Starved for funds to maintain and enrich tourist destinations, the State now seems to have got the backing of corporate India to preserve heritage sites and promote tourism. Several corporate houses, including city-based Biocon, have shown interest in adopting tourist destinations in the ‘One State Many Worlds’.
Officials in the Tourism Department told The Hindu that Biocon, Sandur Manganese and Iron Ores Ltd., and Bangalore Chambers of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) have shown keenness to adopt tourist places. They will take it up as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) mandate.
For instance, Biocon, headed by Chairman and Managing Director Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, has put forward a proposal to adopt Venkatappa Art Gallery, Bengaluru, while Sandur Manganese and Iron Ores Ltd. wants to adopt Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary in Mandya district. The BCIC has expressed interest to adopt Nandi Hills, a senior official said.
The spotsThe Department of Tourism has identified 46 such tourist destinations/circuits in 22 districts.
The list includes Lalbagh Botanical Gardens, Tipu Palace Fort, Visvesvaraya Museum, Freedom Park, Bannerghatta National Park (Bangalore Urban), Gol Gumbaz (Bijapur), Nandi Hills, Halebidu, Shravanabelagola (Hassan), Raja Seat, Abbey Falls (Kodagu), St. Mary’s Island (Udupi), and Murudeshwara (Uttara Kannada).
A meeting will be convened this week to examine more such proposals, the official said.
PanelA 13-member committee, headed by Tourism Minister R.V. Deshpande, has been constituted to approve proposals received from corporates.
Activities planned under the programme are training guides on the historical importance of the spot, providing electric cars for senior citizens, illumination of monuments, rejuvenating water bodies, conservation and restoration of monuments. Officials said corporate houses would introduce user charge for tourists to maintain the newly created facilities. They will also finance the activities, operations and maintain the facilities. Duration of the adoption would be five years after an MoU with the department.
