NEW DELHI: As per provisional data from Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, 118.45 lakh domestic and 1.04 lakh foreign tourists visited the northeastern states during the year 2022.
Ministry of Civil Aviation has launched the Regional Connectivity Scheme – UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) in 2016 to enhance regional air connectivity across the country from unserved and underserved airports in the country and making air travel affordable to the masses.
Airports in the North Eastern Region (NER) at Rupsi, Tezu, Tezpur, Pasighat, Jorhat, Lilabari, Shillong, Pakyong, Itanagar & Dimapur involving 64 routes have been operationalised under the UDAN.
Presently, there are 16 operational airports in the northeastern region.
Additionally, Advanced Landing Ground at Ziro has also been operationalized.
Also read: UDAN 4.0: Get ready to fly from Dibrugarh in Upper Assam to Shillong
The Ministry of Railways has informed that in the NER during the year 2021-22, 14 new line projects covering a total length of 1,181 kms have been planned/sanctioned/executed out of which, 361 kms has been commissioned.
Five doubling projects covering a length of 728 kms have been planned/sanctioned/executed out of which 48 kms has been commissioned.
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has taken up/sanctioned national highway development works of 5137 kms in the NER.
These infrastructure projects are providing essential/ critical connectivity for a barrier free environment for growth of tourism in the NER.
Also read: Assam: Bharat Gaurav Train promoting Northeast tourism arrives in Guwahati
The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) under the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) supports infrastructure projects relating to water supply, power, connectivity in the tourism sector in the NER.
MDoNER through the North Eastern Council (NEC) also supports tourism infrastructure development projects to promote tourism in the NER.
The NEC has taken various initiatives to create a barrier free environment for growth of tourism in the NER including holding consultative meetings with tourism stakeholders like North East Tourism Departments, North East Tour operators etc to discuss the challenges and way forward on the development of tourism sector in NER; round table discussion on developing a framework for seamless tourist movements to North Eastern States of India organized by Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Shillong.
MDoNER is also implementing the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE) scheme.
The scheme funds infrastructure convergently, in the spirit of PM GatiShakti; supports social development projects based on felt needs of the NER; enable livelihood activities for youth and women; and fill the development gaps in various sectors. The scheme covers the tourism sector as well.
Government of India has taken the ‘Yuva Sangam’ initiative to strengthen people to people connect especially between youth belonging to NER and other States and provide an immersive experience under five broad areas – Paryatan (Tourism), Parampara (Traditions), Pragati (Development), Prodyogiki (Technology) and Paraspar Sampark (People-to-people connect).
Ministry of Tourism is implementing various schemes in the country including the NER such as the Swadesh Darshan Scheme for the integrated development of theme-based tourist circuits and Pilgrimage Rejuvenation & Spiritural, Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) for integrated development of identified pilgrimage and heritage destinations.
Under its scheme of “Assistance to Central Agencies for Tourism Infrastructure Development” it has sanctioned viewpoints and wayside amenities in the NER.
This information was given by Minister for Development of North Eastern Region Shri G. Kishan Reddy in the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Monday.