In an exclusive interview with Millennium Post, he said, “We have a tourism policy since 1998 and there has been a lot of brainstorming regarding changes in it. Also, since then the entire concept and the way tourism is viewed has drastically changed. The entire experience and expectations of a tourist has also changed. There will also be a keen focus on promoting rural tourism.”
He said the policy was currently in final stage and should be passed by the next month. There was a rural tourism policy which looked into the development of villages, which have excelled in a particular skill or craft. Abhijat said, “We plan to highlight that aspect of the village and bring it to the centerfold. For example, there is a village called Hariharpur in Azamgarh, which has produced excellent classical singers, but it never got the currency it needs. The rural tourism policy now initiates this concept form website promotion, infrastructural facilities, development of amenities in the area and a wide range of other benefits that we will provide to the villages.”
He said the project will be implemented over a period of two years with over one crore assistance
and also had the ability to be allied with other scheme such as MPLADS and MLALADS. Explaining the concept he said, “We have also in-built in it a clause for a five lakh grant for a person who is from that village, but interested in promoting tourism. We plan to open a facility for him/her which showcases the village’s heritage and unique traditional aspect, so when foreign tourists actually visit this place they can sit peacefully and understand the craft which is practiced there. As a part of this initiative, 2-3 villages which we are taking up this year include – Hulaskhera in Lucknow
(history of Kushan period exists there), Holipura in Agra and Hariharpur in Azamgarh.”