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Editorial Smart Tourism in the era of Smart Cities: The Punjab Story of ‘Incredible India’

MAGAZINE It compiles ICT-related advancements being introduced, exercised by various government organisations via eGovernance module.

With the Government of India paying a lot of attention on showcasing the best and amazing picture of the country to the world at large through Incredible India campaign, tourism sector has acquired an unprecedented significance. At the same time, technological innovations are playing an important role to bring transformation in the tourism sector, especially in the age of ‘Smart Cities’ and ‘Digital India’ mission. And, Punjab is no exception.

As the rich and vibrant culture of Punjab has been a charm among foreign tourists, the Government of Punjab is steadily working on improving its tourism sector.

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Our magazine’s latest issue has tried to explore the developments and progress is being made in various sectors directly or indirectly linked to tourism sector, chiefly of Punjab. We hope it would facilitate to understand how tourism related activities affect various aspects such employability and nation’s economic growth as well.

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The Cover Story – Celebrating Smart Tourism in Punjab – is an endeavour to understand all this and many more dimensions of Punjab. In the era of Smart Cities, how tourism sector is evolving with more and more use of technology is also being highlighted in the story. The magazine has aimed to collect the worldview of key policymakers of Punjab tourism like Jaspal Singh, Principal Secretary, Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Government of Punjab; Basanta Rajkumar, Executive Director, Punjab Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs; Shivdular Dhillon, CEO, Punjab Heritage Tourism Promotion Board.

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The plans to transform the birthplace of Khalsa, Amritsar, have been highlighted by the Commissioner, Amritsar, Amit Sharma. A special feature on upcoming tourist destination of Punjab-Jalandhar-by Basant Garg, Commissioner, Jalandhar Municipal Corporation, offers perspective of a policymaker.

This special issue is being launched during ‘Elets National Tourism Conclave’, organised by the Department of Tourism & Cultural Affairs, Government of Punjab, as host partner.

The conclave aims to congregate the policy makers from across Punjab and India related to tourism sector, along with international experts and tourism industry stakeholders to discuss the scope, challenges and vision of tourism.

We have also tried to capture a glimpse of Andhra Pradesh--the Sunrise State of India, to explore how the southern State is also becoming one of foreigners’ preferred tourist destinations. Also, the magazine features perspective of Smart Cities projects being undertaken in different cities of the country; Anirudh Sravan, CEO and MD of Tumakuru Smart City Ltd and Davanagere Smart City Ltd; and Awanish Kumar Sharan, District Magistrate, Balrampur, Chhattisgarh sharing their views through interviews. The issue has also focused on highlighting various IT initiatives being undertaken in the state of Odisha through the special interview of Ashok Kumar Meena, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Electronics & IT Department of Odisha.

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CONTENTS

Dr Shaida Mohammad Abdali Ambassador of Afghanistan to India

October 2017 | Volume 13 | Issue 10

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COVER STORY

Celebrating Smart Tourism in Punjab PUNJAB TOURISM PERSPECTIVE

PUNJAB TOURISM PERSPECTIVE

FOCUS: ITDC PERSPECTIVE

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Jaspal Singh

Basanta Rajkumar

Ravneet Kaur

JALANDHAR TOURISM

ANDHRA PRADESH TOURISM

Principal Secretary, Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Government of Punjab

Executive Director,Punjab Heritage Tourism Promotion Board (PHTPB)

Chairperson and Managing Director, Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC)

CHHATTISGARH TOURISM PERSPECTIVE

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Basant Garg

‘Sunrise State’ On a Mission Mode to Develop Tourism

Commissioner, Jalandhar Municipal Corporation

Niharika Barik Singh Secretary, Department of Tourism, Government of Chhattisgarh

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SMART CITIES

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COVER STORY

The Golden Temple, Amritsar

Celebrating Smart Tourism in Punjab It is acknowledged as the very cradle of civilisation. Blessed with being one of the most fertile regions in the world. Inhabited by bravehearts, people known the world over as enthusiastic, courageous, hard workers who are as hospitable as having a great zest in life. Punjab, the land of rivers with verdant fields that feed the nation, is proclaiming its rich history, cultural legacy, architectural wonders to woo tourists from world over and leave them amazed, writes Priya Yadav of Elets News Network (ENN).

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unjab is not just about the iconic, world famed and reverred Golden Temple, the nerve centre of Sikhism. It has architectural wonders to boast of that leaves travellers amazed.

A traveller coming to Punjab gets treated to not just visual feasts - as the emerald fields, beautiful Gurudwaras, forts and palaces offer but gastronomical feasts as well. The rich cuisine of the State, drawing heavily from the good life people live in the villages, leaves the travellers satiated in more ways than one.

For several decades after the country’s independance in 1947, Punjab’s potential as a tourism destination remained unexplored mainly, as the focus of respective Governments remained primarily on agriculture.

However, as agriculture has hit a plateau in the State, there is a growing realisation that tourism can be developed as a source of revenue and employment generation, given the rich cultural legacy the State has which is of immense appeal to a foreign tourists.

The present Government has laid strong emphasis on promoting tourism in the State and as such within few

Jagatjit Palace, Kapurthala

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“It is time that the world discovers the glory, the magnificence of Punjabi culture and discover the beauty of its palaces, forts, the richness of its rural life, cuisine, the passion and art of people as showcased in its handicrafts.” months of coming to power, has come out with a draft for State’s Tourism Policy. The same is set to be implemented after it gets nod from the cabinet and is passed by the State Assembly.

The beauty of Punjab, its rich and simple village life has been captured most beautifully by Bollywood and in fact it is the tinsel town which has glorified and popularised the State’s

beauty. From the sun kissed yellow mustard fields which captured the imagination of the entire country as Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan sang songs running through these in Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, or the emerald green fields around Mughal Sarai Doraha, shown in Rang De Basanti Punjab has inspired film makers for decades.

Acutely aware of the State’s potential, the department of Tourism, under the leadership of Sardar Navjot Singh Sidhu, has got busy formulating a policy for promoting films. The policy is likely to be unveiled soon by the Government. This will facilitate filmmakers shooting in the State and also promote local talent besides making facilties available for film making and post production.

“Punjab has rich history and endless number of stories of extraordinary bravery. We now have to ensure that these are made known to our younger generation and to people outside the State. The new tourism policy whose draft we have already prepared will showcase Punjab as a must see destination for global and domestic traveller,” says Navjot Singh Sidhu, Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Government of Punjab.

As you travel through the sprawling sun kissed fields, punctuated by blue canals and endless streams, one comes across red mud and brick structures, with impressive gateways, that are distinctly Mughal in character. These are the Sarais that the Mughals built on the Grand Trunk Road for the benefit of their perpetually moving armies. This is where the travelling soldiers would halt, rest, eat before they moved on.

Some of the Sarais, Dakhni Sarai in Nakodar, Jalandhar which has 124 cubicles built around a courtyard with a well, Doraha in Ludhiana, Shambhu in Patiala with its

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magnificent suites, are ready to come back to life.

The State government has acknowledged the dilapidated condition of these pieces of magnificent history and decided to turn these places of neglect into star centres of attraction for tourists. “It is unfortunate for us that big fat Punjabi

weddings, as they are called, are being hosted in places like Rajasthan. We are determined to turn this around and have decided to renovate and let out these iconic sarais for the use of hosting magnificent weddings. Lit in the backdrop with their opulent structures, these venues will be

“The idea is to let people live the life on a farm, even if it is for a short time,” says Harkirat Ahluwalia, the owner of Citrus County Farms in Hoshiarpur. “ Its the perfect way to break away from the madness of city life, soak in the pleasure of countryside, enjoy its chores, be one with mother Earth. At

NAVJOT SINGH SIDHU,

Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Government of Punjab.

Punjab has rich history and endless number of stories of extraordinary bravery.

We now have to ensure that these are made known to our younger generation and to people outside the State.”

Phulkari embroidery

exclusive and most sought after in future,” said Sidhu, giving a glimpse of what the new tourism policy entails.

It is often said about Punjab that the culture the State has is - agriculture.

With a view to exploit this vast potential, the tourism department has of late increased its focus on what has come to be called “ Farm Tourism”, “Rural Tourism” . Showing the way are many successful entrepreneurs who are attracting and hosting large number of foreign travellers on their farms.

the same time, we do not want people to give up the comforts of civilised life and so have come out with the concept of glamping -- camping with glamour thrown in a good measure.”

The farm stays are offering exclusive services as they show how meals are cooked the traditional way on wood fuel, letting the guests go to the fields and pick fruits and vegetables, interact with villagers, be part of village rituals and ceremonies besides offering endless opportunities of taking pictures.

Darbar Hall, Kapurthala

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abroad. The best of the country’s exponents of instrumental and vocal music deem their careers incomplete unless they come and perform here,” says Basanta Rajkumar, executive director, Punjab Heritage Tourism Promotion Board. Also, great people from all walks of life look forward to attending this gathering. In 1929, Mahatma Gandhi had attended this fair.

