SHGs To Run Wayside Amenity Centres In Odisha Soon

Bhubaneswar: Twenty wayside amenity centres (WACs) and 12 cafeterias at prominent tourist destinations in Odisha will soon be handed over to self-help groups (SHGs) under Mission Shakti.

“MoUs with be signed with SHGs and they will be provides with hand-holding support and financial assistance to run these facilities,” Tourism Minister Aswini Kumar Patra said.

It was in October 2022 that the state government asked its officials to ensure that all WACs along thoroughfares are properly maintained to attract more tourists. The objective was to make tourists “feel at home” at these centres. Currently, there are 84 WACs by the side of different highways and arterial roads leading to tourist destinations.

The minister further informed that India’s leading amusement park brand Wonderla is slated to open its fourth amusement park at Bhubaneswar. While Taj Vivanta, ITC Welcom, Lemon Tree, Park Hotels and Novote have set up properties in Bhubaneswar and Gopalpur, Taj and Swosti groups are coming up with hotels at Puri.

Holistic development of 15 priority destinations like Satkosia, Hirakud, Bhitarkanika, Chilika, Chandrabhaga beach front, Daringbadi, Talsari beach promenade, Khandagiri-Udayagiri, Deomali, Nrusinghanath-Harishankar, Dhabaleswar, Mahendragiri, Bakulabana, Dhauli and Raghurajpur is underway through integrated tourism masterplans, he added.