Five places to watch as India prepares to hold marathon election

Roughly 900 million registered voters will begin heading to the polls this week as India begins a marathon, six-week general election that will determine the course of the world’s second-most populous country. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking re-election under more favorable conditions than just a few months ago, when rising concerns about a lack of jobs had put his government on the back foot, and polls showed slumping support for his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. 

But in late February, Modi’s government authorized airstrikes against Pakistan in response to a terrorist attack in Kashmir, generating a wave of nationalist sympathy. One survey found 43 percent of those polled wanted Modi to return as prime minister, up nine percentage points from last year. His party’s ruling coalition is expected to win with a reduced majority. 

But India’s vast size and diversity make its elections tough to follow -- and nearly impossible to predict. Here are five key places to watch. 

The Densely-Packed North 

The crucial state of Uttar Pradesh, along with the other densely-populated north Indian provinces of Rajasthan, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, will largely determine the fate of this election. The states have a combined population of nearly half-a-billion people. 

In 2014, the BJP won its powerful mandate by sweeping these four key states: winning 71 of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, all 25 seats in Rajasthan, 27 of 29 states in Madhya Pradesh and 22 of 40 seats in Bihar. Analysts say it’s going to be nearly impossible to replicate that success. 

In state elections in December, the opposition Congress defeated BJP administrations in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. And in Uttar Pradesh, two powerful regional parties have teamed up against the BJP. If Modi’s party loses a significant number of seats here, it will struggle to piece together a majority, leaving it with no choice but to lean on coalition allies.

A Dangerous Battleground 

Kashmir plays an outsize role in India’s politics and foreign policy. Despite a small population and marginal economy, the state has been the primary battleground for the broader India and Pakistan geopolitical rivalry. 

On Feb. 14, a Pakistan-based terrorist group launched a suicide bombing that killed 40 Indian paramilitary troops there, prompting air strikes from New Delhi and further retaliation from Islamabad. 

Details are sketchy amid claim and counter-claim, but the stand-off unquestionably darkened political mood ahead of the election, displacing economic woes as the main topic of debate. Modi’s party has been playing up its tough response. 

The Religious Cauldron 

The ruling party hopes to compensate for potential losses in northern India by focusing on eastern states -- particularly West Bengal and Odisha. The BJP has less traction here, but analysts expect them to fan religious tensions to unite the Hindu vote in a region with millions of Muslims. 

Modi’s BJP Bets on New Conquests in 2019 Poll After State Losses 

With nearly 100 million people, West Bengal is the most important eastern state. It’s dominated by fiery leader Mamata Banerjee, India’s most powerful regional politician. Her All India Trinamool Congress won 34 of the state’s 42 seats in 2014, and a repeat performance could make her a potential king-maker in the alliance of opposition parties. The BJP is going hard for the state: Modi drew a crowd of thousands in Kolkata on April 3 and an ABP News-Nielsen poll suggests the BJP could win eight seats this time compared to just two in 2014. 

In Odisha, on India’s eastern coast, the BJP hopes to peel away seats from a regional party that won 20 out of 21 seats last time around. But potential gains in the east are unlikely to fully compensate the BJP for losses in India’s heartland. 

The Holy City 

Modi has once again chosen to contest the election from the holy city of Varanasi, also known as Benares. The Hindu nationalist politician’s decision is highly symbolic: The city is revered throughout India and is renowned for its Hindu temples along the sacred Ganges. 

The prime minister’s choice also signals the importance placed on Uttar Pradesh. With rising criticism about his government’s record on jobs, some expect Modi and other BJP politicians to lean more heavily on Hindu nationalist talking points -- including the protection of cows and the construction of a controversial temple. 

A Remote Region 

One of Modi’s successes has been expanding the BJP’s base from the Cow Belt to other parts of the country. That includes seven northeastern states that lie sandwiched between Bangladesh on one side and Myanmar and China on the other. 

In the state of Assam, however, where immigration from neighboring Bangladesh is a big issue, the state’s BJP administration has inflamed tensions with a draft law that might disenfranchise Muslim migrants while protecting Hindus and Christians. That’s prompted protests in Assam and in other northeastern states that could endanger the BJP’s inroads in this remote region. 