Moorish Mosque, Kapurthala

When you think of forts, Punjab does not spring to mind instantly. It is this picture that the State government is keen to change. “Punjab has beautiful forts and palaces which are waiting to be discovered. We are now going to promote these in a big way so that people come to know about their significance. For instance, few know that the oldest surviving fort in the country is in Bathinda which has been in existence from 90-110 AD. The bricks here date back to Kushana period and it was here that Razia Sultan, the first woman to take charge of the Delhi throne was incarcerated on her defeat and dethroned,” says Shivdular Singh Dhillon, CEO of Punjab Heritage Tourism Promotion Board.

Another beautiful example of the forts is Gobindgarh Fort in Amritsar which has recently been developed as a repository of Punjab’s history, a unique live museum. The famous Kohinoor diamond was housed here before it was taken away by the Britishers. Then there is the beautiful Jagatjit Palace in Kapurthala, modelled after the Palace of Versailles and built by the then Maharaja Jagatjit who was impressed and influenced by European architecture.

Tune into any radio channel and it will not be possible not to come across

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“It is time that the world discovers the glory, the magnificence of Punjabi culture and discover the beauty of its palaces, forts, the richness of its rural life, cuisine, the passion and art of people as showcased in its handicrafts.” music that is not influenced by Punjabi beats. Punjabi music has inspired music directors across the country and the globe in a way that is beyond imagination. Punjab celebrates its music in a big way.

“A national musical fair, held every year in the month of December, is acknowledged to be the oldest music festival in the world. Started by Baba Harballabh in the memory of his Guru Swami Tulja Giri in 1875, it is the only music fair of its type in India and even,

Punjab as a destination offers something for everyone and even nature lovers are not left disappointed.

The State boasts of impressive wetlands which attract thousands of migratory birds from across the world every year. The Harike, Kanjili and Ropar, wetlands offer excellent opportunity for ornithologists and series of activities are organised by the department of tourism to generate awareness among travellers of the natural wealth the State possesses.

The State’s handicrafts are also popular and known for their beauty the world over. The richness of the land is reflected in its handicraft. You get to see their skill woven even into the footwear, daily dresses, carpets even as villagers mud-plaster the walls of the house and then, create motifs and designs on the mudded walls. Thin straws of glass are used for basketry works, which is another Punjabi craft that is immensely popular. Mats, rugs, carpets, curtains and hand fans are woven using these straws. Embroidery is another extensively followed work of art, known in the State by various local names. Phulkari, an intricate needle work, is extremely popular and is mainly taken up by village girls.

It is time that the world discovers the glory, the magnificence of Punjabi culture and discover the beauty of its palaces, forts, the richness of its rural life, cuisine, the passion and art of people as showcased in its handicrafts.

It is time for the State to arrive on the world stage as the most sought after destination.

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Virasat-e-Khalsa museum

Sustainable Tourism Expansion in Punjab Punjab’s Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs annually organises Sufi festival in Amritsar. Serving as a source of inspiration for youngsters, the festival has undergone drastic change over the years, says Jaspal Singh, Principal Secretary, Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Government of Punjab, in conversation with Priya Yadav of Elets News Network (ENN).

Jaspal Singh

Principal Secretary Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Government of Punjab

What are the main challenges in promoting heritage tourism in Punjab?

Unfortunately, tourism in Punjab has not been able to flourish as it should. It has been on a backburner for long but since the last few years, large investment has been made in this sector.

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During 1999 and subsequent years, Birth of Khalsa celebrations were made and Virasat E Khalsa came into existence. It is a museum of Sikhism, located in Anandpur Sahib, near Chandigarh.There is drastic transformation that has come up in Anandpur Sahib itself. An investment of Rs 2,500 crore has been made in the

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an iconic structure which has been inaugurated last year Besides, there is a memorial called Border Memorial near Attari, Amritsar. It is a beautiful structure.

We have also made a large investment for the restoration of Ram Tirth Temple in Amritsar. Legend has it that Lord Rama’s sons Luv and Kush were born here. It is the same place where Luv and Kush confronted Lord Rama in a battle.

past three-four years for the revival of tourism in the State. It’s a very big investment for a small State like Punjab. Now we are at a stage at which we can exploit the improved condition of the tourism for the advantage of the people of the State. You offer services to tourists coming from across the globe, they stay in the state, spend money here and that in turn boosts the business of local people.

What are the plans for the expansion of Virasat E Khalsa?

The second phase of Virasat E Khalsa was launched by Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi in November last year.

By and large it has been completed.

There is a third phase in the pipeline as well which will be developed soon. The concept of this Sikhism based museum in itself is very unique. It is like an educational tour also.

In recent years, we have constructed a memorial for freedom fighters which is called Jung-E-Azadi. This is situated in Kartarpur near Jalandhar. This is also

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We are working with United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). A promotion and marketing plan for tourism will be put in place with the help of them . We intend to market the destinations aggressively. There are plans to develop other other tourist places as well.

Punjab has a lot of monuments related to the Mughal history as well. We are trying to restore such monuments also. We have not been able to take advantage of the legends here -- it is believed that Ramayana was written in Amritsar, also in Khemkaran, Sita is believed to have forgiven Lord Ram, hence the name.

Patiala has lot of heritage and culture to offer -- a circuit is being worked out that will also include the attractions around it like Fatehgarh Sahib can be part of it. Kapurthala has huge potential and attractions like Jagatjit Palace, modelled on Verasailles in France, to offer. Then Amritsar is not just all about Golden Temple but has other places to go to like Gobindgarh Fort. Then, places around it have vast potential like Taran Taran, Khadoor Sahib, Harike.

Punjab is generally associated with Sikhism but it has religious legacy that makes it equally significant for Hindus and for Muslims - as we have Roza Shariff, Aamkhas Bagh -- our intention is to build it into a circuit.

Along the old GT Road you have Mughal Sarais -- where the Mughal armies used to halt, stay enroute like Doraha, Shambhu -- all these are going to be developed into tourism attractions.

Besides this, we also have Pushpa Gujral Science City. The biggest project of its kind in Northern India, the Science City has been set up in 72 acres of land in the of heart of Punjab, on Jalandhar- Kapurthala Road. It is intended to inclucate the scientific aptitude and temperament, to fire the imagination and creativity, foster the spirit of enquiry and exploration among the masses, especially in the young minds.

How do you plan to leverage the high footfall of the Darbar Sahib, also known as Golden Temple, to improve tourism in the State?

What is the policy on film promotion that Punjab government is working on?

Tourism has not been given the kind of importance that is due to it. But with agriculture stagnating at a point, and limitations in developing other sectors, tourism has become all the more important. Tourism has potential to generate employment. In that sense, department intends to promote tourism in the state. We are trying to have a complete masterplan to achieve this purpose.

We need to facilitate the shooting of films and screening of films. In small cities these are lacking. We need to provide facilities to those who want to shoot here -- they need to inform the auhtorities, get permissions etc.

We are looking at developing a Film City near Chandigarh, Mohali -- will have facilities for shooting, post shoot etc activities can be done that will also generate jobs and opportunities for the local talent.Â

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Punjab Tourism- In Pursuit of Setting New Benchmarks Shivdular Singh Dhillon CEO Punjab Heritage Tourism Promotion Board

“We are in the process of bringing out an app that will provide complete information regarding all the tourist attractions — distance from Amritsar, route, places to visit, where to stay etc.

This will help tourists plan their time and visit in the State.”

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Sangrur Museum

The reins of promotion of heritage and tourism in Punjab could not have been in better hands. An avid traveller and passionate art lover himself, the CEO of Punjab Heritage Tourism Promotion Board, Shivdular Singh Dhillon, has an inherent sense of taking tourism ahead. Endowed with a rich legacy and heritage dating back to thousands of years, it is this treasure of history that the State government is promoting to make a mark not just at domestic level but also globally, explores Priya Yadav of Elets News Network (ENN) in an interview with him.

What does Punjab have to offer that attracts tourists from all over the globe to the State?

Punjab has a rich history that dates back to thousands of years. As such there are many monuments of the bygone era that speak for themselves.

Punjab was an important link between

the Central Asian countries and the rest of the country during the Mughal period. From pre-Mughal to Mughal and post- Mughal era, each age has had a prominent impact on art, culture, and architecture in the State. From forts which reflect strength, to temples that bear a testimony to important landmarks in history, to excellent

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craftsmanship on tombs, mosques, Punjab is as secular as secular can get, something that people are not aware of. The rich heritage of the State has been a secret for a long time for travellers and now all efforts are being made to unveil this secret.

What are the biggest challenges in attracting more tourists to the State?

The number of tourists thronging to the State is not a problem. We are blessed with the biggest tourist attractions -the Golden Temple-which alone sees over one lakh visitors every day. This is the highest in the world. So the challenge we face is not to get more tourists but to retain the tourists we already have in huge numbers. We have to find ways to ensure that the tourists coming to the Golden Temple also visit many other attraction that we have, like the majestic fort of Amritsar that housed the famous diamond Kohinoor. Not just Amritsar, we have marvels of architecture all over the State and we need to ensure that the tourists also visit these places along with the Golden Temple.

