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Madhya Pradesh aces National Tourism Awards by bagging 8 honours

'Clean tourism place' award for Ujjain, 'Best disabled friendly monument' for Bhojpur

MP receives national tourism award Union Tourism Minister G.Kishan Reddy (third left) and Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankar (third right) presenting National Tourism awards to Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava (right) and Tourism Minister Usha Thakur (right)

Madhya Pradesh made a mark in the National Tourism Awards 2018-19, bagging eight awards in different categories. Culture and Tourism Minister Sushri Usha Thakur received the awards on the behalf of the state at a programme held in New Delhi on the occasion of World Tourism Day on Tuesday.

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Union Tourism Minister G.K.Kishan Reddy and Union Minister of State for Tourism Ajay Bhatt presented the awards. 

Among the awards bagged by Madhya Pradesh include the best 'Civic management of a tourist destination in India (Category A)’ award for Indore, the cleanest city in the country. The state has received awards in this category seven times so far. 

Religious tourism destination Ujjain bagged the 'Swachh Paryatan Sthan (clean tourism place)-Western Region' award. The ancient Shiva temple at Bhojpur (Raisen) got the award for 'Best maintained and disabled-friendly monument.' This is the second time that the Bhojpur temple has bagged the award in this category. Earlier it got the award in 2013-14. Also, the state has received this honour for Sanchi Stupa in 2017-18 and Amarkantak temple in 2014-15.

The Devi Ahilya Bai Airport, Indore has received the award for 'Best Airport-Rest of India' for the third year in a row. The state bagged the 'Excellence in publishing - Hindi' award for Bhitti Chitra (mural) of Malwa. Earlier, this award was received for the Simhastha brochure in 2015-16.

Bhopal brochure of the MP State Tourism Development Corporation (MPSTDC) received the award for 'Best tourism promotion publicity material'. Earlier, this honour was received for Lonely Planet Pocket Books in 2017-18 and the corporate brochure of MPSTDC in 2010-11.

Subhash Bhavre of Pench Tiger Reserve received the award for 'Best wildlife guide, western-central.' Manoj Kumar Dwivedi from Panna in 2017-18, Radhika Prasad Omre from Panna in 2016-17, and Saeb Khan from Satpura in 2015-16 received this award previously.

The Courtyard House Homestay at village Patpara, located in Kanha National Park, Mandla district bagged the award for 'Incredible India bed and breakfast establishments approved by the state government'.

The state has received awards in the categories ‘Clean tourism place – Western Region’ and ‘Incredible India bed and breakfast’ awards for the first time. The guides of Madhya Pradesh have been honoured for the fourth time in a row with the 'Best wildlife guide' award.

The minister, Usha Thakur said that it is a proud moment for Madhya Pradesh to receive the awards. She said that under the guidance of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the state has made innovations in tourism, which will continue in the future also. “The awards are the result of the hard work of all the officers and employees of the tourism department,” she added.

Principal Secretary of tourism and culture department Sheo Shekhar Shukla who was also present at the award ceremony said that the National Tourism Awards will act as an inspiration for the department. “Work has already been started in the state on the theme of World Tourism Day 2022, which is ‘re-thinking tourism.' Tourism facilities and services are being expanded in the state with the concept of 'Sabka Sahyog aur Sabka Vikas (cooperation of all and development of all)' by strengthening the local community,” he said.

Indore mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava, Ujjain mayor Mukesh Tatwal and additional managing director of MP Tourism Board Vivek Shrotriya were also present.

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