Will help rebuild Fani-hit tourism: Dharmendra Pradhan

BHUBANESWAR: Petroleum and steel minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday said the Centre will announce a special package for the development of the tourism sector in Puri district, which suffered huge losses after Cyclone Fani ripped through coastal Odisha on May 3.
Pradhan and Pratap Sarangi, Union minister of state for MSME, fisheries and animal resources, visited Puri on Saturday. They jointly reviewed the situation there in what was their first visit to the district after taking the oath of office on May 30.
"The issue of a special package for the development of the tourism sector in Puri will be discussed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman," Pradhan said. "We will ensure that hotels in Puri get loans at reduced interest rates," he added.
The meeting was attended by the members of associations of the region's hotels, rice mills, banks as well as Coir Board and the district administration.