What measures are being taken to ensure that tourists visit other places also?

There are a number of steps we have taken in that direction. Our attempt is to

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Virasat-e-Khalsa museum

“We have to find ways so that the tourists coming to Golden Temple also visit many other attractions that we have like the majestic fort of Amritsar that housed the famous Kohinoor diamond.� increase awareness about the beauty and splendour of other monuments of heritage value that are spread across the

State. Also, we are tying up with private taxi services so that they too can share information with tourists when they are visiting Amritsar. We are also in the process of bringing out an app that will provide complete information regarding all the tourist attractions -- distance from Amritsar, route, places to visit and stay etc. This will help tourists plan and and visit to the State.

Punjab has so many cultures and traditions of its own, what steps are being taken to showcase the many cultures and traditions of Punjab?

We are not just preserving these old monuments by using the latest techniques and retain their splendour but also adding to the architectural splendour by constructing buildings like Virasat-e-Khalsa -a museum of Sikhism, located in the holy town of Anandpur Sahib. The museum celebrates 500 years of the Sikh history and the 300th anniversary of the birth of Khalsa based on the scriptures written by the 10th and last guru, Guru Gobind Singh. It is a unique museum that celebrates the traditions and cultures of the State. A similar attempt is being made across the State, where old buildings are being converted into museums and artefacts saved for the future generations to see and cherish the past.

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Basanta Rajkumar Executive Director Punjab Heritage Tourism Promotion Board (PHTPB)

“Punjab has two gateways - Eastern and Western gateway. Eastern gateway is Chandigarh and western gateway is Amritsar. Hence, we are developing these two cities with tourism perspective.”

Tourism Industry Set to Expand Its Horizon In recent years, Punjab Heritage Tourism Promotion Board (PHTPB) has constructed a memorial for freedom fighters— Jung-E-Azadi, situated in Kartarpur near Jalandhar. Besides this, there is a memorial called Border Memorial near Attari, Amritsar, says Basanta Rajkumar, Executive Director, (PHTPB), in conversation with Priya Yadav of Elets News Network (ENN).

Ram Tirath Temple, Amritsar

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What projects are you working on and how are you leveraging the high footfalls of Darbar Sahib, popularly known as the Golden Temple, for these projects?

The main aim of the tourism department is to increase the visitors’ footfall. We want to increase the number of people visiting our tourist sites. Secondly, we want people to extend their vacation in Punjab so that they spend more money here. We plan to uplift the economic condition of local people.

Being the Tourism and Heritage Board of Punjab, we also want to preserve and promote our heritage. People on vacation do not want to visit malls.

They want to visit or buy things which are unique to that particular place. That unique item is part of the cultural heritage of that area. Even crafts whether performing or non-performing is part of the heritage in Punjab like Phulkari, Jooti, are quite popular with tourists. We are trying to preserve a lot of these arts.

The once popular cuisines of Punjab are on the verge of extinction.

Although ‘Sarson ka Saag’ and ‘Makki ki Roti’ is still popular, still due to neglection, many things are getting lost. To revive tourism, we can take citizens’ concept and ideas and make them a reality.

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Initiatives for the Promotion of Tourism l GIS Mapping for Jalandhar and Ludhiana. l Tie up with travel agents and tourism promotion agencies under PPP to

facilitate tourists.

l Creation of more interactive website. l Upgradation of State Museums and making them more interactive. l Training of the officials for changing technology. l Website Development and social media platform l Reservations and customer relations for accommodation establishments like

home stay, farm stay and tented accommodation.

l Online marketing of rural tourism l Online and off line training of targeted tour operators in core market. l Online marketing of Crafts of Punjab through created self-help groups. l Digitisation and Documentation of artefacts of museums other than State

Museums.

l Making the tourist sites differently-abled friendly. l Smart signages in keeping with Internationally accepted norms.

What initiatives are you taking to preserve the long lost culture of Punjab?

single day, it has become three-four days event where dance and music performances are done in the evening.

Hari Vallabh Festival of classical music is the oldest music festival which happens in Jalandhar every year. It is more than 150 years old which is being organised by a private organisation situated in Jalandhar’s Manzil area. We identify artists who are well established in their respective field and also provide opportunity to young upcoming artists. The aim is to preserve the musical heritage. We are organising sufism festival in Amritsar. Sufism is related to times when Punjab was undivided. Saints hailing from Punjab are related to music. The festival serves as a source of inspiration for youngsters people and has undergone drastic change over the years. From a

In the morning, a carnival starts where arts and crafts of Punjab are exhibited.

We are also trying to develop those areas which are of great importance but have remained neglected due to one reason or the other.

Do you have any specific plan to develop Chandigarh and Amritsar as tourist cities?

Punjab has two gateways -- Eastern and Western gateway. Eastern gateway is Chandigarh and western gateway is Amritsar. They are crucial for the arrival of foreign travellers as well. Hence, we are developing these two cities with tourism perspective.

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FOCUS: ITDC PERSPECTIVE

ITDC: Expanding Horizon of Incredible India Foreign tourists are more interested in exploring India which is beyond metropolitan cities. They want to experience the soil, culture and authenticity of India and show interest in experiential tourism, says Ravneet Kaur, Chairperson and Managing Director, Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), in conversation with Gautam Debroy of Elets News Network (ENN).

Ravneet Kaur

Chairperson and Managing Director, Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC)

“To attract more tourists, we need to build awareness of unseen and unheard pieces of heaven in India.

We should promote rural tourism more aggressively with the theme ‘All the way back to roots’.”

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What is the overview of ITDC in brief?

Back in 1966, ITDC was incorporated with a mandate to develop and expand tourism infrastructure in the country.

The Corporation, thus, has been moving ahead consistently for the development and growth of travel, tourism and hospitality sector. ITDC acts as the prime mover in the progressive development, promotion and expansion of domestic as well as international tourism in the country for all sectors of the society through multifarious activities based on a strong customer focus, building trust, quality service, convenience at a competitive price. Apart from running

hotels, ITDC provides ticketing, tours and travels, event management, duty-free shopping, publicity and printing consultancy, engineering consultancy, sound and light shows, hospitality education and skill development services.

India is already a very popular tourist destination for foreigners, what else is being done to attract more foreign tourists?

India has evolved as an unparalleled tourism brand over the years and foreign tourists eagerly look forward to visit India. Currently, our Prime Minister Narendra Modi has brought in

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FOCUS: ITDC PERSPECTIVE

strong initiatives to build tourism industry which have affected the sector positively. If we look at the numbers, industry is growing at a healthy pace.

To attract more tourists, we need to build awareness of unseen and unheard pieces of heaven in India. We should promote rural tourism more aggressively with the theme ‘All the way back to roots’. As per reports, foreign tourists are more interested in exploring India which is beyond metropolitan cities. They want to experience the soil, culture and authenticity of India and show interest in experiential tourism. The entire tourism and hospitality industry needs to come to a single platform to bring all the stakeholders together to achieve greater heights in this sector.

Do you think that tourism industry in India needs skilled human resource?

Tourism industry definitely needs skilled human resources as this is one industry which requires human and analytical skills to cater to diverse customer needs. Tourism sector is booming in India with upcoming reforms and initiatives towards building new brand image of India in world tourism industry. ITDC too has been actively involved in promoting skills and education to meet the gap between supply and demand in the sector. Centre of Excellence ‘Ashok Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management’ under ITDC is effectively engaged in disseminating knowledge and skill education in line with industry trends.

What are the challenges before ITDC? Being a responsible public sector undertaking, we also have commitments towards the society and the country. Our challenge is to compete in a competitive and rapidly expanding market. Another challenge

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is development and retention of skilled manpower, which we believe is not only a challenge for us but for the entire industry. In tourism and hospitality sector, the demand of skilled manpower is more as compared to other sectors.

How do you view the trend of domestic and foreign tourists, even since the existing Government at the centre came to power?

The Government initiatives such as e-visas and visa on arrival, as well as the focus on tourism and infrastructure development, have kept the momentum high. New steps like the new Udaan scheme for regional air connectivity is going to boost growth in tier II and tier III cities.

All these steps are aimed at making tourism a pillar of the Indian economy over the past three years. They have all given a big boost to the travel and tourism industry, creating a multiplier effect and driving an increase in overall economic growth in the country.

According to the Ministry of Tourism, foreign exchange earnings through tourism increased to Rs 14,692 crore in April 2017 from Rs 11,495 crore the same month in the year 2016 and Rs

10,091 crore two years earlier. The number of foreign tourist arrivals in April 2017 was 7.40 lakh, as compared with 5.99 lakh in April 2016 and 5.42 lakh in the same month of 2015.

Some steps like the allocation of Rs 500 crore to develop popular heritage cities have been extremely promising.

Greater budgetary support for regional connectivity and revival of small airstrips is another area where the focus needs to continue. The drive for digitisation has also led to rapid adoption of online bookings amongst Indian travellers.