Source

An Indian tourist adrift in India

Having travelled much of the world variously as seafarer, media person, techie and more, I have, over the last few years, opted to be a tourist exclusively within India, and that too, as much as possible, by surface transport - rail, road and water.

There are, certainly, vast improvements in infrastructure and service delivery, especially from the private sector. There are also huge regional imbalances in the quality of products and services, with south India and north-east India way ahead of the rest of India in terms of true and real hospitality as well as basics.

But it is where governments, both state and Central, come into the picture that the realities are often totally at odds with the stated goals and objectives. As a matter of simple fact, it is very often these very so-called facilitating bodies, both Central and state, and the people therein, who work at cross purposes, usually behaving more as danda-wielding "sarkari sanstha" types, than as tourism facilitators.

 

This also varies from region to region and this short essay is about the ground realities in the Bundelkhand region, which is divided between Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, two of our largest states in terms of size and population as well as tourism potential, and the role of the Indian railways therein.

 

This is not to detract from the huge success of the Kumbh at PrayagRaj in eastern Uttar Pradesh - that has been and shall remain a Superstar to remind us of all that is possible and more when we as Indians set out to put in a remarkable performance.

 

For practical reasons, access to the Jhansi and Orchha belt of the Bundelkhand region is best via Delhi but rail access from the rest of India is also feasible. There is minimal or almost nil civilian air access to the Bundelkhand region, for multiple reasons. So, travel to Bundelkhand is perforce by rail or by road, and therein lies the glitch.

 

 

The first solid point off the bat - in all my travels all over India, I have seldom come across more hospitable and honest ordinary people, than in the Bundelkhand areas.

 

Their pride, self-respect and understanding of service as different from servitude is to be saluted. From the poorest of daily wagers to the owners of massive properties, my experience with all of them has been heartening, and their history bears this out. For this reason alone I would strongly recommend a tourist visit to Bundelkhand by Indians, as is borne out also by the simple fact that about 66% to 75% of white collar tourists to this area appear to be mainly non Anglo Saxon foreigners, because this is one part of India that gave the British colonial masters the tough time that they rarely encountered in other parts of the country. 

 

A huge group of tourists from China explained it to me thus - "We want to visit parts of India which are not just about Mughal and British era." 

 

In Bundelkhand, women on two-wheelers and in other activities of the tourism support services like guides, shop-keepers, restaurant and stall operators, are commonplace all over, showing that gender parity is well established. Also, none of the perils of modern tourism are visible as yet - no paedophilia, hard drugs and flesh trade. In three days of roaming around in this part of Bundelkhand, I did not see a single syringe in a gutter, was not solicited for sex even once, and did not spot a single massage parlour of  that looked suspicious. What you see in Bundelkhand is rock solid upper end tourists, apart from the regular Indian pilgrim traffic to the oldest temples seen in this part of India.

 

 

And honesty across the board. As well as an interesting attitude towards the Brits.

 

If you are British and you come to Bundelkhand, you will be reminded by every monument, museum and memory on how your ancestors were continuously on the trot here. If you are Indian, you will be reminded of how the Mughals and the British colonials were kept on the run by the intransigent people of Bundelkhand for centuries: which is also why this is one part of north India where ancient Hindu, Jain and Buddhist monuments have survived - and that is important to understand as well as to observe. It is another matter that the Jhansi Museum, maintained by the government of Uttar Pradesh, and the Jhansi fort, maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) under the Central government, still refer to 1857 as "mutiny", sadly.

 

Roads in and around Bundelkhand are not of the best quality, but they are totally safe for tourists, especially women, and it can take anything between 8 and 12 hours to and from Delhi to Jhansi/Orchha for example. In addition, the highways meander in and out of UP and MP multiple times, with added excursions into Rajasthan and Haryana, so moving around in yellow plate commercial vehicles is full of inter-state complications of the which have only become more complex with time.

 

That leaves us with the Indian Railways. Access to Bundelkhand is good via Jhansi junction, an important railway as well as old garrison town, but therein also lies another small technicality - most of the fast trains from Delhi operate via Agra and Gwalior, which swallow up most of the seats available, and so huge waiting lists for Jhansi from Delhi are legendary. It is another matter that this route also appears to block a lot of seats and berths for the so-called VVIPs. The Gatimaan Express, now India's second fastest train, is the preferred option on this route - if you can get tickets to and from Jhansi, that is. 

