Hyderabad: State mulls new tourism policy

Hyderabad: With several big projects in pipeline and the statement of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao to have a shooting facility for Hollywood in the State, the Tourism department expects a big boost in this year's budget as the officials anticipate an allocation of over Rs 2,000 crore, which is double the money allocated in last year's budget.

After two years of slumber in tourist activity, the tourism sector, particularly the domestic one, is expected to bounce back. The State government is also looking forward to take the advantage by taking up several infrastructural projects in the State and also working on having a new tourism policy for the State.

According to officials, the tourism department has taken steps to develop facilities at 62 spots across the State. Some of the projects were taken prior to the Covid period, but could not be completed because of the pandemic. The official informed that the Chief Minister had announced massive funding of Rs 1,500 crore for the development of tourist spots at Ranganayak Sagar, Mallannasagar, Kondapochamma Sagar, Baswapur and also at Edupayala. The Chief Minister, after dedicating the Mallannasagar to the nation, directed Finance Minister T Harish Rao and Tourism Minister V Srinivas Goud to develop the area as an international tourist spot with facilities to conduct destination weddings and film shootings.

A senior official from the Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation said that the tourist facilities would come up in 600 acres of land near Siddipet. Similarly, tourist spots would be developed at Lower Manair Dam at Karimnagar and at Annapurna Sagar at Mid Manair in Sircilla constituency. The official also said that there would be facilities for cinema shootings and water sports at the Mallannasagar and resorts at Ranganayak Sagar.

Apart from this, the government would develop infrastructure at the Ramappa Temple, which was recently accorded the tag of World Heritage Site. With regard to the tourism policy, the official said that they have studied the policies of States like Kerala, Tamil Nadu and others and a report was being prepared. The report would be submitted to the Chief Minister soon.