From ‘Make in India’ to ‘Start Up India’ and ‘Skill India’, the present Government has successfully pushed the India story while opening gates for new business opportunities. Transformation through Swachh Bharat and Digital India have made India more appealing to visitors.

Unifying India as a single market through introduction of Goods and Services Tax is a major step forward.

Do you think it would be advisable to privatise all public sector hotels? What is your take on this?

The ownership of the public sector hotels is with the Government, therefore decision remains with them.

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PUNJAB TOURISM PERSPECTIVE

Punjab Tourism — In Pursuit of Setting New Benchmarks

Dr Mahesh Verma

A new tourism policy will serve as an umbrella for the development of Punjab which will also provide long term sustainable development, says Dr Mahesh Verma, Consultant, United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), in conversation with Priya Yadav of Elets News Network (ENN).

Consultant, United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)

“A new policy will serve as an umbrella for the development of the region in terms of tourism which will also provide long term sustainable development. We are going to provide assistance to the State for long term sustainability in tourism.”

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GIve us a brief about UNWTO. The United Nations World Tourism Organisation is a special entity of the United Nations (UN) for the development and promotion of tourism at a global level. On the lines of UNICEF and WHO, we are also a specialised agency of the UN. Development of tourism across the globe is our main mandate.

How is UNWTO helping the Punjab Government in revival of tourism in the State?

We entered into an agreement with the Government of Punjab under which we

constituted a tourism development masterplan to guide the promotion of tourism across the State. The masterplan was made for a period of 16 years. In the next stage, the State Government came to the conclusion that UNWTO still needs to hold their hand to drive the implementation of the major recommendations of the masterplan. So we continued our association and entered into various implementation phases of the project.

We have submitted a proposal to the State Government which focuses on five major elements to draft the tourism policy in the State. Over the last 8-9 years, scenario has changed-

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PUNJAB TOURISM PERSPECTIVE

both at the local and the global level.

And the State needs new aims and objectives as well as the guidelines for the revival of tourism. A new policy will serve as an umbrella for the development of the region in terms of tourism which will also provide long term sustainable development.

We are going to provide assistance to the State for long term sustainability in tourism.

What are your plans to develop tourism in Punjab?

If you look at the structure of tourism in Punjab, no tourism destination has been developed for the past few years. As a result, destinations which were formulated many years ago are still being used. We think that Punjab still has a lot to offer in different forms of tourism. Therefore Government wants help from us for the development and bifurcation of

Some of the destinations are highly local by nature which serves purpose only for the domestic tourists.

International tourists will not be attracted to these places. We have formulated three categories for tourist destinations. First is primary product which are essential tourist destinations which need to be developed. Secondary products are destinations which are desirable.

Tertiary products are the ones which consume a lot of time to visit and can be accomodated only if time is left with the tourists. They are minor attractions.

the passport of a tourist is stolen or misplaced, a guide should know how to do and what to do. There is still a lot which needs to be done. So we are going to further conduct ‘guide training’ courses in a selective mode and we hope to train a number of guides and give them proper accreditation to provide better facilities to the tourists. These initiatives will bring quality to the guide services.

Tourist guides provide assistance, information on cultural, historical and contemporary heritage to people. Is UNWTO providing any kind of training to them?

There is very little awareness about tourism and its benefits. People in rural areas are completely unaware of tourism. They don’t know the social benefits of tourism. In my view, localites can be involved in making small and medium scale enterprises which can provide better amenities to the tourists.

We have conducted several programmes to train tourist guides all

What kind of awareness programmes are being run to promote tourism in the State?

During the earlier phases of the project, we conducted several programmes for awareness in schools and colleges. We plan to conduct more programmes so that young minds can be trained in what tourism is all about and how it can benefit them and enhance their lifestyle.

the tourism plan so as to develop new attractions at the destinations which already exist.

After the proposal gets approved, we are going to carry out a ground survey on what are the options available and make an inventory of the monetary assessment of the project.

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over the State. They are taught history, geography and culture of the historic monuments. We also teach them about their mannerism, eye contact, how facts should be presented to the tourists, why history should not be distorted and why sensationalism of the historic monuments should not be done. If

Punjab has so far not been able to make a mark of its tourist destinations both in international and domestic market.

There is very little awareness about Punjab except Amritsar. We are trying to build more tourism based market areas and marketing campaigns to increase the visitors’ footfall in the State.

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JALANDHAR TOURISM

Basant Garg

Devi Talab Mandir Jalandhar

Commissioner Jalandhar Municipal Corporation

JALANDHAR Enroute to Become a Tourist Destination Jalandhar is on the right track to a better future of sustainable tourism that will last through many future generations. Either establishing a destination certification programme or enrolling in an existing programme will help ensure the planning and implementation stays on the correct path of the smart tourist city of Punjab, if not the whole of India, writes Commissioner, Jalandhar Municipal Corporation, Basant Garg for Elets News Network (ENN). “Tourism provides employment to the poorest of the poor.

Gram seller earns something, autorickshaw driver earns something, pakoda seller earns something, and tea seller also earns something,� says Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

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T

ourist attractions have become a phenomenon of our times.

Attractions and the behaviours associated with them are one of the most complex and highly structured universal codes co-creating modern communities and Smart Cities. The role of tourist attractions in the post-modern world is changing.

Consumer requirements and the innovativeness of tourism organisers have led to change and evolution on the tourist attraction market, which have led in turn to this sector becoming more diversified. Tourist attractions are dynamically changing in terms of form, location, style and scale.

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JALANDHAR TOURISM

Dynamically developing modern tourism has a continual need for new attractions, i.e. destinations for millions of customers who have already visited the recognised attractions. As these tourists have been everywhere, it takes a lot to impress them. A rich and versatile tourism offer (only these have any chance of standing out from thousands of others) should be based on a search for original attractions and when these are found wanting, the creation of new ones. By necessity, the creation of these primarily involves culture and technology, for the number of natural attractions is limited and those that exist have already been identified.

The attractions emerging these days are tied into a new model for the evolution of tourism, the three Es (Entertainment, Excitement, Education), which has supplanted the traditional three Ss model (Sun, Sea, Sand). The emerging new attractions are meant to entertain, excite (in a sense to frighten), to raise adrenaline levels and to educate by provoking thought and reflection. Such entertainment and educational ends are served by the theme and amusement parks that have developed as a result, the most important example being Disneyland.

The first Disneyland was created in California, and the next ones in Florida, Japan, Hong Kong and Paris (Euro Disneyland). Other important attractions that appeared in the second half of the 20th century include the Pompidou Centre, the Arctic Centre located by the Arctic Circle in Rovaniemi, the Greenwich Waterfront, the Oxford Story and the Smurf Park in Belgium. In India, small scale waterparks were created at various places and cites in 1990s but only Essel world near Mumbai run by Zee group is a worthwhile self sustaining entertainment destination which has added into the tourist

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Interior of Viva Collage mall, Jalandhar

"The City of Jalandhar Which is at centre of Doaba and Punjab and which is a NRI heartland of north India with population of more than one million people needs a next entertainment and amusement park like Disneyland India, built in and around it." diversity of the young tourists coming there for entertainment, fun and excitement. Jalandhar, which is at the centre of Doaba and Punjab, and which is a NRI heartland of north India, very well connected with airports, railheads and highways and huge middle class and high paying consumers like industrial houses,

huge number of educational facilities having thousands of young university students and a city in itself with population of more than one million people, needs a next entertainment and amusement park like Disneyland India, built in and around it.

The market-based approach is a crucial element in tourism development. The core market attributes of attractions are their proximity to large cities (the primary source of tourists), accessibility, opening times, daily visitor attendance and accompanying services. On the basis of this information we can assess the quality of any attraction, paying attention to such criteria as: authenticity, uniqueness and pulling power, i.e. the number of tourists, hence the income generated by attraction managers . It might be asked which factors will influence the tourist attraction market in the future. A distinction can be made between a group of factors producing the external conditions for tourism and those factors linked to tourism phenomena.

The first group undoubtedly includes

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JALANDHAR TOURISM

a group made up of political, economic, socio-cultural and technological factors (to mention the most important). In addition, changes occurring in tourism itself (internal conditions), new trends, fashions and forms of behaviour carry consequences for the tourist attraction market. One of the most important factors shaping the tourist attraction market is developments in the media, especially in social, visual and print media. (Jalandhar has an historic edge in this regard). The famous newpapers, punjabi entertainment channels, media groups and conglomerates etc.

Medical tourism is a growing sector in India. In October 2015, India's medical tourism sector was estimated to be worth $3 billion. It is projected to grow to $7–8 billion by 2020.

According to the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), the primary reason that attracts medical value travel to India is cost-effectiveness, and treatment from accredited facilities at par with developed countries at much lower cost. The Medical Tourism Market Report: 2015, found that India was one of the lowest cost and highest quality of all medical tourism destinations. It offers wide variety of procedures at about one-tenth the cost of similar procedures in the United States.

Jalandhar which has many renowned world class doctors and medical facilities like hospitals and lot of feeder NRI population returning home for medical treatment and procedures can be developed as hub in northern India for medical tourism and well being industry along with facilities like Disneyland in its vicinity so that family members of patient on medical tourism can enjoy their time with less stress and more entertainment.