 

In addition, as happens with Indian Railways, the executive lounge for 1st AC and the executive class paying passengers at the Jhansi railway station, announced with much fanfare by the ministry of railways, has been cordoned off for visiting VVIPs of the indeterminate sort. The rest of the railway station is a royal mess of the feudal sort too: the less said of it the better: and certainly not befitting that of a tourist hotspot. At the Jhansi railway station, the colonials never really left, they were just replaced by the neo-colonials and their cohorts as well as gibbering servants hiding their name tags.

 

Next, Jhansi is in Uttar Pradesh while Orchha is in Madhya Pradesh, and they are just about 10-15 kilometres apart. In addition, Jhansi is far away from Lucknow, Orchha is equally far away from Bhopal. The quality of services provided by state government officials on both sides, as explained to me variously, is not of the best.

 

Lucknow and Bhopal are both viewed as neo-colonial feudal entities which had a history of bowing to the Mughals and the British - which is not a popular theme in Bundelkhand. Delhi, incidentally, is viewed as the super slave city which bowed and cringed to the Mughals and the British.

 

The Bundelkhand ethos to tourism starts from there. As long as you can negotiate the perils placed in your path by the triumvirate of Central, MP and UP governments, it is a pleasant vacation for tourists. Do be prepared to be tripped up, however, at every step by babudom. 

 

 

For example, to see unpaid monuments in Orchha like the magnificient chhatries and the old Chatarbhuj temple, you are expected to go to far-away Raja Mahal and buy your tickets there for the paid monument which is the Orchha Fort. In person. Why in person? "Security". Of course, the same tickets are available at a premium everywhere or you can just tip the ever present "sarkari". The numbers add up if you are foreigner, because the tickets cost 250/- rupees. In addition, random entities have started charging for tickets even at other non-ticketed monuments in both Orchha and Jhansi, such as the existing temples. However, if challenged, they do withdraw.

 

The best hotels in Orchha are in the Rs4000 per couple per night, including breakfast, range. We stayed at the Bundelkhand Riverside, a sprawling property along the Betwa River, and enjoyed a decent quality of air, services and peace as well as met pleasant people across the range of tourism support services, which makes us want to go back to Orchha again. Hopefully the Indian Railways will do their part, and improve tourist facilities at Jhansi too.

Source

Union minister Alphons lists achievements of tourism sector, says India has huge potential

Tourism is increasingly becoming a major growth driver of India's economy, contributing around $250 billion or 10 per cent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2018, the minister said. In India, the share of tourism in GDP is around 7 per cent, and it contributes approximately 13 per cent to total employment. 

HIGHLIGHTS

• India's revenue from travel and tourism stood at $234 billion
• Alphons said that last year, India crossed 15.5 million international tourism arrivals
• The minister also said that the visa forms will be available in other regional languages as well

The kind of hospitality we provide in India is incredible and a tourist won't find it anywhere else, said Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism KJ Alphons while delivering his keynote address during the India Today's Tourism Survey and Awards 2019 on Monday.

Tourism is increasingly becoming a major growth driver of India's economy, contributing around $250 billion or 10 per cent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2018, the minister said. In India, the share of tourism in GDP is around 7 per cent, and it contributes approximately 13 per cent to total employment.

India's revenue from travel and tourism stood at $234 billion. Before 2018, 81.2 million people were employed in the tourism sector, the highest as compared to any other sector.

"The tourism Ministry has been pushing things fast. Last year, we crossed 15.5 million international tourism arrival. Against the total growth rate of 7 per cent in 2017, the growth rate of international tourism was 14 per cent. Still I am not happy because there is a lot more to do. I travel 25 days in a month, still I believe that I haven't explored 1 per cent of the country. There is so much to see" Aplhons said.

"I have travelled to Sikkim, it is the cleanest city I have ever seen. If a city in North-East India can do, then why can't we? Actually, the kids these days know that they don't have to throw garbage on road but elders don't," Aplhons said.

