Buddhist Circuit Tops Renuka’s List

Anindita Chattopadhyay - New Delhi

Renuka Chowdhury

Whatever may be the ideological differences between the UPA and NDA governments, when it comes to tourism it seems both governments share the same views. The tourism minister Renuka Chowdhury is determined to take the work forward from where Jagmohan had left it. Like her predecessor, Chowdhury is also bullish about promoting the Buddhist circuit. Not only has her ministry identified 22 Buddhist sites across the country, she has either sanctioned or is in the process of sanctioning several projects for infrastructure development in most of these sites.

The minister has also requested the chief ministers of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, MP, AP, Maharashtra, HP, J&K, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Orissa where these sites fall, to prepare an integrated action plan for development of these places and implement the projects in a time bound manner. Since the Planning Commission approves the plans of state governments and the sectional allocations for each of the sectors, Chowdhury has sought the help of Montek Singh Ahluwalia, deputy chairman, Planning Commission in "issuing directions to the concerned officials in Planning Commission to impress upon states to earmark special funds for infrastructure projects which have direct concern with the development of these Buddhist sites."

Significantly, Chowdhury is going all out to address the constraints of lack of air, road and rail connectivity to these places to ensure tourist arrivals and make her efforts pay. In separate letters written to civil aviation minister Praful Patel, Railways minister Laloo Prasad Yadav and minister of Road Transport and Highways TR Baalu, she has sought co-operation to address the problem. "The Buddhist sites, which are unique to this country, could be promoted as major tourist destinations, especially to attract the overseas tourists from South East Asia. However, one of the constraints in promoting these places is lack of air connectivity. I seek your co-operation in addressing this constraint. An action plan for the improvement and development of air connectivity to these sites could be worked out and implemented by your ministry in a time bound manner," reads the letter to the civil aviation minister.

Similar letters went to others as well. Such serious interest veers to the point that the UPA government recognises tourism's potential to create large-scale employment.