A simple policy recipe for ensuring a sustainable form of tourism

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Jalandhar Railway Station

"Jalandhar which has many renowned world class doctors and medical facilities like hospitals and lot of feeder NRI population returning home for medical treatment and procedures can be developed as hub in northern India for medical tourism and well being industry." development in Jalandhar can be followed by remembering six steps: l Promote sustainable development l Create products for specific visitor market segments like medical tourism, entertainment tourism (theme parks, entertainment etc) l Gain and maintain

competitiveness

l Enhance visitor experience

(combining more than two forms of tourism like destination tourism with entertainment, medical and religious or adventure tourism) l Preserve local resources l Improve residents’ quality of life (more tourism- more employment avenues and opportunity-more revenue for municipal corporation-enhanced spending on citizen and Smart Cities initiatives of Jalandhar district). South Carolina state in USA has developed around only as entertainment and attraction tourism as industry.

By keeping these steps in mind, a destination Jalandhar is on the right track to a better future of sustainable tourism that will last through many future generations.

Either establishing a destination certification programme or enrolling in an existing programme will help ensure the planning and implementation stays on the correct path of the Smart tourist city of Punjab, if not the whole of India.

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EVENT CALENDAR 2017-2018 EVENT NAME

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Smart City Summit Smart City Summit Smart City Summit Smart City Summit Smart City Summit Smart City Summit

Aligarh Warangal Gurugram Nashik Jalandhar Pimpri-Chinchwad

National Transport Summit 8th eGov Knowledge Exchange National Energy Summit

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13 October 27 -28 October November

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2 BFSI Cloud & Security Summit 3rd BFSI Leadership Summit 2018

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3rd Healthcare Summit Rajasthan Healthcare Summit Andhra Pradesh Healthcare Summit Chhattisgarh Healthcare Summit Arunachal Pradesh

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10 November 1-2 December December January 2018

EDUCATION Jaipur Dubai Bengaluru

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Higher Education & HR Conclave 11th World Education Summit School Leadership Summit 2018

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December 26 - 27 November 13 January 2018

ANDHRA PRADESH TOURISM

Amaravati Buddhist Stupa

‘Sunrise State’ On a Mission Mode to Develop Tourism Andhra Pradesh has the distinction of being a leading tourism destination in India and is presently, the third most visited State in terms of domestic tourism, realising the true socio-economic potential of tourism sector, writes Gopi Krishna Arora of Elets News Network (ENN).

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ANDHRA PRADESH TOURISM

A

ndhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has adopted a mission-based approach towards development of tourism sector. The mission is to promote Andhra Pradesh as India’s most preferred tourist destination and positioning it as a global tourism brand by providing world class tourism products and services, while preserving the cultural heritage, environmental balance and natural beauty of the state.

In order to achieve the mission's objectives, the tourism targets are tabulated for the short- term (2020) and long-term (2029).

Having the second longest coast line of 974 kilometers in the country, a rich historical and cultural heritage, ancient and spiritual temples, serene valleys and hills, the new state of Andhra Pradesh with 13 districts hold vast tourist potential, hitherto. Andhra Pradesh is strategically located on the southeastern coast of India and is a natural gateway to East and South-East Asia.

The State provides an amalgamation of factors conducive to high growth and accelerated development, such as strong infrastructure, highly talented technical manpower, enterprising population and dynamic leadership. These offer immense opportunities for ushering in growth,

"The State will provide potential private investors with excellent support infrastructure and access to a host of scenic locations, and divine destinations for developing worldclass tourism infrastructure projects and services." development and resurgence of the State- also described as the ‘Sunrise State’.

The State is a microcosm within itself – offering unmatched tourism potential to investors and tourists. It offers multitude of theme-based options to explore across its length and breadth. As part of its Tourism Mission strategy, the State offers nine major tourism themes:

l l l l l l

Beach and Water-based Eco-tourism Buddhist Religious Heritage Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) and Infrastructure development l Recreation/Adventure l Spiritual/Wellness l Medical

Mission-based approach to develop tourism The state government has envisaged a mission-based approach to firmly set Andhra Pradesh on the path of sustainable development and growth.

Seven missions have been identified to provide support in managing externalities and enhance inter-departmental synergy for improving outcomes and reducing delays. The Service Sector Mission would focus on enhancing job opportunities and providing further fillip to sectors such as tourism, construction, hospitality, financial services, education, IT and other allied activities.

The tourism sub-mission will work under the ambit of the Service Sector Mission. It will primarily focus on two key aspects: a) Theme-based development: It will focus on developing tourism projects under themes of beach and water-based, eco-tourism, Buddhist, religious, heritage, MICE and infrastructure development, recreation/adventure, spiritual/ wellness and medical. Through this policy, the Andhra Pradesh Government endeavours to make the State more conducive and attractive for potential investors and provide an impetus to the tourism sector. b) Destination-based development through hub and spoke model: The emphasis will be on developing five important tourism hubs (Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada,

Anantagiri Hills

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27

ANDHRA PRADESH TOURISM

Borra Caves

Pulicat Lake

Gandikota

Rishikonda Beach Dhimsa Dance

Tirupati, Rajahmundry-Kakinada and Srisailam-Nagarjuna Sagar) by 2020 and all other district headquarters as tourism hubs by 2029.

of strong Buddhist influence in the region. The walls of the stupa are dotted with sculptures that depict the life and times of the Buddha and his teachings.

The State government firmly believes that this sector can be a major growth engine for economic development, employment generation and eradication of poverty by promoting investments in the tourism sector.

Anantagiri Hills: On the Eastern Ghats that form the natural boundary between Andhra Pradesh and Odisha in the east lies Anantagiri. Thickly wooded slopes with acres of coffee plantations greet visitors who travel up the ghat road. Anantagiri is about 80 km from Visakhapatnam on the road to Araku valley.

Investment Opportunities Andhra Pradesh aims to create an enabling environment to encourage private investments. The State will provide potential private investors with excellent support infrastructure and access to a host of scenic locations, virgin beaches, backwaters, pristine forest areas and divine destinations for developing world-class tourism infrastructure projects and services.

Tourist Destinations Amaravati Buddhist Stupa: Buddhist stupa or the Mahachaitya at Amaravati adds to the historic relevance

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Borra Caves: Borra Caves are located within Anantagiri Hills at a height of 4,593 feet above sea level. These caves hold natural, spiritual and historical significance, and their stalagmite and stalactite formations are impressive.

Dhisma dance – The dance of the hill tribes: Generally performed in the local fairs and festivals of Araku Valley in Visakhapatnam district of AP, this tribal dance sees 15-20 women forming a chain and dancing in praise of local deity.

Women attired in typical tribal dresses

and ornaments dance to the beat of instruments like mori, thudum and dappu played by the male members.

Gandikota: Gandikota in the Kadapa district is known for its spectacular gorge formed by river Pennar that cuts through the Erramala hills. This handsome piece of nature’s architecture has come to be known as the ‘Hidden Grand Canyon of India’ by travellers who visit it and get bewitched by its beauty.

Orvakal Rock Gardens: Situated in the Kurnool district, Orvakal is a famous with climbers and trekkers.

It is home to the famed Orvakal Rock Gardens, a 1,000-acre park with indigenous rock formations of silica and quartz among pools of water.

Rishikonda beach, Visakhapatnam: Known as the Jewel of the East Coast, the Rishikonda beach in Visakhapatnam is a must visit. The natural beauty, along with gentle ocean currents and golden sands make the beach a compelling spot for visitors. The beach is ideal for water-sports too.

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CHHATTISGARH TOURISM PERSPECTIVE

Chhattisgarh Set To Woo Tourists Chhattisgarh Government is making an all out effort to develop tourism in the State. It did not even have the basic infrastructure for the destinations mentioned. We have progressed a lot in terms of developing basic infrastructure at some of the important sites of the State, says Niharika Barik Singh, Secretary, Department of Tourism, Government of Chhattisgarh in conversation with Susmriti Sahu of Elets News Network (ENN).

Niharika Barik Singh Secretary Department of Tourism Government of Chhattisgarh

“We already have the online reservation system in operation for last few years through which the customer can book Chhattisgarh tourism properties online. We also are using digital payment options at our information centres.”

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Vivekananda Sarovar

What are the possibilities and opportunities of Chhattisgarh State as a tourist destination?

Chhattisgarh is a comparatively new State, created in the year 2000. It is paradoxical that it is a new State whereas the inhabitants of the State are the oldest among the inhabitants of the subcontinent.

The biggest asset of Chhattisgarh is its forest which covers nearly 44 per cent of the State. These forests house some of the unique species of flora and fauna

among which the Bastar Hill Maina, Wild Buffallo are the prime examples.

There are archeological sites at Sirpur, Malhar and Tala. The nature’s bounty in terms of the varied topography and geological formations like the plateaus and hilly terrains of the north and the southern part of the State and the variety of waterfalls spread across. The religious sites of Chhattisgarh boasts of Dantewada, Ratanpur, Dongargarh, Chandrahasini Devi and Sheorinarayan.