Source

How Goa’s food scene is going from susegad to sexy

Culinary eco-tourism is also taking root in Goa. Former software engineer Ajay Naik founded Letcetra Agritech which grows and sells pesticide-free vegetables at his high-tech vertical indoor hydroponic farm in Mapusa. His greenhouse hydroponic farm in Valpoi is open to visits. In Assagao, Peter Fernandes and Rosie Harding , who own a kitchen garden and food forest, offer a two- week course on how to grow produce using permaculture—one learns about plant nutrition, soil health, mulching and water systems. And the state’s first zero-waste store, Ecoposro , has a Sunday market focused on local and organic produce: grains, spices, cooking oils, coconut vinegar, rock salt, jaggery and vegetables. You can also shop for local produce at a farm. The Tropical Spice Plantation is a private spice farm in Ponda that’s open for tours that end with a meal of fish curry, xacuti, fresh fruit and even a glass of urak. Guests are taken for a walk around the plantation, which grows black pepper, cardamom, nutmeg, vanilla and even coffee, and tropical trees like cashew, areca nut, jackfruit, banana and pineapple.Crab hunting in Nerul. Photo: Athul Prasad

You wake up in the morning in an old Portuguese home in Goa. But instead of heading to the nearest shack, you set out on a fishing trip to catch your lunch. Morning activities done, the day stretches out in front of you. The options are varied and compelling: a Portuguese feast in a heritage home, a tasting of craft beer, feni or whiskey, a poee- making class, learning how to grow your own produce and much more.

Welcome to Goa 2.0. Nothing is different, yet everything has changed. While tourists still flock to the beaches, there’s a new wave of travellers seeking deeper, truly Goan culinary experiences—beyond fish curry and King’s beer—and a new wave of people willing to provide these.

What caused the shift? Reasons range from a surge in tourist traffic to the state’s abundance of organic produce to the fact that so many people from across India are moving to Goa in search of a different lifestyle—so both the supply of and the demand for diverse experiences has grown. Easier F&B legislations and low real-estate costs are also responsible for the mushrooming of fine-dining restaurants that serve everything from Russian to Turkish to Georgian cuisines. “It’s like the state of New York in that sense: there’s the beach, a good vibe, a happening nightlife and great food,” says Bawmra Jap of Burmese restaurant Bomra’s , which was #4 at the Condé Nast Traveller & Himalayan Sparkling Top Restaurant Awards 2018. In fact, while everyone was distracted by the Mumbai versus Delhi debate, Goa sneaked in and walked away with 10 restaurants in the top 50 list. The variety among these speaks for itself: there’s café-style Baba au Rhum , contemporary fusion favourite Elevar (98235 31102), The Black Sheep Bistro , which serves global fare such as crudo nouveau (raw fish with herbs and seasonal greens), lamb osso bucco and Creole chicken—all prepared using locally sourced ingredients. And Palácio do Deão , housed in an 18th-century mansion, does a modern spin on hyper-local produce and traditional techniques to serve up colonial-era Goan cuisine with Latin influences. It also showcases exhibits of the house’s history and Goa’s colonial era; book in advance and owners Ruben and Celia da Gama will serve their Indo-Portuguese fare along with Portuguese fados.

Jap, who started Bomra’s in Candolim in 2004, credits much of Goa’s position as a culinary destination to the variety of produce available in such a small state. He, too, uses local ingredients, and what isn’t available in the markets—morning glory, Sichuan peppers, kaffir lime, pea aubergines, shiso—he grows in his home garden. “In general, people in Goa are well- travelled and open to new experiences, especially related to food,” offers Prahlad Sukhtankar, owner at Panaji’s The Black Sheep Bistro. “Now, with quality players coming in, the level of competition has improved”.

But the scene goes far deeper than just restaurants. Take Arcis Clean Energy, a start-up that also organises e-bike tours under the banner B:Live Tours to promote eco- friendly travel and introduce people to a new side of Goa. With B:Live, a visitor can eat breakfast in an old Portuguese home on Divar Island and visit one of Panaji’s oldest bakeries, and take back their own little gift bag of much-loved homemade Goan desserts such as bebinca and dodol. “Travel has changed; it’s not just eat-and-go anymore. People want to get close to the heart and soul of a place, and food is the most authentic way to do that. Culinary experiences give you a memory to cherish and help the core culture of a place survive,” says Arcis’ co-founder Samarth Kholkar. Varun Hegde, founder of Soul Travelling , agrees. Set up with the aim of ‘showcasing Goa beyond the stereotypes’, his company does food tours around Mapusa and Margao, as well as a tavern trail in Panaji.

