Chief minister Nabam Tuki has said tourism can generate direct and indirect employment in the state.
After inaugurating the Golden Pagoda eco-resort tourism complex in Lohit district here on Thursday, Tuki said, “This is the beginning of growth of spiritual and eco tourism in this part of Arunachal Pradesh with Lord Buddha’s relics being installed in the pagoda for a week-long exposition providing a golden opportunity for inflow of tourists.”
In a picturesque environment overlooking the pagoda, the Rs 469.26 lakh project of the Union tourism ministry includes four special suits, eight executive suits (twin sharing), two dormitories to accommodate 20 people each, a restaurant, multipurpose hall, an administrative block and flower garden, tourism minister Pema Khandu said.
Tourism parliamentary secretary P D Sona praised the rural works department for completing the project in just 53 months.
Tourism secretary Sonam Chombay said the project would give a new thrust to spiritual and eco tourism. There are many such projects in the pipeline, Chombay added.
Lok Sabha member Takam Sanjoy, a host of ministers including finance minister Chowna Mein, and officers, including Lohit deputy commissioner Rajiv Takuk and SP Tume Amo, were present at the occasion.
The chief minister, his colleagues and dignitaries, along with monks, would be the first to pay their obeisance to Buddha’s relics at the pagoda at 8.30am on Friday.
The exposition will continue here till December 12 before the 2,568-year-old relics go back to National Museum, New Delhi. This is the second time the relics were taken outside the museum for exposition after Ladakh.
source: The Times of Inida, 06 DEC 2013
