Mamata Banerjee initiates plan to boost tourism in West Bengal

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said her government was taking up a comprehensive plan to boost tourism in the state. Announcing her plan in Kolkata, Banerjee said the state government would set up a budget hotel at Jharkhali in the Sundarbans in a private public participation.

"Such a budget hotel would come up in PPP model over 100 acres of land to attract tourists from the country and abroad," Banerjee said.

Reminding that the new tourist destination at Lamahatta was a major success with massive response from the tourists, she said more such initiatives would be taken up with immediate target at Gajoldoba in Malda district.

Announcing her plan in Kolkata, Banerjee said the state government would set up a budget hotel at Jharkhali.

A Rs 2500 crore tourism project would come up along with a hotel and corporate golf course at Gajoldoba also in PPP model to attract large number of tourists of all classes, she said. Budget resorts and home-stay tourism would also come up there, Banerjee said.

Steps would be taken to establish air-link between all tourist destination through helicopter services in places like Digha, Malda, Shantiniketan, Assansol and Durgapur, she said.

"We are also having talks with the concerned authorities for introducing night-landing facilities at army-controlled Bagdogra airport, which is also used for operating civil aircraft," chief minister said.

The state Cabinet during the day cleared allotment of 150 acres of land at Rajarhat New Town to Shapoorji Palonji for low cost housing, state secretariat sources said. The state Cabinet also decided to set up another IT-hub at Rajarhat New Town over 50 acres of land, they said.

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