Locals, too, are opening their homes for dining experiences that highlight the state’s variety. Aggregator sites like Authenticook and Airbnb have made it easier for travellers to choose basis their budget and palate. Authenticook’s offerings currently include Portuguese Goan, Goan Saraswat, Bengali and Kerala cuisines. Most of the guests are foreign travellers looking for a unique local dining experience in which they can assist the chef. Food critic, author and TV host Odette Mascarenhas has opened her home in Porvorim via Airbnb Experiences. One of her experiences offers Portuguese dishes like fish caldin, recheado masala, almonas (fish cutlets) and prawn balchao, while the other is focused on meats—vindalho, sorpotel, chicken cafreal. Besides cooking demonstrations, she also takes pains to explain the history and traditions that are associated with the food.

Often, the homes themselves have a fascinating history. In Panaji, Dr Luis Dias and his wife, Chryselle D’Silva Dias, invite visitors for a high tea experience at their home, Casa da Moeda , once the Royal Mint of Goa and believed to be the only Portuguese Mint outside Portugal. The 400-year-old Figueiredo Mansion in Loutolim is now a museum, with one part of the house converted into a heritage inn. On request, owner Maria de Lourdes Figueiredo de Albuquerque and her daughter Maria de Fátima serve traditional Portuguese meals in the mansion’s dining room using antique cutlery and fine bone china. Expect dishes like chicken pulau, prawn calingassa, doce (a sweet made with boiled chickpeas and coconut), toucinho do céu (almond cake) and cataplana 

The dining table at the Figueiredo Manision/ Photo: Athul Prasad

But you don’t have to go to someone’s house. Visit an art café or a homestay and you might chance upon a star home chef. The Project Café in Assagao, hosts cool pop-ups at its in-house restaurant, Bismarckia; one saw Mumbai-based Goan chef Gracian de Souza marry Portuguese and Goan fare, with dishes such as salted veal tongue in a local temphal spice with peri-peri paste, and arroz (Portuguese rice) with balchao, local seafood and cured egg. In Parra, alternative art space The Village Studio hosts plant-based and vegan pop-ups, baking parties as well as Sunday roasts.

With so much going on, it’s no surprise that the travel and hospitality sector stepped up its game, too. Cox & Kings’ new food vertical, Tour to Feast , offers expert- led itineraries like market visits to shop for ingredients, lessons in making bread and feni, spice farm tours, street food trails and home dining. Crab hunting is a popular activity with guests at Coco Shambhala in Nerul; the catch is taken back to the villa and cooked as you like. Activities at The Leela Goa (doubles from Rs18,000) include demonstrations of Konkan and Saraswat cooking, a visit to a spice farm and pickle-making sessions. And at Grand Hyatt Goa (doubles from Rs16,000), guests can go on fishing trips as well as attend a Goan cooking masterclass at the in-house restaurant Chulha.

As travel experiences in Goa are changing, culinary knowledge is fast becoming the souvenir to bring back. And you can’t talk about food in Goa without making a mention of its love affair with bread. In July 2018, Alison Lobo started Ally’s Goencho Pao (85540 54640) to teach people how to make the state’s famous poee, pao, undes, paozinhos, sweet buns, katre and more. Lobo also makes chocolates, sausages and other snacks. Sujit Sumitran , aka the Bread Whisperer, sees a full house for his sourdough workshops. The self-taught baker would initially teach only his friends at his home in Britona. Now, almost all his students are tourists, many of whom fly down from across India just for the class.

