Odisha to provide homestay options for visiting NRIs

Bhubaneswar: As Odisha is gearing up to host the three-day Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) from January 8 to be attended by around 7,000 NRIs, the State government is making homestay arrangements for the visitors apart from hotel accommodations.

The homestay owners have been provided training in guest management and safety protocols. “It is a big opportunity for the people of Odisha to host the NRIs. We will also make homestay arrangements for them apart from hotel accommodation,” Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida said. Odisha’s hospitality would be on the like of “Atithi Deva Bhabo” (Guest is God), she said.

In order to facilitate the visitors to book their accommodation, Parida said the Odisha Tourism department has arranged 200 hotels with more than 3,700 rooms in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri. The families owning homestays, who would host the visiting NRIs, have been provided basic training in guest management and safety protocols, a senior official said. The aim is to provide the Indian diaspora with the experience of Odisha’s atmosphere as well as the culture and tradition in Odia homes, the official said.

This apart, in view of cyber frauds in hotel bookings, the State government has advised the delegates to book their accommodation through a dedicated website ‘pbdindia.gov.in.’ The State Tourism department has shared the names and other details of hotels with the Ministry of Home Affairs for the safety of delegates.

The department has also identified as many as 30 tourist destinations in Bhubaneswar, Puri, Konark, Chilika-Satapada and Raghurajpur crafts village where the NRIs may pay visits, the official said. The PBD event began in 2003 and is being held in Odisha for the first time. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday reviewed the preparations for the programme. Majhi said the cleanliness of Bhubaneswar should be of international standard. For this, he suggested that a special cleanliness campaign be conducted in the State capital. All the roads in the city are being renovated, illuminated and decorated, while tourist places are being beautified.

According to a statement issued by the CMO, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is scheduled to attend the first day on January 8, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 9 and President Droupadi Murmu on January 10. The event will feature a Plenary Session on topics such as ‘Unraveling India’s Best Kept Secret’ and ‘Odisha – the Land of Opportunities’.

During the PBD events, the State has planned as many as 10 festivals in Bhubaneswar in January.

These are Raja Rani Music Festival (January 7-11), Muktaswar Dance Festival (January 7-11), International Odissi Dance Festival (January 7-11), Tribal Dance and Folk Art Festival (January 7-11), Adivasi Mela (Tribal Fair) (January 5-15), Chilika Bird Festival (January 6-12), Flower Show (January 7-11), Food Fest (January 8-10) and Night Flea Market (January 8-10).