Plans afoot for legislators to visit a tourist centre a month: Bhatti

Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka on Monday said that State government is committed to developing tourism in Telangana. He said, “District Ministers and MLAs to give publicity to the tourist places and attract tourists. To facilitate this, every month, Ministers and MLAs should visit one tourist centre with their family and stay there, as designed by Tourism Minister.”
The government is firm on giving wide publicity to the places of tourist interest in Telangana and securing a place for the state in world tourism map.
He, along with Tourism and Excise Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, Revenue and Housing Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, Lok Sabha Member from Khammam Raghuram Krishna Rao visited Budhhist stupa in Mujjugudem village of Nelakondapalli mandalof Khammam district on Monday.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, he said that there was no shortage of funds for the construction of the tallest stupa in south India. The construction of the stupa would take place according to a plan. He asked the Tourism Department to invite pracharaks of Budhhist religion for the inaugural ceremony. The Budhhist places of interest should find suitable plan on world tourism map, he said.
He also suggested organising Budhhist festivals in Nelakondapalli inviting the Budhhistpracharaks worldwide.  So far, Rs 10 crore have been released for the project and asked the authorities to initiate works and bring problems, if any, to his notice.  He called for improving the road network in the region.
Srinivasa Reddy said that the Budhhist stupa dated back to first century BC and the largest stupa in south India, spreading over an area of eight acres. The region would transform into a great tourist attraction if the stupa were to be developed, he opined. Suggesting to set up a Budhhist museum here, he asked the officials to prepare a comprehensive report for development of the region. He suggested transforming the region into a great tourist attraction in the country.
Further, he recalled that Nelakondapalli is the place where Bhakta Ramdas had taken birth. The Bhakta Ramdas temple should also be developed into a museum providing all tourist attractions there.
Development of Palair reservoir, Bhaktaramadas museum and Budhhist stupas would help develop tourism in the region, he said.
Jupally Krishna Rao said that Tourism Department would take steps to invite Budhhists from other nations. A  comprehensive report would be prepared on tourism development works to be taken up in the area like construction of the Budhhist stupa.
Collector Muzammel Khan, police commissioner Sunil Dutt, Telagnana Government Warehousing Corporation chairman Rayala Nageswara Rao, Telangana state Tourism Development Corporation Chairman Ramesh Reddy, district officials, tourism department officials and others took part in the event.