Need to overcome bottlenecks to utilise Buddha circuit toursim: President
New Delhi, Aug 23 : Last-mile connectivity is vital for popularizing India's rich history of Buddha circuit, said President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday, emphasizing that "we need to overcome the bottlenecks so that heritage tourism is utilised to its full potnetial."
"I must emphasise that while we should take advantage of our strengths, we also need to overcome issues that are limiting us from scaling up," the President said after inaugurating the 6th International Buddhish Enclave in the capital.
He said that there are issues related to limited market research, limited interpretation, and inadequate exhibiting and presentation of the Buddhist Circuit's history and narrative.
"While air services have expanded in the past few years, last-mile connectivity, whether by way of road and rail, still has gaps that need to be filled. Pollution and environmental changes are other pressing concerns," he pointed out.
The President said that despite these niggling problems, the potential is so large that it can only motivate us to move ahead with greater energy and vigour.
"I am confident that the combined expertise of the delegates at this conclave, drawing inspiration from the wisdom and the problem-solving techniques of Lord Buddha, will lead our heritage tourism efforts to a more enlightened path," he added.
The President also launched a website (www.indiathelandofbuddha.in) and a film dedicated to the Buddhist circuit in the country.
Kovind also said that the practice of cultural and religious travel and tourism is not new to India.
"It goes back thousands of years and in fact visits from Buddhist pilgrims, monks and scholars from other countries and civilisations have been a proud feature of our history. This has been mutually enriching and in diverse ways," he said.
"The voyage of Buddhism from India to Asia and the trans-continental links that were created carried more than just spiritualism. They carried a rich cargo of knowledge and learning. They carried arts and crafts. They carried meditation techniques and even martial arts," he added.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
SC asks states to treat rising child trafficking cases as grave; seeks coordinated action
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court has voiced grave concern over rising cases of child trafficking, saying gangs are operating across the country and if States and Union territories do not take immediate action, thing will go beyond control.
The court said only the state government and its home department can act vigilantly in this regard.
“As a court we can monitor, but ultimately the action has to be on the part of the state government, the police, and other agencies. Therefore, this is our humble request”, a bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and K V Viswanathan said during the hearing of a plea on Wednesday.
The bench was irked over the "lackadaisical" approach of several states and UTs in implementing a 2025 judgment aimed at dismantling organised trafficking networks.
Justice Viswanathan said the retrieval of children in some cases proves the problem can be tackled, but it requires a level of political and administrative will which is lacking at present.
The verdict, delivered on April 15, 2025, had mandated several institutional reforms, including completion of trials in trafficking cases within six months on a day-to-day basis.
It had also directed strengthening of Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) and improving investigation standards.
Besides asking for setting up of state-level committees to monitor vulnerable trafficking hotspots, it had asked the authorities to treat missing children cases as trafficking unless proven otherwise.
Earlier, the bench had termed the compliance reports filed by a few states as "nothing but an eye wash."
On Wednesday, the bench noted that Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Haryana, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Odisha, and Punjab had still failed to file reports in the prescribed format.
When the home secretary of Madhya Pradesh offered an apology for the lapse, the bench granted a "final opportunity" but warned that continued failure would lead to states being officially branded as "defaulting".
The bench noted that at least 15 states are yet to constitute review committees mandated to identify and monitor trafficking-prone areas.
The matter will now be heard on April 29.
