Biocon to adopt govt museum, Coffee Day picks Belur-Halebid

The ‘Adopt a Tourism Destination’ plan of the Tourism department has received a positive response. The department has managed to bring big names from India and Karnataka on board to adopt popular destinations and give them a facelift.

Jindal Steel and Power Corporation will adopt Hampi (Ballari district) and Cafe Coffee Day is adopting Belur and Halebid (Hassan district). Biocon Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw has shown interest in adopting the Government Museum in Bengaluru and the Bangalore Chamber of Industries and Commerce (BCIC) has evinced interest in adopting Lalbagh, a senior official in the Tourism department told Deccan Herald.

These companies, along with many others, will sign the official Memorandum of Understanding and the five-year agreement with the government and the Tourism department on Thursday (July 16) during the launch of the tourism policy and the launch of the ‘Adopt a Tourism Destination scheme. 

The destinations are being adopted under the Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, under which companies get Income Tax exemption. This is the first ever initiative of the department that has shown positive results, despite being slow, the official said.

Dept faces tough time

The department had a tough time getting clearance in putting up Hampi for adoption. This is because the heritage site is protected by United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). The recent developmental works at Hampi had irked UNESCO and they were sceptical of involvement of any company. 

UNESCO had forced the State government to stop road and bridge construction in and around the site because the monuments and their foundations were getting weakened. 

The department had a tough time convincing other government departments like Horticulture and Forest that the tourist places would not be leased out or sold, but the companies would only manage the infrastructure. 

According to the agreement, companies can only improve and provide basic infrastructure like drinking water, clean toilets, lighting, clean walkways, signages, battery-operated vehicles and accommodation provisions near the places of tourist interest. They cannot advertise or promote their brands, the official said. 

The department had listed 46 destinations in the first list for adoption. They include Badami, Aihole, Lalbagh, Tipu Palace Fort, Freedom Park, Bannerghatta, Shivagange, Bidar Fort, Gol Gumbaz, Shravanabelagola, Abbey Falls, Kokkare Bellur, Srirangapatna, Brindavan Gardens, Talakad, Raichur Fort, Malpe Beach, Murudeshwar and Jog Falls. 

The companies had also shown interest in adopting places which were not listed like Ranganathittu in Srirangapatna and Cubbon Park, Government Museum, Venkatappa Art Gallery and Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum in Bengaluru.