Joy Roy Choudhury – Kolkata
West Bengal government will be soon setting up an eco-tourism board to develop and promote the state as an attractive eco-tourism destination. Speaking to Express TravelWorld, Bratya Basu, tourism minister, West Bengal said, “The Eco-Tourism Board will develop the state as an eco-tourism destination and promote it as an attractive investment destination for this sector. Mamata Banerjee, the state chief minister, will be heading this Eco-Tourism Board and other members of the board will be appointed by her.”
The proposed board will comprise of professionals, senior government officials of different departments and experts on environment. According to a senior official of the tourism department, Banerjee had earlier instructed the state tourism department officials to start work on the process of setting up this board. On her instructions, a task force was formed comprising of professional consultants and senior government officials to work on the process.
“The task-force has recommended for setting up of this board,” added Basu. Plans are afoot to set up eco-tourism hubs in different parts of the state. The state tourism department is working on setting up a major eco-tourism hub in Dooars in North Bengal besides setting up the mega-tourism hub at Gajoldoba in Jalpaiguri district. It has invested a huge amount in creating world-class tourism infrastructure at Gajoldoba and has already floated a global tender inviting investment proposals from private parties.