Minister offers help to develop Srisailam as tourist hub

By Our Staff Reporter

SRISAILAM (KURNOOL dt.), JUNE 4. The Union Minister for Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Mr. Anant Kumar, offered to develop Srisailam as a place of tourist attraction if the local authorities, organisations and elected representatives presented feasible projects to the Centre.

Addressing a function at the Shivaji Memorial Centre after laying the foundation for the main entrance, guest house and ayurvedic repository along with the Union Minister for Rural Development, Mr. M. Venkaiah Naidu, here on Monday, he said there was scope for establishing a museum, exhibition and Yatri Nivas in the complex of the Shivaji Memorial, which was coming up at a cost of Rs 1.5 crores close to the temple.

Mr. Anant Kumar stressed the need to change the marketing strategies to develop centres of tourist attraction. It was difficult to project India as a tourist destination but by marketing specific places the country could be brought on to the world tourist map. He urged the agencies and people associated with tourism to promote and expose the culture of Andhra Pradesh and shrines like Srisailam. He said the Centre had sanctioned Rs 50 lakhs when the organisers of the Shivaji Memorial represented for financial assistance. He called upon the Memorial Committee to complete the project at the earliest.

Mr. Anant Kumar described Shivaji as an ideal king who handed down the code of governance to the successive generations and said a memorial for him outside Maharashtra was a befitting honour.

The Union Minister for Rural Development, Mr Venkaiah Naidu, said an integrated plan was required to develop religious places as tourist attractions. The departments of tourism, culture, endowments and tribal welfare should draw up a comprehensive plan for development. He promised to involve the Minister for Tribal Welfare in future in the activities related to Srisailam because the tribals, Chechus, inhabited the area and were closely associated with the age-old shrine.

Mr. Naidu called for a cultural renaissance to revive the vanishing human values from society. The politics of vote banks was a great threat to the culture and polity of Indian society. In the past there was a clear distinction between religion and culture. However, the people with the mindset of the `Macaulay education', who were at the helm, looked to India from the colonial angle and failed to grasp the essence of Indianness. Religion was a personal affair and anybody could profess the faith of one's choice, Mr. Naidu said adding that culture which was a way of life should be paramount for all citizens.

He described Shivaji as a national hero, who fought against slavery. The BJP floor leader, Mr. Indrasena Reddy, the Shivaji Memorial Committee president and Kurnool MLA, Mr. T.G. Venkatesh, the vice-president, Mr. B. Sadasivarao and others spoke. Chenchus presented cultural programmes welcoming the guests.

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