NEW DELHI, March 15: Cabinet Minister for Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, AL Hek met Union Minister for Tourism and DoNER, G. Kishan Reddy with a proposal to give a new twist to Meghalaya’s tourism sector by launching “eco-tourism cum fish sanctuary”, “model rural tourism village cluster development” and “health tourism”.
These novel measures will not only create employment opportunities but will also attract tourism in the rural areas at the village level, Hek said. This will also benefit both the state and the country in many other ways like more inflow of foreign exchange, he added.
Such steps will also immensely help routine livelihood like fisheries in tourist areas mostly surrounded by villages in Meghalaya, Hek proposed.
The Union Minister appreciated the idea of such eco-tourism for the hill state and said that the Centre will extend all help in this regard.
“Ventures like fisheries and animal husbandry will also help tourist projects like homestays which are picking up all over the country including in Meghalaya,” Hek pointed out, adding: “The fish sanctuaries will attract tourists both from home and abroad.”
Angling has already become a tourist sports in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh, especially among the foreigners, Hek said. Some of the local fish species which are facing extinction can also be preserved through this way, he added.
Use of traditional healing methods is now becoming popular and will not only provide succour to the poor but also revive a dying art, the former Health minister added.
“Model rural tourism village cluster development will create employment and will attract tourism in the rural areas at the village,” he said.
Hek, who is the national executive member of the BJP, also met party’s national general secretary (organisation) BL Santosh.
They discussed the party organisation in Meghalaya and preparation for the upcoming Lok Sabha election.
Later, Hek met Union Minister of State, Jitendra Singh at his residence and discussed all-round development of the state.
