Bhubaneswar, Dec 23 (PTI) Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday wrote to his colleague G Kishan Reddy, seeking his intervention for sanctioning a special package for the development of tourism infrastructure and facilities in Odisha's Koraput district.

Noting that Koraput offers a "fantastic opportunity for tourism development along the historic, environmental, ecological and spiritual circuits of the Swadesh Darshan Scheme", Pradhan, the Union education minister, said the tourism in the region has suffered recently due to cyclone Hudhud in Vizag and a "special would go a long way in resuscitating the tourist footfalls in Koraput".

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This will certainly translate into a huge economic multiplier for the people in the region and adjoining areas, he said in the letter to Reddy, the union tourism minister.

“...Keeping in mind the massive untapped potential of the tourism sector in Koraput and the welfare of the people living there, I seek your personal intervention for sanctioning a special package for the development of tourism infrastructure in the Koraput district of Odisha," Pradhan said.

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While the Araku Valley tourism circuit is well-developed and now world-renowned for its coffee plantation, drawing lakhs of tourists from Vizag and nearby areas, Koraput has not been able to capitalise on the huge tourist catchment area.

In Koraput, tourists can enjoy the historical sites at the city of Jeypore, marvel at the Duduma waterfalls, boat at the Kolab Dam, trek and camp at Deomali and pay their obeisance at the Shri Jagannath Temple, Pradhan, who hails from Odisha, said.

Situated in the picturesque Eastern Ghats in Southern Odisha, Koraput has massive potential for tourism development, he said.

It is located close to the well-known tourist site Araku Valley in Andhra Pradesh, with similar topography, natural beauty and cultural wealth.

Pradhan said Koraput has good rail connectivity and boasts of Vistadome coaches on the Koraput-Rayagada route.

He also mentioned that the Centre has undertaken massive efforts towards tourism development under ‘Dekho Apna Desh”.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)