Institute for water sports likely to come up in Vizag, says Tourism Minister Kishan Reddy

Visakhapatnam: The ministry of tourism is planning to set up an institute for water sports in Visakhapatnam, Union tourism minister Kishan G. Reddy said in the Rajya Sabha. He was replying to a question by Rajya Sabha Member Mopidevi Venkata Ramana Rao on whether the government will set up the National Institute of Water Sports in Visakhapatnam under the Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management.

According to the minister, the National Institute of Water Sports (NIWS), Goa, is a centre under the Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM), a Central autonomous body under the ministry of tourism. NIWS Goa is mandated to impart training and certification in water sports across all states and Union Territories. To open any centre of a Central autonomous body, there are several factors that have to be taken into account, including those prescribed under the GFR 2017. Visakhapatnam is a major city that has water bodies and basic infrastructure facilities for water sports such as scuba diving, kayaking, sailboats, tide swimming, and open swimming. Currently, NIWS Goa is training staff in water sports activities.

Aqua tourism and pilgrim destinations

The ministry of tourism sanctioned two projects to Andhra Pradesh under the Swadesh Darshan scheme with an aim to promote and develop tourism in the state, including aqua tourism. The two projects are the development of coastal circuit in Kakinada - Hope Island - Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary - Passarlapudi - Aduru - S Yanam - Kotipally (2014-15) with a budget of Rs. 67.84 crore and the development of coastal circuit in SPS Nellore - Pulikat Lake -Ubblamadugu waterfalls - Nelapattu - Kothakoduru- Mypadu -Ramateertham - Iskapalli (2015-16) with a budget of Rs. 49.5 crore.

Based on the project proposals received from the state government, Amaravati, Srisailam, Simhachalam in Visakhapatnam and Annavaram temple towns have been included under PRASHAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive). This scheme focuses on developing and identifying pilgrimage sites across India to enrich the religious tourism experience. It aims to integrate pilgrimage destinations in a planned and sustainable manner to provide a complete experience.

Under the scheme, the ministry had approved the development of Amaravati town and Guntur district as tourist destinations in 2015-16 at a cost of Rs. 27.77 crore and the development of Srisailam temple at a cost of Rs. 37.88 crore.