Shimla: Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu said that the state government is promoting eco-tourism on a large scale in the state and necessary infrastructure is being developed for it.
The Chief Minister said this while presiding over the meeting of Himachal Pradesh Eco Tourism Society. The Chief Minister said that the state government has identified 11 eco-tourism sites in forest areas full of natural beauty.
These include Swar, Saurabh Van Vihar, Newgal Park, Bir Billing in Palampur forest division, Kasol, Kheer Ganga and Sumarupa in Parvati forest division, Sojha in Siraj, Narkanda in Kotgarh and Shoghi camping site and Potter Hill camping site under Shimla forest division.
He said that each eco-tourism destination will be developed in an area of one hectare. A reserve price has been fixed for these sites to be developed and operated through outsourcing.
The Chief Minister said that nature has blessed Himachal with supernatural beauty and the beautiful valleys of the state attract tourists from India and abroad. He said that encouraging eco-tourism will increase the inflow of tourists in the state and will also increase the revenue.
Besides this, employment and self-employment opportunities will also be created in the state. He said that eco-tourism sites at other places in the state will also be identified and developed from tourism point of view.
In the meeting, Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi, Education Minister Rohit Thakur, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries Ram Kumar and Sanjay Awasthi, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Bharat Kheda, Secretary Forest Amandeep Garg, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Rajiv Kumar, Principal Private Secretary to the Chief Minister Vivek Bhatia and others were present.