Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh today informed that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is funding an amount of Rs 191 crore, while the state plan accounts for a further Rs 227 crore on various infrastructural activities in Meghalaya.
Meanwhile, on the Cherry Blossom Festival, the two-day event will be inaugurated on November 15 by Union Minister of Development of North East Region (DoNER) Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Lyngdoh also informed that the state government is waiting for confirmation from the government of Japan as to who will attend the festival from that country; this is the first year that the Cherry Blossom Festival is partnering with Japan, a country famed for its cherry blossoms.
The Shillong Literary Festival, on November 18-19, will feature renowned writers like Vikram Seth and Shobha De, while William Dalrymple is also expected to attend.
The Tourism Department also held a review on the Shillong Ropeway project and, according to Lyngdoh, things are on track and work will start on the ground in mid-November.
Further, on the suggestion of the Meghalaya Tourism Development Forum to launch a luxury rail service between Guwahati and Shillong, Lyngdoh said that no such proposal has been formally suggested to the government but if and when it does then the state will examine it. Railways are a controversial subject in Meghalaya, long opposed by pressure groups despite the obvious benefits they would bring.
The forum suggested a limited luxury rail service with the hope that this would ameliorate the fears of the pressure groups that railways will bring mass migration. However, at least one group has already opposed the idea.
Apart from that, Lyngdoh informed that the Tourism Department will shortly come up with the Tourism Buddy Scheme, where the state government will deploy youths to handle matters of security, guiding tourists and generally making their stay in the state comfortable.
The department will begin with a batch of 70 paid youths in tourist areas like Laitlum, Ward’s Lake, Mawsmai Cave, Arwah Cave, Nohkalikai, Dainthlen, Mawlynnong, Riwai, Mawkdok, Golf Links, Mawphlang, Shnongpdeng, Krang Suri, Nokrek and Umiam Lake.
These Tourism Buddies will be deployed by November, which is the peak of the tourist season. They will be given training in etiquette, language, communication skills and other skills, the minister said.