The State has immense potential in terms of tourist offerings.

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CHHATTISGARH TOURISM PERSPECTIVE

What are the measures taken up by you for the holistic development of the State Tourism?

The State government is making an all out effort to develop tourism in the State. Good road connectivity has been improved in the State. Infrastructure for tourist stay and adventure activities are being upgraded. We have a masterplan ready based on which the subsequent efforts will be made. We are developing the infrastructure as rapidly possible to facilitate tourism in the State, but still we have a lot more to cover.

What is the role of ICT in promoting Chhattisgarh tourism?

It is needless to say the importance of ICT in promoting any field and not just tourism. In Chhattisgarh, we are committed to promote the use of information technology as has been prioritised by the Central and the State Government. We already have an online reservation system in operation for the last few years through which the customer can book Chhattisgarh tourism properties online. We also are using digital payment options at our information centres. We now have a full fledged social media connect with the people through platforms like facebook and twitter. It is important to mention that Chhattisgarh’s social media is updated on a daily basis.

Our handles are liked and followed by a lot of people. These people, in turn, act as the promoters of our State’s tourism. We have made all our brochures and publications available on our website so that the guest need not have to carry the hard copy of the same during his tour.

What are the ICT initiatives taken up by your department to

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Chitrakoot waterfalls

smoothen the operation within and outside the department.

As mentioned earlier, we are using information technology not just for the promotion but also for the interaction and as an enabler and facilitator for the tourism sector in Chhattisgarh. The department, has undertaken many schemes like digitisation of the office (MIS), purchase and tendering in e-mode, mapping of the tourism resources on Geographic Information System (GIS) already. Now we are moving towards the digital payment system to reduce cash based transactions.

Tell us about “Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat” and Chhattisgarh as a part of it.

Under “ Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat Scheme” announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of the 140th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the aim was to exchange knowledge of culture, traditions and practices of different States and Union Territories. This envisages to an enhanced understanding and bonding between the States, thereby strengthening the unity and integrity of India. The scheme has already undertaken exchange in various fields between the two paired States of Gujarat and Chhattisgarh.

Some of the exchanges have seen the cultural teams from Gujarat participating in events like Rajim Kumbh Festival, Chakradhar Samaroh, Independence day celebrations.

Similarly the teams from the State have presented cultural programmes in Gujarat in functions like Saputara Festival, Independence Day celebrations, Navratri Celebrations in Gujarat. We have also participated in traditional sports competitions held under the banner of Swarnim Gujarat Sports University where players from Chhattisgarh have participated in competitions of traditional games like Pithul, Gilli Danda etc. Their performance has been stellar and appriciated by all.

In the field of agriculture also farmers from Chhattisgarh have been to Gujarat to learned various practises being followed there and exchanged ideas with them. In the near future also similar events and exchanges will be held in the coming months.

How do you see Chhattisgarh as a tourist destination in coming future?

In Chhattisgarh the journey of tourism has just begun we have a long road ahead.

There is a lot of potential in Chhattisgarh and it will grow intoa sought after destination for experiential tourism.

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IT PERSPECTIVE FROM ODISHA

Odisha Pioneering Cashless Transactions Ashok Kumar Meena

Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Electronics & Information Technology Department, Government of Odisha

Odisha has recently introduced the new Mobile Tower, OFC and related Infrastructure (Odisha) Policy, 2017 notified by E&IT Department. What are its objectives and how it will influence the IT industry and citizens?

Telecom sector has a multiplier impact on the economy and there is huge growth in wireless and broadband subscriber base across the nation, and so is in Odisha. To meet this demand, establishment and augmentation of telecom infrastructure within a timeframe has become an industry norm now. Through this new policy, Electronics & Information and technology department (E&IT) will provide a single window platform to mobile tower and telecom-related infrastructure companies to obtain clearances.

It will streamline the process of application and grant of permission for installation of mobile tower, laying of OFC, in-building solutions and other telecom infrastructures within the specified time line. This will help telecom service providers, infrastructure providers having licenses from Department of Telecommunications to obtain permission with a given time frame.

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The Electronics & Information Technology Department is the nodal department for Government of Odisha in the matters of IT, ITES and Communication. The department plays a vital role in formulating and implementing policy matters for information technology, ITES and electronics promotion of the State. Ashok Kumar Meena, Commissionercum-Secretary, Electronics & Information Technology Department of Odisha shares the new policies, plans and strategies undertaken by the State government to promote growth in IT, ITES and ESDM sector in Odisha, in conversation with Biswajit Sahoo of Elets News Network (ENN).

This will also encourage the development of telecommunication network in remote, hilly and critical Left Wing Extremists affected areas of Odisha and encourage establishment of modern telecommunication infrastructure to provide high speed internet in Gram Panchayats and villages. The policy proposes to ensure good quality Internet in areas where mobile connectivity exists and also improve terrestrial broadband connectivity in urban and rural areas.

This policy is one of its type and we are sure it will address telecom infrastructure needs for next 15-20 years. This policy will eventually will be able to address issues such as call drops, network outage and connectivity gaps etc.

Odisha has been a pioneering State in adopting e-governance module and introducing citizen centric solutions in number of services, what is the status in present scenario?

The Government of Odisha has introduced many path breaking e-governance programme since long, which has led to seamless, paperless and cashless transaction system fulfilling the

governance objectives and bringing innovative citizen-centric solutions.

Citizen centric service platforms like Human Resource Management System – HRMS for salary bill computation and preparation of government employees, iFMS for sanctioning of treasury bill are path breaking steps in governance. These modules ensured all the employee resource databases are digitised across the State. Salary disbursement, monetary transaction though treasury are seamless, real time and cashless, bringing all the beneficiary disbursements in one digital platform. In Odisha, e-Despatch for internal communication government departments and Work Flow Automation System – OSWAS for secretariat are fully automated and these are enabling the government to move towards a paperless governance system. Over a period of time these three systems and citizen centric services delivery are to be combined and form a base for Enterprise Wide Architecture for Govt of Odisha.

The process of e-governance transformation has initiated in 2004 when Odisha government has come out with the Information Technology & ITeS Policy in 2004. The e-governance roadmap of Odisha with governance vision, governance strategy and blue print and

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capacity building was released on 2006.

Initially, 15 Departments were identified to provide more than 200 services under the Mission Mode Programme (MMP) of National e-Ggovernance Programme. To strengthen the capacity of line departments of State for effective implementation of e-governances, Odisha government has taken up its IT infrastructure activities into four different categories such as capacity building, e-governance, ICT promotion, policy formulation. Odisha’s IT department is also the recipient of Prime Minister Award for Excellence in Public Administration.

What are the flagship e-services programmes, that have been transforming the governance process faster and quicker in the State?

E-governance is an enabler to good governance in Odisha. There are many applications and service platforms are in place in the state across various departments to bring in efficiency in the citizen centric service delivery process.

There are platforms like e-Despatch, e-Registration, CT-MMP, iFMS, Odisha State Wide Area Network – OSWAN, e-Municipality, e-Admission, e-District, e-Shishu, e-Procurment, Bhulekh, e-PDS solutions are operational in enabling the citizen to access the government services faster and quicker.

e-Despatch: The e-Despatch is a letter despatch application starts on receipt of final letter and involves seven simple steps to ends with despatch of letter as per instruction. e-Despatch helps streamlining content updates, store copies of the information within itself. It is used in all the departments across the State, district and block level offices bringing speed and transparency in the administration.

e-Admission Student academic management system (SAMS) provides a platform for college

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admission through e-Admission and several services to students in the colleges after admission also through e-Administration.

E&IT’s Technical Directorate – OCAC is also the nodal agency for AADHAR enrollment and generation in the state.

Recently Aadhaar generation has reached 417.86 Lakh out of projected population of 449.41 lakh as on 21 September, 2017. Nuapada has the highest in percentage term.

What are the other major plans of the E&IT department to introduce friendly e-governance models?

E&IT department plans to introduce transaction oriented citizen-centric online grievance redressal platform in real time basis. This dashboard format will reflect the citizens’ grievance status and where it is pending. Odisha will soon have its Enterprise Wide Area Architecture by putting different governance components together.

What is the strategy for updating State Wide Area Network and what would be its benefits?

SWAN is the one of the core infrastructure of NeGP. In Odisha, SWAN is in operation since 2010 and it is now for due updation. In the second phase, various services available through OSWAN would be increased. The bandwidth of OSWAN will also be increased to keep pace with the governance engagements. As part of SWAN, the State Head Quarter (SHQ) has been connected with all district headquarters and 284 block headquarters with voice, video and data network capability. OSWAN also established 40 different video conferencing studios.

The Government of India is rolling out Bharatnet project in 18 districts of the State to provide broadband connectivity through Optical Fibre Network. State is

implementing roll out of Bharatnet project in remaining 12 districts in Phase – II. Once, the connectivity is established through optical fibres, all the Gram Panchayats will be used as the front end of delivering all the digital services. The Gram Panchayats would be using their own application in the digital centres and use the high speed data connectivity exclusively for delivering governance at door step. Development programmes implemented under the Gram Panchayats can be monitored and reviewed from this centre.

