NEW DELHI, 3 Jul: Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein sought the union tourism ministry’s support and guidance to develop the tourism industry in Arunachal Pradesh.
“Tourism is the only sector after hydropower that could help Arunachal become self-reliant,” Mein said addressing the ‘Swasti Kaamna Samaroh’-an event organized by VIPRA Foundation at Dr. Ambedkar International Center here on Tuesday.
He expressed hope that with the support of the tourism ministry, stakeholders like, VIPRA Foundation and International Society for Parshuram Consciousness, Parshuram Kund can be developed into the region’s one of the largest pilgrimage sites.
He informed that the foundation work for installation of the 51-foot bronze statue of Lord Parshuram, donated by VIPRA Foundation, is expected to be completed within a month’s time.
“I have instructed the department to commence the landscaping and beautification at the earliest, along with the construction of the approach road,” Mein said.
The DCM further informed that the state government has approved the “Construction of River Front in Parshuram Kund in Lohit District” under NESIDS (OTRI) with a project cost of Rs. 50 crore during the state level empowered committee meeting on 26 June.
The proposal will be submitted to the DoNER ministry for early sanctioning. Additionally, the state government will provide an additional Rs. 50 crore for the development of the Kund.
The project envisages constructing a river front, spanning 200 meters on the left bank of the Lohit River along the mela ground.
The project includes lawns, walkways, a ramp for vertical movement, a viewing deck, an outdoor amphitheater, a viewing tower, and a ritual deck for ash immersion by devotees.
“The development project aims to create a recreational space for the devotees attending the ‘holy dip’ Mela at the Sacred Kund, on occasion of Makar Sankranti in January, which attracts more than 100,000 pilgrims,” Mein said.
The project is expected to boost interstate tourism and uplift the socio-economic activities in the area, he added.
Union culture and tourism minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, MoS for agriculture and farmers welfare Bhagirath Chaudhary, founder of VIPRA Foundation Sushil Ojha, among others attended the programme. (DCM’s PR Cell)
