Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], July 28 : Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Tuesday directed officials to make arrangements for food and prasadi at intervals of every 15 to 20 kilometres along the routes of the upcoming Kanwar Yatra during the holy month of Shravan.
He also gave instructions for establishing pilgrim facilitation centres along the route with active participation from religious organisations and the public.
The directions were issued during a review meeting of the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation (MPSTDC) held at the State Secretariat, where the Chief Minister also reviewed tourism infrastructure and measures to promote religious tourism across the state.
The Chief Minister directed the Tourism Department to work in close coordination with the Forest and Culture Departments to expand tourism activities and promote homestays in rural and forest areas, saying the initiative would create new livelihood opportunities for local communities.
He instructed officials to ensure that all approvals required for tourism projects and investment proposals are issued without delay, stressing the need for a transparent, efficient and investor-friendly approval mechanism at every level.
Reviewing tourism infrastructure, the Chief Minister directed that wayside amenity centres being developed along national highways, state highways and greenfield corridors should be equipped with hospitals, trauma centres, petrol pumps, EV charging stations and other essential public facilities. He also asked officials to explore operating these facilities under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
The Chief Minister further directed officials to encourage private investment for the development of convention centres in major cities across the state. Emphasising the importance of religious tourism, he instructed officials to improve connectivity and visitor amenities at major pilgrimage destinations.
Highlighting the cultural significance of the Bhagoria Festival, the Chief Minister described it as one of Madhya Pradesh's unique tribal festivals and directed officials to announce next year's festival dates well in advance and launch a nationwide promotional campaign.