Want homestays in every village of Uttarakhand: MoS tourism Ajay Bhatt

ALMORA: During his visit to Uttarakhand, Union MoS defence and tourism Ajay Bhatt said that the government is working on increasing air and road connectivity in the hill state, so tourists can visit unconventional spots as well as the popular ones and local residents can boost their earnings.

"We want to connect local residents to the homestay scheme in every village of Uttarakhand, especially in border villages, so locals can be self-employed. Usually, tourists from neighbouring states coming to Uttarakhand pick well-known locations where they spend a couple of days. We want tourists to come to off-beat locations as well. This will not only boost revenue but also stop migration from hills," said the minister. "We will also implement the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) scheme in the hill state. The state has sent a proposal worth Rs 3.30 crore to the Centre to add facilities for visitors to Dunagiri temple," he added.