The Shukla Commission report on `Transforming the Northeast' pointed out a number of advantages and strategies to improve the state. However, concrete steps to promote the region started when Jagmohan became the tourism minister a couple of years back. He had started promoting an integrated circuit that included Shillong, Guwahati, Kazinranga, Tejpur, Tawang, Sibsagar and Kohima. The Union minister for North East development in the present government, P R Kyndiah is also keen to tap the tourism potential of the region. He also allayed the `wrong perception’ that the entire region was afflicted with insurgency. In a significant move, the Indian Home Ministry has reportedly taken the decision, to open the Sino-India trade route Nathula Pass. With the Nathula pass open, the Buddhist pilgrimage trail from China to Arunachal Pradesh, Bhubaneswar, Gaya, Sarnath etc will flourish. Kolkata will emerge as the gateway to tourism in this region and Siliguri, in north Bengal, would emerge as the hub for Buddhist pilgrims from Japan, China, Bhutan and the East-Asian travellers connecting Bodhgaya in Bihar, Rumtek in Sikkim and Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.