The Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) has decided to use helicopters to take tourists to the tourist spots in the State in association with the India Tourism Development Corporation, according to S.P. Shanmuganathan, Minister for Tourism.
Inaugurating the 2-day summer festival at Yelagiri Hills on Saturday, Mr. Shanmuganathan said that in the first phase, the TTDC has planned helicopter service between Madurai and Ramanathapuram and between Madurai and Kanyakumari. The Tamil Nadu government has allotted Rs. 178.51 crore for tourism development during 2014-15.
Tamil Nadu occupies the first place in attracting domestic tourists and the second place in attracting international tourists, he said.
On the tourism development activities being undertaken in Vellore district, the Minister said that work on a dormitory at a cost of Rs. 35 lakh in Virinjipuram for the benefit of devotees visiting the Sri Margabandheeswarar Temple and works to improve basic amenities at a cost of Rs. 26.5 lakh in Tirupparkadal for the benefit of devotees visiting the Sri Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal Temple are in progress. A total of 3.5 lakh tourists visited Yelagiri Hills in the last four years. The tourism department is implementing schemes to provide amenities for a projected tourist inflow of 1.5 crore in 2023, he said.
K.C. Veeramani, School Education Minister, inaugurated the multi-departmental exhibition. R. Nanthagopal, Collector of Vellore presided. M. Manohar Singh, Project Director, District Rural Development Agency, welcomed the gathering. Tiruvannamalai MP R. Vanaroja and MLAs K.G. Ramesh (Tirupattur), Govi. Sampathkumar (Vaniyambadi), M. Kalaiarasu (Anaicut) and Mohammed Jhan (Ranipet) and Vellore Mayor P. Karthiyayini participated.
Flower show and various cultural programmes by students and professional troupes formed the highlights of the festival on Saturday. Dog show and folk art programmes marked the festival on the second and concluding day on Sunday.
The Collector delivered the valedictory address and distributed the prizes to the best stalls on Sunday. The agriculture department, the school education department and the animal husbandry department bagged the first, second and third prizes respectively. Consolation prizes were given to all other government departments and quasi-government organisations which had put up stalls. Prizes were also given to the women’s self-help groups from different parts of the State which had put up stalls of their products at the multi-departmental exhibition.
