Planning Board VC Vinod Kumar seeks MEA help in up ticking tourist footfall in Telangana

Hyderabad: The Telangana State Planning Board Vice-Chairman B Vinod Kumar on Wednesday urged the Indian Foreign Service officer C Rajashekhar, who is in the Ministry of External Affairs, for help in increasing the international tourist footfalls in Telangana, which would help promote entrepreneurship in the State.

The Planning Board VC had a meeting with the IFS officer during his visit to Delhi. Rajashekhar, who hails from Telangana, and discussed the avenues and scope of improving ties and promoting tourism. He explained that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed the Ministry of External Affairs to work with different States so as to ensure better coordination and growth and relationships of States with other countries. He further pointed out that this was a novel initiative of the Ministry of External Affairs that is aimed at working synergistically with different States to build effective relationships.

Vinod Kumar highlighted the achievements after the formation of Telangana in 2014 under the leadership of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao in areas of water, irrigation, power, law and order, ease of doing business (EODB) and facilitation and quicker disposal through establishing Commercial Courts to reduce pendency of business litigations. He also stressed the need to tap the huge tourism potential of the State, keeping in view the great heritage sites, flora and fauna and attractive locales. It was also proposed in the meeting that foreign tourist footfalls can substantially be increased which will lead to improving employability and entrepreneurship in Telangana.

Rajashekhar assured the VC that a joint high-level meeting of the Ministry of External Affairs and Telangana could be planned this year in Hyderabad to develop an action plan to facilitate better interaction and interface with the Ministry of External Affairs. Vinod Kumar also congratulated the officer for his keen interest to work with the States and hoped that many investments possibilities and potentials would emerge from these interactions.