UP: Yogi govt approves Water Tourism and Adventure Sports Policy 2023

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], August 2 (ANI): The Yogi Adityanath government has approved the Uttar Pradesh Water Tourism and Adventure Sports Policy (UP Water Tourism and Adventure Sports Policy 2023) in the cabinet meeting held at Lok Bhavan on Tuesday, according to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Office press release.

This policy will be valid for 10 years and will be applicable to all inland land-based, air-based and water routes, dams, reservoirs, lakes, rivers, ponds and all adventure activities to be carried out on various water bodies and land parcels within the jurisdiction of the state in Uttar Pradesh.
Tourism Minister Jaiveer Singh gave information about the proposals related to tourism approved by the Council of Ministers. He said that the hills in Vindhya and Bundelkhand regions of Uttar Pradesh, about 16,620 sq km in the foothills of the Himalayas as well as many beautiful landscapes, forest areas, flowing rivers and breathtakingly beautiful waterfalls, dams, reservoirs and lakes have a lot of potential for water-based tourism, adventure sports and water sports.

“Keeping this in mind, we have brought its policy to the state, which has got approval from the Council of Ministers. This policy will be valid for 10 years from the date notified by the State Government”, he added.

For action under this policy, the nodal agency will create adventure sports units at the divisional level. Uttar Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation will sign MoU with Uttar Pradesh Ex-Servicemen Welfare Corporation to include ex-servicemen in Adventure Sports Unit, added the release.

Potential studies for water-based tourism and adventure sports will be conducted on notified land areas and water sources by the nodal agency and licences will be issued for water-based tourism and adventure sports on each land area and water source. The nodal agency will prepare a detailed SOP within 60 days from the date of issue of the policy.

Apart from this, the Yogi Council of Ministers has taken some other big steps in the field of tourism. Under this, approval was given to the proposal of the Tourism department to develop and operate closed, loss-making or non-operational tourist accommodation houses on PPP mode, added the release.

Tourism Minister Jaiveer Singh said that about 86 Rahi tourist accommodations were operated by the Tourism department in the state of which 31 were approved to be developed on PPP mode. Out of these, 10 have received better bids than the base price on the basis of e-tendering, which got approval from the Council of Ministers today.

These include Sonauli Maharajganj, Bateshwar Agra, Gokuldham Mathura, Kalinjar Banda, Radhakunj Mathura, Sandi Hardoi, Neemsar Sitapur, Deogarh Lalitpur and Rahi tourist accommodations in Bhadohi. They will be given on lease for the first time for 30 years and then 30 years for renewal and 2 years for construction i.e. for a total of 62 years, the release added.

Apart from this, heritage buildings of the state will be developed as heritage tourism units on the PPP model. These will be developed as Heritage Hotel, Heritage Museum, Heritage Restaurant, Home Stay, Thematic Park, Mall Activity Center, Wellness Center and other tourism and hospitality. A total of 9 heritage buildings have already been identified for this. These include Chhatarmal Lucknow (9.88 acres), Chunar Fort Mirzapur (21.64 acres), Barua Sagar Fort Jhansi (7.39 acres), Kothi Gulistan-e-Iram Lucknow (1.35 acres), Kothi Darshan Vilas Lucknow (1.35 acres), Kothi Roshan-ud-Daula Lucknow (1.7 acres), Barsana Jal Mahal Mathura (1 acre), Shukla Talab Kanpur (6.90 acres) and Tikait Rai Bithoor Kanpur (0.217 acres).

In another important decision, the Council of Ministers also approved the Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission Bill 2023.

Higher Education and Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogendra Upadhyay said that till now there were separate selection boards and commissions for the selection of teachers in the state, but now it will be replaced by the Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission, after which Uttar Pradesh Higher Education Service Commission and Uttar Pradesh Secondary Education Service Selection Board will be disbanded. It will be a corporate body with its headquarters at Prayagraj.

In this commission, 12 members and a chairman will be appointed by the state government. The Chairperson and Members shall hold office for 3 years or till the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.