HYDERABAD: The state government on Monday decided to rename the upcoming night bazaar near Shilparamam as YSR Shilpa Sandhya Vedika and will be announcing this, minister for tourism J Geeta Reddy said, "This was the dream project of late chief minister YSR. The night bazaar is being built at a cost of Rs 17 crore. A 200-room budget hotel will also come up near Shilparamam."
The government also took a decision to construct Shilparamams at Bhadrachalam, Sangareddy, Vijayawada, Anantapur, Warangal and Nellore. With an aim to providing better safety and security to tourists, the minister urged CM to create a separate tourism police.
Meanwhile, the government decided to announce a new tourism policy. Under the new policy, the state government will have three key thrust areas — infrastructure, promotion and tourism organisation. The new policy is expected to continue incentives like stamp duty exemption, power rebate, etc, in view of the recession, which has adversely affected the sector.
The investment subsidy for notified tourism projects costing less than Rs 5 crore will be 20% of the project cost subject to a maximum of Rs 20 lakh. There will be 100% stamp duty exemption for notified projects and electricity will be supplied at Rs 2 per unit. The new policy hopes to attract an investment of Rs 21,377 crore during 2009-2012 while the subsidies given to them would be Rs 1,335 crore.
The policy will focus on promotion of Hyderabad as convention capital, medical tourism capital and constitute two separate societies with all stake holders for the purpose and promotion of film tourism, southern splendour train, heli-tourism etc.
YSR WAS THE GREATE CHIEFMINISTER OF ANDHRAPRADESH.
