A programme on the lines of the ‘Brazilian Carnival’ and revival of the heli-tourism facility will mark the three-day Visakha Utsav, beginning December 28.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will inaugurate the event.
At a review meeting here on Thursday, HRD Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao, Collector Pravin Kumar, VMRDA Commissioner P. Basanth Kumar, GVMC Commissioner M. Hari Narayanan, Tourism Regional Director J. Radhakrishna Murthy and District Tourism Officer Purnima Devi discussed about the arrangements being made for the Utsav that has been accorded the State festival status.
“The government has sanctioned ₹3.50 crore for the festival. The GVMC and VMRDA will spend ₹50 lakh each,” Mr. Srinivasa Rao told the media after the review meeting.
Apart from the events which evoked a rave response from the people during the last edition of Visakha Utsav, some new events are being planned.
Flower show
“A flower show will be organised at the City Central Park, near the RTC Complex and folk arts and dances will be performed on the Beach Road. A raffle draw will be organised and the winners of the first and second prizes will be gifted a car and motorbike respectively,” the HRD Minster said.
Tourism Minister Bhuma Akhila Priya, other Ministers and MLAs will attend the inaugural, Collector Pravin Kumar said, adding that various committees would be formed for the smooth conduct of the event.
VMRDA Secretary Srinivas and Superintending Engineer Ravi were present in the meeting.
Earlier in the day, the HRD Minister criticised YSRCP and Jana Sena Party (JSP) for maintaining a ‘stoic silence’ on the Special Category Status. “They only know how to criticise the TDP and Mr. Chandrababu Naidu,” he said. Referring to the coalition with Congress, he said that the TDP had joined hands with the latter to ‘save the country from the misrule of Modi government’.