Kolkata Tourist Dept. lodges to engage folk artists to entertain visitors

Kolkata Government is planning to introduce integrated packages for tourists visiting the state. Visitors to Jalpaiguri, who choose to stay in tourism department lodges will now be able to enjoy cultural performances by local artists and folk groups.
As per the sources from the District Information and Cultural Affairs Department, the facility will be first launched at the tourist lodge in Murti and on the fringes of Gorumara National Park in Dooars. The facility will be then extended to other centres.
In Jalpaiguri, there are lodges of tourism department in Murti, Malbazar and Tilbari, beside a tourist centre at Batabari.
As per an official’s statement, “Recently, a meeting was held among officials of the Jalpaiguri district administration and the state tourism department. It has been decided that each folk artist will be paid an honorarium of INR 1000 for a performance and would also be provided with transport and refreshments by the department.”
To further implement this plan, the Information and Cultural Affairs Department will be coordinating with the managers of tourism department lodges to send cultural troupes for entertaining visitors in the evening. Till date, local troupes have been performing only in some private resorts in Lataguri and Gorumara National Park. But with the implementation of this plan, the tourist lodges will also get the same scale of entertainment.

Also, as soon as the new initiative starts, respective lodges will release details of dancers and folk artists to tourist every day. Reportedly, there are around 800 folk artists enrolled with the information and cultural affairs department.