The ‘Made in Goa’ tag is now being—rightly and successfully— capitalised on. Thanks to an enterprising few, there is a resurgence of interest in spirits other than the local feni. Gin, craft beer and mahua now now come with the tag of ‘brewed or distilled in Goa’. Desmond Nazareth (of the famed DesmondJi Agave Spirits) has created a new mahua spirit and liqueur, while Nao Spirits produces Greater Than—India’s first premium craft gin. Hapusa Himalayan Dry Gin is distilled in Margao, and Third Eye Distillery’s gin, Stranger & Sons, is distilled in Ponda. Meanwhile, at the all-new visitor’s centre at the Paul John distillery in Cuncolim, master distiller Michael D’souza conducts tastings and tours. And feni itself is being put to use in new ways, with tasting sessions and events, and in cocktails. Hansel Vaz, the owner of Cazulo Premium Feni , explains, “One of the things that irked me a lot is that there’s a big disconnect between the taste in the glass and the reputation of the drink. People don’t know enough as the drink has been put across in the wrong way. I want to make feni more accessible.” His distillery in Cansaulim is open for experiences, which start with a tour, with explanations of the traditional processes (which include stamping on the cashew fruit), and end in the cellar. This is where visitors can taste the three special expressions as a mixologist explains the spirit and how it can be used in cocktails. Post the tour, Vaz hosts a barbecue with acoustic music and home-cooked food on his small patio. Cazulo is also inventing feni-based cocktails and training bartenders across popular watering holes in Goa.

A guest samples the Feni at the distillery. Photo: Athul Prasad

With the microbrewery trend taking over the country, Goa is an obvious bet. The state’s laws allow microbreweries to distribute beer in any format—it can be sold in a bottle or can, on tap or in kegs, and can be exported—unlike in other parts of the country. The past few years have seen microbreweries from across India set up bottling plants and operations in Goa. Today, you can sip on cans of Simba, White Owl and Arbor Brewing Company from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, or try something local. Goa now has two homegrown microbreweries, Susegado at Baga and Goa Brewing Co (83 224 09350) at Sangolda. The latter is housed in a 250-year-old Goan home where the team is experimenting with permaculture and going zero-waste. Later this year, the brewery will also offer regular tours.

However, easier laws and experimental entrepreneurs can only take things so far. Beyond experiences, Goans firmly believe that the need of the hour is awareness, along with better infrastructure. “Goa has the potential to become India’s best culinary destination. To support the food scene, other facilities, such as public transport and parking, need to be in place,” explains Casa da Moeda’s D’Silva Dias. “People have always come to Goa to eat,” adds Mascarenhas. “We should now embrace this fact and promote it as our unique identity.”

Source

Saudi Arabia recognises India's position on Kashmir, concerns on terror

The joint statement issued during the visit of Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was a very clear recognition of India's position on Jammu and Kashmir and shows a great deal of sensitivity to India's concerns on terrorism, sources said here on Thursday.

They said the two-day visit of the Crown Prince that concluded on Wednesday has given tremendous structure to the strategic partnership, built on the solid foundation of the relationship and considerably broadened the relations.

The visit also saw a strong thrust to the Saudi investment and $100 billion has been earmarked for investment opportunities reflecting a strong confidence in India's growth story, according to the sources.

On the joint statement issued late Wednesday referring to the need for creating necessary conditions for resumption of dialogue between India and Pakistan, they said Saudi Arabia acknowledged that conditions have to be created for resumption of dialogue with Pakistan and displayed understanding of India's stand that terror and talks cannot go together.

They said there was recognition that Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan. There was also an acknowledgement of threats India is facing in terms of terror.

The joint statement issued also said that the Crown Prince appreciated consistent efforts made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi since May 2014, including his personal initiatives, to have friendly relations with Pakistan.

There was recognition that the Prime Minister had reached out to the western neighbour but acts of friendship were thwarted by acts of terror.

The sources said that Strategic Partnership Council, to be chaired by Prime Minister and the Crown Prince, would have two to three ministerial groups looking at specific areas such as defence and security, and economy, trade and investment.

The proposed joint naval exercise could take place in 2019 and could be later extended to Army and Air Force.

On Saudi investments in India, they said it would cover a wide area including infrastructure, refining, petrochemicals, engineering, minerals, tourism and manufacturing.

In all, 11 MoUs were signed in the meeting of business council which was attended by nearly 50 Saudi entities.

They said that security was identified as a major area of cooperation keeping in mind common threats faced by the two countries.

The statement said that the two sides agreed to constitute a "Comprehensive Security Dialogue" at the level of National Security Advisors and set up a Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism to enhance further cooperation in the counter-terrorism efforts and benefit mutually from real-time intelligence sharing.

It said that the two sides agreed to work together with other Indian Ocean Rim countries for enhancing maritime security.

