Non-NDA states have charged the Centre with political favouritism in picking travel destinations that will be developed as iconic tourist destinations.
The Centre will apportion Rs 2150 crore among the 17 destinations in the country spread across 12 states, of which 8 are run by NDA governments.
The sites include Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri (Uttar Pradesh), Ajanta and Ellora (Maharashtra), Humayun's Tomb, Qutub Minar and Red Fort (Delhi) and Colva Beach (Goa).
The other tourism spots are Amer Fort (Rajasthan), Somnath and Dholavira (Gujarat), Khajuraho (Madhya Pradesh), Hampi (Karnataka), Mahabalipuram (Tamil Nadu), Kaziranga (Assam), Kumarakom (Kerala) and Mahabodhi Temple (Bihar).
Non-NDA states Odisha, Punjab, West Bengal, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana alleged the Centre ignored popular tourist destinations from their states, and demanded they be included in the list, reported the Hindustan Times.
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Tourism minister K.J Alphons recently told Parliament that the ministry has identified the sites for development based on "footfall, regional distribution, potential for development and ease of implementation."
Punjab Tourism Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said the government failed to follow its own yardstick for the selection. Tourist places like the Golden Temple and Jallianwala Bagh, are not included in the Centre's list.
“The Golden Temple in Amritsar gets 1.10 lakh visitors on an average every day, while the Taj Mahal receives just 10,000. Despite that, the Golden Temple wasn’t selected,” the HT report quoted him as saying.
The report quotes Odisha tourism minister Ashok Chandra Panda as demanding tourism destinations of all states be included in the state to protect the country's federal structure.
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Union Minister Alphons, however, dismissed the allegations, saying the centre has 'limited money' and wil keep gradually keep including more destinations.
(Inputs from agencies)
