Shakti Yojana boosts tourism in Chikkamagaluru district as number of visitors double in June
One month since implementation of scheme, over 7 lakh tourists visited district
Chikkamagaluru, a popular tourist destination in Karnataka renowned for its scenic beauty, has witnessed a significant surge in tourist arrivals following the implementation of the state government's Shakti Yojana. The scheme has contributed to a doubling of tourist numbers in the district, highlighting its positive impact on local tourism.
Fondly referred to as the 'Coffee Land of Karnataka' and the 'Kashmir of Karnataka', Chikkamagaluru attracted 69.70 lakh tourists in 2022. As of June-end 2023, the district has already welcomed 29.24 lakh visitors. Within just one month of the Shakti scheme's introduction, Chikkamagaluru witnessed an impressive influx of 7.17 lakh tourists.
Tourist sites such as Mullayyanagiri, Seethalayyanagiri, Bababudangiri, Kemmannugundi, and the waterfalls in the Chandradrona Hill area have been popular among visitors. Additionally, religious centers like the Sharadamba Temple in Sringeri, the Annapoorneshwari Temple in Horanadu, and the Kalaseshwara Temple in Kalasa have attracted a significant number of tourists to the district.
Comparing statistics from June 2022, Sringeri recorded 1.20 lakh visitors, Horanadu received 88,000 visitors, Kalasa welcomed 8,100 visitors, Dattapeetha saw 63,000 visitors, and Kemmannugundi hosted 18,000 visitors, totaling 2.97 lakh tourists for the month. This year has also witnessed a steady flow of visitors, with 8.13 lakh tourists in January, 3.03 lakh in February, 2.93 lakh in March, 3.67 lakh in April, 4.3 lakh in May, and 7.17 lakh in June.
Government records indicate that the free bus travel facility provided to women under the Shakti scheme has encouraged a significant number of female tourists to explore various religious and tourist centers in Chikkamagaluru. Furthermore, with the monsoon season subsiding, tourists have found it an opportune time to visit the district. Notably, the Sharadamba Temple alone witnessed a staggering 1.60 lakh visitors in June, while the Annapoorneshwari Temple and Kalaseshwara Temple welcomed 2.20 lakh and 1.5 lakh visitors, respectively. Dattapeetha and Kemmannugundi received 1.16 lakh and 71,000 visitors, respectively, during the same period.
Lohith, Assistant Director of the Tourism Department, expressed his satisfaction with the significant increase in tourist footfall over the past six months, with approximately 30 lakh visitors exploring the district. The season of the Neelakuruvanji flowers has also attracted a considerable number of tourists to Mullayyanagiri. The Shakti Yojana has played a crucial role in driving tourist numbers to the religious centers and popular tourist spots in Chikkamagaluru. As a result, business activities in the district have witnessed a notable upswing, further bolstering tourism prospects.
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Karnataka cabinet approves formation of separate Dharwad Municipal Corporation
Bengaluru: The Karnataka Cabinet has approved a formation of separate Dharwad city corporation. Alongside, a 15% hike in fares across the four state transport corporations was also approved. The revised fares will come into effect on January 5.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil, addressing the media at the Committee Hall of Vidhana Soudha, provided details about the decision. He explained that the last fare revision for BMTC was a decade ago when diesel cost Rs 60.98 per litre. Since then, operational costs have risen significantly.
Diesel expenditure for the four corporations has increased from Rs 9.16 crore to Rs 13.21 crore, and personnel costs have grown from Rs 12.85 crore to Rs 18.36 crore. The daily operational burden now stands at Rs 9.56 crore. The fare hike is expected to generate an additional Rs 74.85 crore in monthly revenue without burdening the state exchequer, as Rs 5,015 crore has already been allocated for the Shakti Yojana this fiscal year.
Minister Patil announced that the Cabinet has decided to bifurcate the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation into two independent municipal bodies.
The Cabinet approved the construction of a fishing port in Hejamady village, Udupi, with a revised estimate of Rs 209.13 crore. Additionally, Rs 84.57 crore has been sanctioned for the modernization and dredging of fishing ports.
In a move to strengthen cow shelters, Rs 10.50 crore has been allocated for projects in 14 districts. The Cabinet also approved constructing a building for Visvesvaraya Technical University in Chikkaballapur district at Rs 149.75 crore.
The Cabinet sanctioned a state-of-the-art bus stand in Bannimantap, Mysuru, at a cost of Rs 120 crore. Spread over 14 acres, the facility will include a divisional office, bus units, and commercial shops.
Approval was also granted to utilize Rs 137.85 crore, provided by the Union Finance Ministry under the Special Capital Assistance Scheme, for capital expenditure.
The Kalyana Karnataka Regional Development Board will use Rs 56.92 crore from its SCP/TSP scheme to supply bed sheets, mosquito nets, and clothing to government residential schools and hostels.
The Cabinet approved Rs 100 crore to construct new buildings for 200 veterinary institutions currently housed in rented or dilapidated structures, using NABARD assistance.
In Davangere, a site was allotted to the Karnataka Working Journalists' Association for constructing a civic facility. A plot in Avaragere village was also leased for 30 years at a concessional rate to Nayaka Vidyarthi Nilaya.
