( A number of top Kolkata based investors like Ambuja Neotia, Hotel Sonar Bangla, Sumi Yashree Hotels & Resorts, Peerless Hotels & Resorts, Conveyor & Ropeway Services Pvt Ltd etc have evinced interest to invest in tourism infrastructure in Jharkhand in the B2G meeting)
BY DEBAJYOTI CHAKRABORTY
KOLKATA | 13 APRIL 2025
For the first time in the country Jharkhand is gearing up to introduce underground and open cast Coal mines , Iron Ore mines tourism and the work of the Detail Project Report are in progress with discussions with Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) and Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), announced Mr. Sudivya Kumar, Tourism Minister of Jharkhand government. MoU will be linked soon with CCL for two routes and with Indian Institute of AstroPhysics, Pune a star gazing centre will also be set up in Netarhat.
He has also added that a Special Tourism App is being developed at present and will be launched soon for the benefit of the tourists by the Jharkhand Tourism Department which will help in direct connection with the department in case of any emergency and requirements.
Jharkhand is rich in minerals and has hundreds of open cast and underground coal and iron ore mines. It possesses the richest iron ore reserve in Asia and the introduction of the mine tourism will further open up new vistas in the field of adventure tourism in the country, he added.
Sixty to seventy percent of tourists visiting the state of Jharkhand are from the state of West Bengal, the selection of Kolkata as the venue of Jharkhand Road show is not only due to the historic relationships but also due to close bonding as since ages Bongs used to visit their neighbouring state for a ‘Hawa Badal’ or ‘changer’ for the betterment of their health, said tourism minister of Jharkhand, Mr. Sudivya Kumar.
Kolkata is the best place to kick start the Jharkhand Tourism Roadshow in the new era. He also described the links with Lord Chaitanyadev and Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar etc with Jharkhand.
He was the chief guest of the two days Jharkhand Roadshow in Kolkata, which concluded yesterday evening with the B2B meeting and cultural shows with audio visual presentation at Taj Taal Kutir, in Eco Park Kolkata.
Mr. Sudivya Kumar in his address to the gathering has said that Jharkhand in the 25 th anniversary of its formation as a state has immense potential in tourism and has invited the partners and stakeholders to explore the picturesque waterfalls, vast water bodies, hills, forests, religious places etc.
He added that the law and order situation has improved in the state and the days of Maoists insurgency in the state are the stories of the past. “ You put one step forward for our state and I today ensure that Jharkhand tourism will come two steps forward to help you. Our single window policy and focus on the tourism sector have benefited the investors in the state in the tourism and hospitality sector,”he said.
He further added that the initiative will not be limited to these road shows and invited all the stakeholders to show the model tourism policy of Jharkhand in capital Ranchi. From any place of Bengal, by road can be reached in any place to Jharkhand in five to six hours and the road and air connectivity have improved immensely, the minister said. He added that the self drive tourism sector is attracting the visitors of Bengal due to the world class highways and new generation luxury vehicles.
The minister said that homestay tourism will be boosted and some investors in the state have shown interest to set up homestays in Jharkhand. There are 32 tribes in Jharkhand and the tourism department is setting up a Tribal Tourism Circuit. “ These indigenous people whom you have seen in films and posters will be seen and the cuisines and cultures can also be explored during the visits,”he said.
Smt. Anjali Yadav, Director ( Tourism) and MD of JTDC speaking on the occasion said that a number of investors have shown their keen interest to invest in the sustainable tourism infrastructure in Jharkhand in the meeting, which includes – Ambuja Neotia Group, Sumi Yashree Hotels and Resorts, Peerless Hotels and Resorts, Conveyor and Ropeway Services Private Limited, Polo Tower, Hotel Sonar Bangla, Shriram Ozone Group etc have evinced interest to set up hotels, resorts, ropeways in Jharkhand. About 40 tour operators, hotel chains, cuisines , cultural troupes bringing cultural heritage have been brought to the City of Joy. There was a one to one meeting with these investors in the presence of the tourism minister, she said. With the help of FICCI, as an industry this event has been successfully organized in Kolkata. Together we will work to make Jharkhand India’s most sustainable tourism destination, she added.
