North East Watch

AGARTALA, Oct 30, 2008 – In an attempt to boost tourism potential of Tripura, the Council of Ministers has approved the much-awaited proposal of having a full-fledged tourism corporation to promote it as industry.

With the approval of cabinet, Tripura Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) will function as independent organization from Thursday, said Information Cultural Affairs and Tourism (ICAT) minister Anil Sarkar. Till now it was the ICAT which has been looking after the tourism sector in the State.

Anil Garg has been posted as the managing director while the ICAT minister will be the chairman of the newly-floated corporation. The Swetmahal in the Palace Compound will function as headquarters of the TTDC.

Necessary formalities will be done very shortly, he said.

The tourism wing will be bifurcated from the Information and Cultural Affairs, Sarkar said, adding that employees of the ICAT department would be given option to join the newly-floated corporation.

The government may also appoint skilled and tourism educated youth in the TTDC, he said.

“We want to make the TTDC as one of the professional and viable corporations in the State,” Sarkar said.

According to the minister, Tripura has tremendous potential in the tourism field especially in terms of natural beauty, cultural richness and heritage.

“I want the TTDC to start its function with open mind to top the full potential of the tourism sector,” he said.

He said that the state’s hot tourist destinations like Jampai Hills, Sipahijala Wildlife Sanctuary, Dambur, Unakoti, Rudra Sagar, Tripurewsari temple and Kasba Kalibari would draw huge people if facilities could be improved.

It is worthy to mention that ICAT minister had strongly batted for overall development of tourism sector in the recently-concluded NE business summit.

According to tourist operators, Tripura has good potential in the tourism sector.

But lack of professionalism and motivation on the part of department have emerged as major bottlenecks in tapping full potential, said Anal Chakraborty, owner of a travel agency here on Thursday.

“We hope the government move will boost the tourism sector in the State,” he added.

The team is meeting UPA chairperson and AICC president, Sonia Gandhi and Jaipal Reddy, Union Minister for Urban Development within a day or two.

Source: Assam Tribune