Centre launches Rs 200-cr Sohra project to promote responsible tourism
Funded under the PM-DevINE scheme, the Sohra Tourism Circuit will upgrade major sites like Nohkalikai Falls & Mawsmai Cave
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia laying foundation stone for the Integrated Development of the Sohra Tourism Circuit with Meghalaya CM (Photo: @JM_Scindia/x)
Shillong, Nov 1: Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jyotiraditya Scindia on Saturday stated that the Integrated Development of Sohra Tourism Circuit project would give Sohra “a new identity for responsible tourism”.
Launching the Rs 200-crore project funded under the PM-DevINE scheme, Scindia said, “These world-class projects will give Sohra a new identity – not just as a tourist destination but as a benchmark for responsible tourism across the country.”
Under the project, the tourism infrastructure will be strengthened while promoting sustainable livelihood opportunities and preserving Sohra’s unique cultural and natural heritage. Sustainable developmental works will be undertaken at the Nohkalikai Falls, Mawsmai Eco Park, Arwah and Mawsmai Cave precincts, Nohsngithiang Falls, Wah Kaba Falls, Shella Riverside, and the Wah Kaliar Canyon viewpoint.
The project will enhance visitor facilities, promote eco-friendly tourism, and create employment avenues for local communities, ensuring that the benefits of tourism growth are inclusive and sustainable.
Scindia said the project was not prepared haphazardly by officials, but with due diligence by a team at the Tourism and DONER ministries working painstakingly for the last nine months.
He said that the PM-DevINE scheme was launched to ensure that the pace of development reaches every corner of the country, and that some of these projects like the one at Sohra are not just about infrastructure development but transforming the livelihood opportunities of local communities.
Highlighting the Government’s focus on the North East, the Union minister said under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the budgetary support for the region has increased from Rs 36,000 crore in 2014 to over Rs 1,00,000 crore in 2025.
He added that a sum of over Rs 50,000 crore has been spent on rural road development and connectivity across the region. He said Sohra and Meghalaya stand to benefit immensely from these investments, which include developing road and air connectivity, as well as the Shillong-Silchar Greenfield Expressway worth Rs 22,680 crore.
By Staff Correspondent