How about enjoying boat racing in the Ganga near the ghats of Varanasi, participating in jet-skiing, or kayaking? All these and other thrilling activities may soon spread rapidly in Uttar Pradesh, as the state government is going to implement its new Water Tourism and Adventure Sports Policy 2023. The plan is to transform UP into one of the most preferred water sports destinations in the country.
“As of now, despite having high potential, people from UP and other neighbouring states have to move to Uttarakhand to enjoy water sports activities. However, once the UP Water Tourism and Adventure Sports Policy 2023 is implemented, people will be able to enjoy adventure sports, including flyboarding, kiteboating, parasailing, paddle-boarding, surfing, etc, in UP itself,” a state government spokesperson said.
About the policy
UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath at a recent cabinet meeting cleared the Water Tourism and Adventure Sports Policy 2023. The plan that aims to transform UP into a water tourism and adventure sports destination would initially be in effect for 10 years. “This policy would cover all inland, air and water routes, dams, reservoirs, lakes, and all water bodies in UP,” said a media release, quoting Jaiveer Singh, the tourism minister.
Singh also stated that the hills in the Vindhyas and Bundelkhand regions, about 16,620 sq km in the foothills of the Himalayas, as well as the forest areas, waterfalls, dams, reservoirs, and lakes have a lot of potential for water-based tourism, adventure sports, and water sports. “And it is for the same reason why Water Tourism and Adventure Sports Policy 2023 is introduced in UP,” the release further stated.
UP government officials called the policy a major step towards introducing water and adventure tourism in the state. “Through the policy, the UP government has basically laid down the criteria for water tourism and adventure sports. In the policy, the state government has also covered the risk factors, safety measures, guidelines, dos and don’ts, and several other important features. Not only simple adventure sports, but in future UP will also introduce various underwater sports activities, including deep diving, free diving, underwater photography, etc, to take adventure sports to another level,” an official added.
As part of the policy, said officials, the UP government would also establish adventure sports units at divisional levels. “UP State Tourism Development Corporation and Ex-Servicemen Welfare Corporation would sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to include ex-servicemen in the adventure sports units,” an official added.
Other modalities, including the guidelines and standard operating procedure (SOP), would be chalked out within two months from the date when the policy was introduced, said officials.
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