The sources said that Saudi Arabia has also been sensitive to India's request on prices of crude and has also agreed to requests for release of prisoners and increasing the quota of Haj pilgrims.

It has been sensitive to the predicament of Indians stranded due to closure of a foreign company, they added.

Source

Delights of Garden Route highlighted on tourism roadshow in India

Cape Town – The George and Wilderness Tourism team attended the South African Tourism Roadshow in India earlier this month in an effort to strengthen tourism ties between the two countries.

The tourism officials saw about 1 200 tour operators and travel agents during the roadshow, including about 500 from Mumbai, 300 from Delhi, and 200 from both Chennai and Calcutta.

George and Wilderness showed off products, activities, accommodation and restaurants.

The Garden Route areas were represented with marketers from George and Wilderness Tourism, Fancourt, Protea Hotels by Marriot, Oudtshoorn Tourism, Cango Caves, Mossel Bay Tourism, along with Freaking Fast Waverider, The Diaz Hotel & Resort in Mossel Bay, Gondwana Game Lodge, Bloukrans Bungi in Tsitsikamma as well as SA Forest Adventures, opening shortly in Knysna - making up just over 10% of the total exhibitors.

The roadshow covered four cities across the east, west, south and north of India, and the delegation from George took 10 flights in eight days, moving from one city to the next.

Shanam Jain, of Maurya Travels, is set to visit George in April and said it was a pleasure to meet George Tourism manager Joan Shaw at the roadshow. 

“Your enthusiasm while representing your region was something I really was fascinated by. You gave me such a good update about George and Wilderness that I felt they should be on my next trip,” Jain said.

The tourism office will continue to build on the extensive network of contact details with follow-up emails providing information and arranging site visits for interested delegates. 

This is also a chance to stay in contact with these agents and send them news of special deals and events throughout the year so that next time they make a booking, they think of George first.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced recently he would work on SAA reinstating direct flights between Joburg and Mumbai, and South African Tourism has set a target of bringing 100 000 India visitors to South Africa each year in the next few years.

If this happens, the Garden Route and George could easily capture 50% of this market, Shaw said.

Tourism product owners who want to host more Indian guests can email jshaw@george.gov.za for more info.

Source

India-Bangladesh Collectively Working To Boost Trade And Tourism

India and Bangladesh are collectively working to improve connectivity between the two countries. India and Bangladesh will work on connectivity to boost trade and tourism, said Bangladesh’s Assistant High Commissioner to India.

While addressing a tourism convention, Bangladesh’s Assistant High Commissioner, Shah Mohammad Tanvir Monsur said: ” the Governments of Bangladesh and India are working on river routes, rail, and air connectivity to boost tourism. From next month, the Civil Aviation Ministry of the government of India is going to launch a direct flight between Guwahati and Dhaka. I am sure that this will address connectivity and boost tourism growth manifold between the two countries.”

“Currently, I am issuing 150 visas daily. I am sure from next month, the number of visas will increase three times or at least 400 every day,” Monsur added.

Monsur informed that Bangladesh will put its best efforts to export and enhance tourism medical, religious, archaeological tourism, between the two countries.

“The Government of Bangladesh is working on river connectivity presently. Dredging activity is going on in full swing. The Government of Bangladesh has extended a line of credit to the tune of USD 7 billion and under the line of credit, Government of Bangladesh is also establishing connectivity between Bangladesh and NE of India via rail links,” the official said.

Appreciating Meghalaya’s natural beauty, Monsur said, “I endorse the belief that Meghalaya is more beautiful than Scotland. My last posting was in Russia. Before that, I was in Dubai and Japan. I have visited many places but I have never come across a beautiful place like Meghalaya. Meghalaya has become an abode of peace. We see the state is disciplined and there were no conflicts. Thanks to the Home Minister.”

Source

Future of Kerala in tourism sector: Alphons

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Union Minister Alphons Kannanthanam launched the Sivagiri spiritual tourism circuit here with facilities like a craft bazaar, bus shelters and an audio-video virtual reality show and said that the future of Kerala lies in the tourism sector.

The inauguration of the much-hyped spiritual circuit around the Sivagiri Mutt near here was marred by controversy as the state-central ministers sparred over the project.