What is the strategy to update the State Data Centre?

State Data Centre will be upgradeded with IT and non-IT infrastructures, aggregation of IT infrastructure and management resources. This is also planned that, the State data centre will offer cloud services, software services to the young and budding students at the college. They can utilise the cloud service or other services offered by SDC to build their own application. Our objective is that every college in Odisha should get the robust digital infrastructures available to them; students should make their own application and utilise them.

IT & ESDM has been one of the focus sectors of investment in State, what is the investment scenario in IT & ITES in Odisha in the present context?

Odisha has developed IT specific SEZs to cater to the demand of the sector. Large IT infrastructure initiatives such as Info Park, Info valley, Info city and IT investment regions are under development to stimulate the IT/ITES sector.

Through number of incentives and promotional measures, Odisha is poised to attract more investment in the IT/ ITES/ESDM segment in next couple of years and generate more opportunities for the next generation.

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FOCUS CHHATTISGARH: DIGITAL EMPOWEREMENT

Balrampur Goes Digital

Awanish Kumar Sharan

Common service centers have been set up for the facilities of villagers in all the panchayats of Chhattisgarh’s Balrampur district. Services like digital payment facilities, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), recharge etc, for which villagers had to travel long distances wasting their time and money, are now getting all these facilities at the Gram Panchayat level, says Awanish Kumar Sharan, District Magistrate, Balrampur, Chhattisgarh, in conversation with Susmriti Sahu of Elets News Network (ENN).

District Magistrate Balrampur, Chhattisgarh

“District Balrampur is the first district in the State where common service centres were set up for the facilities of rural citizens. Rural masses started getting income, caste, residence certificate and other facilities at the village panchayat level only thereby saving them from undue inconvenience.”

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What measures have been undertaken for the holistic development of Balrampur district?

We are trying to leverage technology in the fields of education and health.

Smart classes are being introduced in every school at Gram Panchayat level.

We are also establishing Common Service Centres in all the panchayats.

For better medical care, video conferences are being arranged with doctors from across the country so that

people of Balrampur can get best medical facilities.

How are you leveraging technology to provide e-governance at citizens’ doorstep?

Information Communication Technology (ICT) has the most impressive role in streamlining Government operations. It guarantees rapid response to citizens’ need, eliminating layers of Government

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management. Communication can be an empowering social process, and so is the access to information. Any ICT, therefore, has a considerable inherent empowerment potential.

Can you share some of the ICT initiatives undertaken by you to smoothen the operation of various departments?

We have undertaken important steps for connecting rural residents of the district with digital development by increasing their facilities digitally. Some of them are: Common Service Centres (CSC)Common service centers have been set up for the facilities of villagers in all the panchayats of the district. Services like digital payment facilities,Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), recharge etc, for which villagers had to travel long distances, wasting their time and money, are now getting all these facilities at the Gram Panchayat level.

Smart Class- Smart classes have been arranged in all the schools of the district, through which students are getting digital education through LED TV. COSMOS- An online system has been created for teachers’ monitoring. In this method, all teachers have to register their biometric presence. Thus, the teachers’ attendance is monitored easily through computer and mobile.

What are the major challenges you are facing for the implementation of ICT initiatives?

Balrampur district is a newly formed tribal district. Most of the population here is living in villages. One of the major challenges was to link them to the digital development of the State.

There was also a lack of basic infrastructure as the district was newly

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“It is the first district in the State where Internet facility was started with the help of BSNL and Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) at all Gram Panchayats.

It is also the first district of the State, where kiosk banks were opened in the Gram Panchayat Bhavan only with the support of Punjab National Bank.” formed. But we are trying to overcome these challenges.

What are the success stories of Balrampur as far as e-governance is concerned?

CSC (Common Service Center, Panchayatbanks across district at every Gram Panchayat level providing basic services like payment facility, DBT , recharge is one of our major project.

Aadhaar seeding by Village Level Entrepreneurs(VLE) are some of the areas where we have been successful.

What are your plans for the implementation of ICT Initiatives in the coming days?

We will establish UCL (Update Client Lite) . Created by Unique Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), it brings a huge opportunity for the VLEs to get on board for UCL service with CSC.

How do you view development of Balramour District vis-a-vis rest of the districts?

District Balrampur is the first district in the State where common service centres were set up for the facilities of rural citizens. Rural masses started getting income, caste, residence certificate and other facilities at the village panchayat level only thereby saving them from undue inconvenience. It is the first district in the State where Internet facility was started with the help of BSNL and Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) at all Gram Panchayats.

It is also the first district of the State, where kiosk banks were opened in the Gram Panchayat Bhavan only with the support of Punjab National Bank. Today, people are getting banking facilities at the village level.

OCTOBER 2017 / egov.eletsonline.com / egov

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AMRITSAR SMART CITY PERSPECTIVE

Amit Sharma

Commissioner Amritsar Municipal Corporation

Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar

“Someone coming from Delhi can come to Amritsar and go to Gurdaspur and Pathankot and fly back from there. It will create lot of employment opportunities.”

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Amritsar’s Makeover To Become World Class City He has taken over as the Municipal Commissioner of Amritsar a month ago. Already he is bustling with plans to make the corporation self sustained, focussing on revenue generation for the upliftment of the city. Amit Sharma, the Commissioner, Amritsar Municipal Corporation, lists out his priorities in conversation with Priya Yadav of Elets News Network (ENN).

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What are the plans to make the city smarter?

Amritsar is a holy city and an attraction for people all over the world. There are so many projects going on to make it a smarter city -like Hriday project -developing some kind of restructuring and renovating civic spots and parks. We are waiting for Smart City project funds to start work on the developments and it will definitely boost the tourism potential.

What is being done on the cleanliness front since tourism and cleanliness are closely linked?

It is proud moment for Punjab and Amritsar -- the city has bagged the Swach Iconic Award on October 2 this year given by the Ministry of Urban Development. Around Darbar Sahib, we are planning to have bio-gas plant that will provide uninterrupted supply to the kitchen. It will be based on bio degradable model which is completely environment-friendly. We have started mechanical cleaning on several roads.

55km length of roads in Amritsar are being cleaned by mechanical, automated processes. We have given the contract to a private company which lifts 400 tonne of garbage daily.

What kind of initiative is being taken to improve the effectiveness of the system?

We are ready for any kind of innovation —as of now we are planning for some kind e-initiative for the city. We will study all the innovative and tech driven initiatives that other civic bodies are adopting.

What are the biggest strengths and weakness of the Holy City that you are focussing on?

There are many strengths and weaknesses that the city has.The biggest concern is the revenue generation. The

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Deorhi, the summer palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Ram Bagh, Amritsar

“We are ready for any kind of innovation—as of now we are planning for some kind e-initiative for the city.

We will study all the innovative and tech driven initiatives that other civic bodies are adopting.” situation at present is that our earning is Rs 15 crore and spending is Rs 25 crore.

So the difference is of Rs 10 crore easily every month we are adding Rs 5 crore as arrears—it is a great challenge.

My focus is on recoveries and how to boost the revenue generation.

What are the plans for developing smart parking lots in the city which witnesses one lakh visitors every day?

We have developed multi parkings we have developed. We have a masterplan

but it is being developed in phases.

Traffic problems are prominent all over the country. Even the smaller cities are facing these problems. We have to plan accordingly. We have recently addressed this problem with the help of Police Commissioner, the Deputy Commissioner.

I have a multi-role as the city Commissioner. I have to see that the city develops. Tourists’ security is a big concern for us.

How can tourism be given a push in the region?

The Pathankot airport is going to be opened very soon. We have to move from culture to nature. Even as individuals we would like to go to a place which is amidst nature and not congested. In Amritsar we are offering only one or two days as tour package.

There are so many tourist points in Gurdaspur like the Akbar Coronation, Chota Ghallughara, etc. Gurdaspur is a secular tourism point. Pathankot is very rich in natural resources. Someone coming from Delhi can come to Amritsar and go to Gurdaspur and Pathankot and fly back from there. It will create lot of employment opportunities.

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FOCUS: TUMAKURU SMART CITY

Transforming Tumakuru and Davanagere as Smart Cities

Anirudh Sravan

CEO and MD of Tumakuru Smart City Ltd and Davanagere Smart City Ltd

“As part of the smart parks, facilities such as open gym, vending kiosks, interactive wall, compost bins, street furnitures, sculptures, benches, pavers, gazebos, etc are planned.”

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Tumakuru is one of the Smart Cities in Karnataka under the Smart Cities Mission announced by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India. It is known as the city of education and city of coconuts and is one of the industrial cities located in Karnataka. Anirudh Sravan, CEO and MD of Tumakuru Smart City Ltd and Davanagere Smart City Ltd, shares the vision, goals and objectives, in an interview with T Radhakrishna of Elets News Network (ENN).