Mr. Manoj Kumar, Secretary ( Tourism) of Jharkhand in his address said that still today the weather attracts the visitors of the state since the ages of Tagore. Still today people come to Jharkhand for a ‘changer’, and so many famous and popular novels have been written in the rich Bengali literature with the plot amidst the backdrop of Jharkhand.
“ We have potential in all aspects of tourism – rural, tribal, eco tourism. 32 different tribes have different cultures and we want to promote rural tourism in a big way. Religious places like Parasnath, most spiritual place for the Jain community, Jyotirling in Deoghar . Due to the geographical advantage of the Deccan Plateau and Gangetic Plate mingles in Jharkhand that is why there are so many waterfalls here. There are large dams because of DVC and Jharkhand government, boosting water adventure sports and eco tourism sectors. We are also promoting the local festivals and the cuisines of Jharkhand.,”Mr. Manoj Kumar added.
State also organizes the tribal festivals. Jharkhand is well connected with rail, road and air links to all the tourism hotspots. There are many wildlife sanctuaries , including the only one wolf sanctuary in the country apart from the Tiger Reserves. The Anglo Indian village, Mcleoedganj is well connected with Netarhat and is a very popular tourism circuit.
Private investment is the key to the boost of tourism infrastructure and the Jharkhand Tourism department encourages the PPP model with incentives in Jharkhand tourism policy. Incidentally, the Jharkhand Tourism Policy has been drafted by the FICCI. The single window system policy is also for the tourism sector and a trade registration police was also launched last year by the Jharkhand Tourism department,he added.
The details have been uploaded in portals and registration numbers have also been given. We will launch Jharkhand State Tourism Awards 2025 and will be given on Tourism Day, the guidelines have also been finalized and approved by the minister and safety guidelines for adventure sports tourism are also formulated. In Jamshedpur recently a skydiving festival was organized and it was very popular and many participants were also from Kolkata.
Fourteen to fifteen routes have been identified as trekking routes. Guidelines for wayside amenities, rural tourism, homestays are also on the anvil. Land lease policy will also be upgraded, he said. There will be infrastructure development in 20 to 25 new tourism spots.
In six dams water sports kits have been distributed , and a few budget hotels are also coming up including Dhanbad and Netarhat very shortly, he said. A couple of glass watch towers including one at Patratu dam side are also being planned. Ropeway, sky walk and glass bridges are the upcoming attractions of Jharkhand tourism. Rites have been entrusted for the DPR and feasibility report. They will be in PPP mode and we have large land parcels. In Sahebganj the Ganga River flows through Jharkhand, the tourism secretary added.
Smt. Mousumi Ghose, Deputy Director General and Head States Division said that FICCI is privileged to partner with tourism department of Jharkhand government in organizing this roadhsow which aims to showcase Jharkhand’s tourism potential and foster collaborations within the travel, tourism and hospitality industry.
“ Our partnership with the Jharkhand government is deeply enriching as FICCI was priveled to support the launch of Jharkhand Tourism Policy 2021, unveiled by chief minister Mr. Hemant Soren in New Delhi in 2022. The policy was a significant step toward renewing the sector and bringing attention to the state’s blend of natural beauty, tribal heritage and adventure tourism,”she added.
Mr. Prem Ranjan, MD of JTDCL, Rajiv Kumar Singh, Deputy Director ( Tourism), Mr. Pranav Prakash, Deputy Director General and Regional Director ( East) of Ministry of Tourism, Mr. Manav Soni, national committee member of TAAI, Mr. Debjit Dutta, Chairman ( WB) of IATO, Smt. Shreya Swaraj, Media Head of Jharkhand Tourism, Smt. Ishita Bose Chakraborty, Senior Assistant Director of FICCI West Bengal State Council etc were also present.
Advertisement:
Add Comment