While Kannanthanam, the Minister of State for Culture and Tourism, asked the state government to change its approach towards the Centre, State Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran said that Kerala was ‘ignored’ in the project due to involvement of certain quarters.

“This (state) government had given a comprehensive proposal of Rs 99.09 crore for development projects at Sivagiri Mutt and temples related to Sree Narayana Guru. Just a few days before sanctioning this amount, due to the involvement from certain quarters, the state government was ignored. The chief minister had criticized the same,” Kadakampally said during his address in the event.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had earlier written to the Prime Minister against the Centre’s decision to inaugurate the spiritual circuit without consulting the state government.

The state government alleged that the Centre ignored its proposal to entrust the project to State Tourism Development Corporation. At present the project has been undertaken by the India Tourism Development Corporation.

“The state’s approach must change. We are now constructing walls around us. Instead of lighting lamps, people here are confining themselves inside the walls. This is a conservative thought process,” Kannanthanam said, in an apparent reference to the Women’s wall initiative by the state government.

He, however, said that the state and the Centre should work together and praised Kerala’s efforts in making the spiritual circuit around the Sivagiri Mutt a reality.

Sivagiri Sanyasis who spoke during the event said the Mutt does not have any kind of political affiliation and it wanted the ITDC to handle the spiritual circuit.

Under the total project, Chembazhanti Narayana Gurukulam, Aruvippuram temple, Subramanya Sawmi temple and Mutt at Kunnumpara and the Sivagiri Mutt will be developed.

The Sivagiri Mutt will have a tourist facilitation centre, enquiry room, waiting room, first aid, kiosks, cloak room, community dining hall with kicthen and audio-visual hall to be constructed at a cost of Rs 14.92 crore.

Kannanthanam said that Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned seven projects in Kerala under the Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD schemes for approximately Rs 550 crore. “Kerala’s future lies in exploring the possibilities in the tourism sector,” he said.

Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham President Swami Vishudhananda presided over the function.

The project was sanctioned in January 2019 for Rs 69.47 crore.

Other facilities to be developed under the project include tourist facilitation centers, beautification and landscaping, meditation/yoga centre, public conveniences, battery operated vehicles, drinking water facility, multimedia show, wayside amenities, parking, CCTV and Wi-Fi facilities, cafeterias, open air theatre. PTI

Source

This National Tourism Day, witness the best of India

It’s the National Tourism Day on 25 January, and like every year, India will celebrate the glorious day with much enthusiasm this year as well. What makes our country special is its rich diversity, golden history and cultural beauty. Every Indian state has its own culture and tradition, which is beautiful in its own way. 

So, on the occasion of National Tourism Day 2019, here is a handpicked list of places that one can visit to witness the best and real India. 

Kerala

Kerala, also known as ‘God’s Own Country’, is immensely beautiful! You can choose to explorethis gorgeously green state this National Tourism Day and add more to your travel memories. Known for its clean beaches, ancient temples, green spaces and amazing tea gardens, Kerala is one of the perfect places to witness India’s natural beauty. 

Gujarat

Credit: Getty Images

Once home to India’s most admired and respected leaders, Mahatma Gandhi, Gujarat is a culturally-rich state, brimming with a number of heritage sites. From pristine beaches and gorgeous temples to museums and national parks, this state is the soul of our country in true sense. 

Madhya Pradesh

Credit: Getty Images

Madhya Pradesh is probably one of the most beautiful and historically rich Indian states dotted with numerous ancient temples and caves. The destination is especially renowned for its Khajuraho Group of Monuments, tribal population and Bandhavgarh and Kanha national parks. Those who wish to witness the other side of India, Madhya Pradesh is their best bet! 

Northeast India

Credit: Getty Images

What can be better than witnessing the natural beauty of India’s seven sister states? These are Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura and each one is absolutely breathtaking! Their culture, their cuisine, their dance forms, everything is just too diverse and too beautiful, almost unreal. And that is why Northeast India makes for a perfect National Tourism Day travel destination! 

Rajasthan

Credit: Getty Images

A number of people believe that real India lives in Rajasthan. Well, there is little refuting the claim. The royalty that Rajasthan oozes, no other places in India will give you the same feeling. With ancient palaces, grand forts and a whole lot of princely tales, Rajasthan is just the destination where you need to be to get an insight into the royal past of India. 

Source