The Maharashtra government has approved the establishment of an eco-tourism board which will work to boost tourism in the state's protected areas like tiger reserves, wildlife sanctuaries conservation reserves.
The board, which will be on the lines of that in other states like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Kerala and Karnataka, will frame a comprehensive plan for the development of tourism in these areas, ensure conservation and involve local communities in the effort to boost employment. A decision in this regard was taken by the state cabinet recently.
"The MTDC operates outside forest areas while these protected areas come under the purview of the forest department… hence, we have decided to set up a separate agency for developing a comprehensive tourism plan for such areas," said a senior forest department official.
The state has six national parks, 47 wildlife sanctuaries and four conservation reserves with a tiger population of around 190 in 2014, up from 169 in 2010.
The Maharashtra Eco-tourism Development Board will be headquartered at Nagpur and finance and forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar will head the governing council with the executive committee to be chaired by the principal chief conservator of forests.
In his maiden budget, Mungantiwar had announced the establishment of the board. "The board will prepare a comprehensive plan for each of these protected areas and implement it. It will also liaise with the MTDC, which will supplement its efforts by developing facilities outside the forest areas," the official said. It will also co-ordinate with other stakeholders and state and central government departments.
The objectives of the board will include development tourism infrastructure like guest houses and lodges, publicity, conservation of bio-diversity, forests, wildlife and education. It will also involve locals for the management of these areas, creation of homestays, and providing food, vehicles, guides for tourists and build their capacity. "This will lead to employment generation," the official noted, adding that "the interest of people in forest and environment tourism was increasing."
For instance, the number of people these areas has risen to around nine to 10 lakh annually and was likely to increase further, he pointed out.
"We have forts and caves in forest areas and forests are also located close. We also have bio-diversity areas like the Western Ghats," the official said, adding that these could be potential tourist magnets.
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