State Ecotourism Board earmarksRs1.36 crore to develop 320 spots

Nagpur: The Maharashtra Ecotourism Development Board (MEDB) has identified 320 tourist centres in Maharashtra and an amount of Rs1.36 crore has been earmarked this year for executing various schemes and provide facilities to boost ecotourism.

Talking to newsmen on the eve of World Tourism Day (September 27), managing director of MEDB Maheep Gupta said necessary steps are being taken to ensure completion of the projects during the year.

The government had announced ecotourism policy in 2008 and set up the board in 2015 to develop tourist destinations in forest areas, educating students and people on importance of nature and providing employment opportunities to the local youths.

Gupta said the board expects people to extend active cooperation in conservation of flora and fauna to maintain environmental balance. Out of the 320 natural spots, plans have been prepared for 116 destinations and sanction has been received by the board's executive committee.

The amount is being made available for the works through the state tourism development funds of forest department. With 6 tiger reserves, 6 national parks, 48 sanctuaries and 6 conservation reserves, ecotourism attaches importance in the state.

Out of these destinations, the board is executing schemes at Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) and Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) to make them world class tourist destinations as envisaged by forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar.

Gupta informed that Rs3.10 crore has been earmarked in this financial year for providing various facilities to tourists visiting Melghat Tiger Reserve. "We plan to make available necessary funds for 34 PAs in the current financial year," he added.

The MEDB is also redeveloping forts, temples, wetlands and biodiversity conservation parks falling in forests. Over Rs40 crore has been proposed for development of Visapur Biodiversity Park in Chandrapur in 2017-18.

Plans are also afoot to develop 'Mahadeo Van' at Bhimashankar in Pune for which Rs2.44 crore has been made available so far. Similarly, Rs3.59 crore have been made available for development of Verul Park in Aurangabad.

Works for Rajder, Indrai, Koldar forts in Nashik and Raigarh fort are also being taken up in the current year. Gupta informed various works to develop Tulsi garden at Pandharpur and ecotourism facilities at Zopla Maruti in Chandrapur, Dutt Mandir at Biloli, Renuka Mata temple at Ambejogai, Sant Mungsaji Maharaj Samadhi at Dhamangaon, Mahalaxmi Sansthan at Deulgaon-Raja and some other religious places are also in progress.

Gupta said 68 Uttamrao Patil Biodiversity Parks are also being developed by social forestry wing of the department. A meeting of the executive committee of the board held recently took review of various works and asked officials concerned to prepare plans for the projects.