Express press service
Tourism in Uttarakhand down in recent years
It is a well established fact that tourism is the backbone of Uttarakhand’s economy. But the picture is not rosy for tourism players in recent years. Matching the nationwide trend, the northern state has seen a decline in the number of tourists over the past five years, both domestic and international. In 2017, 3.45 crore domestic tourists visited Uttarakhand which fell to 3.07 crore in 2021. Similarly, international tourist arrivals increased from 1.42 lakh in 2017 to 16,437 in 2021 Over the past two years, the tourism sector has been affected by the Covid pandemic. , forcing many stakeholders to opt for other career options.
Awareness of forest rights
Although more than 71% of the geographical area of Uttarakhand falls within the forest zone, forest rights are a relatively neglected area. An analysis by independent researchers Vandana Dhoop and Kundan Kumar claims that the number of voters who can benefit from recognition of CFR rights by virtue of residency in forest areas is at least 24 lakhs (based on 2011 census ), who constitute 32% of the total registered voters in 2017 (76 lakhs) and 48% of the actual votes cast (50 lakhs). “Implementation of FRA can provide income of Rs 3,000 to 5,000 crore per year to people in villages, specifically in Van Panchayats. This can fuel the economy and start a cycle of prosperity for forest dwellers,” said Kundan Kumar, one of the authors of the analysis.
The NGO IIT-Roorkee is committed to road safety
SaveLIFE Foundation (SLF) has announced a Memorandum of Understanding with IIT-Roorkee to scale up effective implementation and measurement of road safety projects across India. Area of focus includes implementing and evaluating the impact of SLF field projects, collaborating on research studies, conducting knowledge sessions, and training students and scholars to the latest road safety practices. “As we expand our Zero-Fatality Corridor model to dozens of highways, working with IIT-Roorkee will allow us to develop innovative solutions to road safety challenges and help develop more talent for a better future. and safer,” the NGO said.
New Age Credit Cards
The Punjab National Bank and Patanjali Ayurved Limited this week jointly launched co-branded contactless credit cards in partnership with the National Payments Corporation of India. Co-branded credit cards are offered on NPCI’s RuPay platform and are available in two variants: PNB RuPay Platinum and PNB RuPay Select. These cards feature purchase-based benefits and waivers, including hassle-free credit service to purchase Patanjali products on a daily basis, as well as cashback, loyalty points, insurance coverage and discounts. money in Patanjali stores. The cards also come with insurance coverage of `2 lakh and `10 lakh respectively for accidental death and personal total disability.
vignette upadhyay
Our correspondent at Dehradun [email protected]
