Goa Govt brings village tourism to focus

Panaji: The state government has told the 2021 Tourist Village Development scheme to regulate infrastructure in rural areas through Panchayats Village with the aim of creating “village tourism circuits that act as independent and powerful tourism products”, to attract “responsible” visitors.
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Funds to RS 50 Lakh will be allocated to selected villages to develop infrastructure such as kiosks for local product sales, art, crafts, multi-utility spaces to organize local exhibitions and festivals, households and solar street lights, among others.
Upper and above financial support in this number in the financial year will be decided by the Department of Tourism depending on the availability of funds.
The Tourism Department will not transfer or distribute funds directly to any Panchayat village.
This scheme is part of the economic revival plan of the state government to make Mandiri Village under the initiative ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat, SwayPoorna Goa was launched by the minister’s chairman on October 1, 2020.
The Selection Committee will be assigned to choose villages for developing various factors such as demographics, social economics , the availability of natural attractions and heritage sites, the prevalence of art and crafts, cuisine, Goan music and folk dances among other potential tourism elements.
The committee will consist of tourism tourists, tourism director, managing director of cave tourism development company and cave travel and tourism associations in addition to two experts appointed by the Department of Tourism.
The tourism department or colleagues or famous third-party appointed by it, will identify the list of jobs, allocate budgets and do the necessary work.
The selection committee, on its policy, will then allocate the budget that is suitable for work.
Panchayat Village must submit a business stating that it will maintain and manage the facilities developed under the project also bear all additional expenses.
As reported by TOI earlier this month, the village will be chosen under the individual theme with the scope to add other themes depending on their tourism potential.
These include fishing, inheritance, spiritual, agriculture, feni traces, adventure, natural expeditions, and health, among others.