What is the long term vision of Tumakuru Smart City Ltd?

which not only increases the universal accessibility but even affordability.

Our vision is to transform Tumakuru from a mere edge city of Bengaluru to the most preferred destination within the region with a strong focus on economic development and provision of enhanced connectivity, high quality of life, ecological, integration and inclusive development.

Ecology and Environment: Tumakuru will foster rejuvenation and preservation of the natural environment, reducing its carbon footprint and building the city in an environmentally sound manner that will benefit future generations.

Would you share your goals and objectives?

Some of our goals are: Quality of life: Renewing public infrastructure and utilities like water supply, sanitation facilities, roads and other facilities and systems, which keep the city functional and meet core needs of people elemental to improving quality of life.

Mobility and Accessibility: Focus is on upgrading the existing infrastructure and enabling better feeder systems. The development of a multi-modal system of walking, cycling and transit will provide the transportation balance. We need methods by which people can get around

Governance and Public Service Management: Tumakuru will work towards continuously improving policies, capacity building and ease of doing business. Continuing to hold the public’s trust through inclusive, transparent and fair decision making, responsible financial management, superior service delivery and effective communications will ensure sustained growth and a thriving city.

Which are the projects initiated for the Smart City? Kindly elaborate.

We are working on many projects like solar rooftop panels on Government buildings, smart park, smart lounge,

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redevelopment of multi-speciality hospital with medical college, smart bus shelters, PU college precinct revitalisation, Aamanikere lake revival and rejuvenation, lake revival pan-city, afforestation plan, rooftop rain water harvesting, etc.

For PU college precint revitalisation, we are planning facilities like pedestrianisation and public placemaking, integrating city level green, recreational space, sustainable educational, infrastructure development, learning aids and skill development, restoration and enhancement of cultural history, improving edge conditions and imageability. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 15 crore. Other important projects include Amanikere lake revival and rejuvenation, lake revival - plan city (smart water management) (Rs 35 crore), afforestation plan (Rs 18 crore), rooftop rainwater harvesting (Rs 5 crore), etc.

As part of solar rooftop for public building, we identified and surveyed 45 properties. Of which 33 come under Government-owned and remaining 12 are private properties. We plan to generate 1.5 to 2 MW capacity of solar rooftop considering all the government and private buildings. The estimated cost of the initiative is Rs 77 crore.

People-friendly initiatives such as citizens’ outreach programme is being planned for rooftop solar power panels.

As part of the smart parks, facilities such as open gym, vending kiosks, interactive wall, compost bins, street furnitures, sculptures, benches, pavers, gazebos, etc are planned.

Under smart lounge, our objective is to provide services such as e-library, Tumakuru-One, ATM, café, toilet, pantry (takeaway), urban health centres, Sakala Mission: guarantee of services to citizens, etc. Our plan is to set up 15 smart lounges in Tumakuru at a cost of Rs 4 crore.

A super special hospital under privatepublic partnership is being planned at a cost of Rs 300 crore. As part of the project, we made a market study and

You are CEO and MD for both Smart Cities – Tumakuru and Davanagere in Karnataka. How do you plan projects for both cities?

Tumakuru Smart Ctiy

visited institutions such as district hospital, Aruna hospital, Bharathi hospital, Hemavathi Orthopaedic and Trauma Centre, Vasan Eye Care, New Goutham Hospital, Jayashree Hospital, Charaka Hospital, Shridevi Hospital, Shree Siddhartha Hospital, Tumkur Kidney Care Centre Kasturba Hospital, B Siddaramana Hospital, Fortis Adarsha Hospital, etc. The proposed super specialty hospital is expected to have departments such as cardiology, CTVS, nephrology, urology, neurosurgery, neurology, oncology.

Projects Initiated in Tumakuru and Davanagere Name of Project

Approximate Cost

Smart Lounge

Rs 4 crore

Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting

Rs 5 crore

PU College Precint Revitalisation

Rs 15 crore

Afforestation Plan

Rs 18 crore

Lake Revival - Plan City (Smart Water Management)

Rs 35 crore

Solar rooftop for public building

Rs 77 crore

Super Special Hospital

Rs 300 crore

Source: Office of chairman, Board of Directors of Tumakuru Smart City Ltd.

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Our plan for both cities is common.

What we initiate projects in Tumakuru will take place in Davanagere too.

What is the status of funds from Government of India and Government of Karnataka towards the Smart Cities – Tumakuru and Davanagere?

We have received funds from Government of India and Government of Karnataka for both Smart Cities – Tumakuru and Davanagere. Tumakuru Smart City Ltd has received Rs 100 crore from Government of India and is going to get equal amount from Government of Karnataka.

Davanagere Smart City Ltd has got Rs 394 crore from both Government of India and Government of Karnataka.

We should we expect from within the next three to six months?

We are finalising Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of some projects. We shall be tendering some of the projects in the next few months.

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INDIA-AFGHANISTAN RELATIONSHIP

REGIONAL Cooperation Inducing Transformation in AFGHANISTAN

Dr Shaida Mohammad Abdali

Through mutual cooperation and deep understanding with India and other regional countries, Afghanistan can achieve its goals of bringing transformation in governance, urban infrastructure development and banking sector, says Dr Shaida Mohammad Abdali, Ambassador of Afghanistan to India, in an exclusive interview with Souvik Goswami of Elets News Network (ENN).

Ambassador of Afghanistan to India

“Today in a population of around 30 million, we have 20 million mobile users in Afghanistan. Apart from the rapid growth in mobile telephony, the public as well as the private sector in Afghanistan have been using ICTs in increasingly sophisticated ways.”

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Afghanistan and India have shared a friendly relationship for long, what is the significance of India’s role for Afghanistan?

India has shared close ties with Afghanistan for decades. India’s contribution in rebuilding the country is immensely appreciated and acknowledged by the Afghans, as India is the fifth largest bilateral donor to Afghanistan in the world. India is focused on building institutional capacity and providing human resource assistance to Afghanistan by offering

1,000 scholarships annually to Afghan students in various disciplines and rebuilding infrastructure of the country.

Afghanistan is seeking support from regional countries, including India, to ensure a successful Afghan reconstruction effort.

What kind of collaborations Afghanistan is seeking from India to effect its socio-economic cultural transformation?

The socio-economic development is crucial to any country as it improves the

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quality of lives and leads to individuals and society at large, reaping many social benefits. Education is the yardstick to measure progress and prosperity, and serves as a pillar of strength for any nation. The socio-economic and cultural transformation of Afghanistan looks to bring in a quality education, women empowerment, health, hygiene and sanitation, infrastructure development.

This will herald a new era for the people of our country.

What do you think about industry participation, considering it is essential for bringing transformation in governance, urban infrastructure and the banking sector?

Through mutual cooperation and deep understanding with India and other regional countries, Afghanistan can achieve its goals of bringing transformation in governance, urban infrastructure development and the banking sector. The Government of Afghanistan and the international community need to focus on agricultural and rural development, electricity, water, power supply, roads and transportation facilities, sanitation and disease control, local farm and non-farm industries, and extraction of natural resources. Implementing such policies will create markets for domestic agricultural goods, which, on one hand, will be plentiful and, on the other hand, will be cheaper than what is available presently. Strong and large domestic agriculture markets will result in rise of income of farmers. It will also develop and increase manufacturing while enabling the processing industries to purchase raw material in large quantities and at profitable prices.

This will help the economic cycle to start moving in a positive direction.

How Afghanistan is ensuring a peaceful and stable atmosphere that is conducive for large scale investments?

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Dr Shaida Mohammad Abdali interacting with industry leaders on the sidelines of Elets 22nd Smart City Summit held in Kota, Rajasthan.

“The socio-economic and cultural transformation of Afghanistan looks to bring in quality education, health, hygiene and infrastructural development.”

The Government of Afghanistan is fully determined to take initiatives for peace and aims to engage the region and the world to address the multiple dimensions of the ongoing violence in the country. The search for peace and security in Afghanistan includes multiple interlinked dimensions – in the government, Afghan society, armed groups, regional neighbours and involved actors from around the globe.

More importantly, the SAARC nations (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan,Sri Lanka and the Maldives ) need to take concrete steps to establish peace in the region.

How do you perceive the use of ICT for good governance?

The Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) will definitely play a key role in the economic growth processes of political, cultural, socioeconomic, behavioural and development. In the early 2000s, there was less use of ICT technology.

In 2001, Afghanistan had only 20,000 operational telephones, which were only available in Kabul. People had to travel long distances to make international telephone calls. At present, the development is showing positive trends. Today, in a population of around 30 million, we have 20 million mobile users in Afghanistan.

Apart from the rapid growth in mobile telephony, the public as well as the private sector in Afghanistan have been using ICTs in increasingly sophisticated ways. This change over the past 10 years has provided Afghans access to information, financial and transactional services, and more importantly to new markets. The Government, with the support of World Bank and the USAID, has initiated a number of programmes to expand electronic and mobile government services to its citizens.

Private businesses have begun to offer services such as money transfer and bill payments, agricultural market price information and health information services using the mobile networks and devices.

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