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NEWS | EASTERN HORIZON 57

Talking to TOI, Varanasi DM Kaushal Raj 1.40 lakh foreigners visited Sarnath. Srivastava said that
Sharma disclosed that during the virtual meeting on Sarnath attracts foreign tourists mainly from Thailand,
June 20 this year, the PM had asked to look for a site Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Japan, China, South Korea
in Sarnath where holistic cultural fests of Buddhist and other south-eastern countries. It is also a prime
countries can be organized throughout the year. As attraction for picnickers, said Srivastava, mentioning
per PM Modi’s vision, all Buddhist countries as well how the Centre and the UP government took new
as Buddhist regions in India, like Ladakh, will get an initiatives like the light and sound show on the life of
opportunity to showcase their culture, art and cuisine. Buddha in order to enthral a greater number of tourists
This vision is aimed at increasing the inflow of tourists. to Sarnath.
Sharma said that a plan to establish such a site at
Sarnath is a key component of the proposal, which will On June 29 this year, minister of state (independent
be submitted to the state tourism department in a week charge) for tourism and religious affairs, Neelkanth
or two. The proposal also contains the plan of widening Tiwari, had informed TOI that Sarnath bagged this mega
the existing road which links Sarnath to the Ring Road. project to ensure world-class facilities for tourists. The
DM Sharma said, “Conversion of the existing road into a project would generate employment for the people
four-lane road will give the tourists and local residents living in its vicinity.
easier access to Sarnath, as they will not have to pass
through crowded city areas to reach the site.” The fund of Rs 100 crore saved from already completed
or ongoing World Bank-funded projects is going to be
Regional tourism officer Kirtiman Srivastava said that utilised for it, said Tiwari.
for the past four-five years, growth of over 4% in the
footfall of tourists (including foreigners) had been “The tourism officials have been asked to ensure that
recorded every year in Varanasi. In 2019, he said, the serenity of Sarnath is not disturbed by any of their
64.47 lakh domestic and 3.50 lakh foreign tourists had proposals,” he added. EH
visited the city, out of which, 7.82 lakh tourists including

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