The Odisha government is eyeing to start boating services at 100 locations by the end of this year to boost tourism in the state, officials said on Saturday.
At a high-level meeting, Chief Secretary SC Mohapatra directed the departments of Forest and Environment, Water Resources and Tourism to identify the spots in a month, they said.
The activities should start by the end of the year, Mohapatra directed the officials concerned.
The locations should be identified on the basis of their competitiveness for being popularised among tourists, and must offer exotic experiences, he noted.
“Proper choice of the location and their popularisation will attract private investment to the sector and that will take the state’s eco-tourism industry to the next level,” the chief secretary said.
He also directed to put in place proper safety measures and suggested the officials to adopt a community management model by involving locals with proper training.
Odisha has around 118 big and small dams, including Hirakud, Mandira, Patora, Deras and Hadgarh. The state is bestowed with natural lakes like Chilika, Ansupa, Pata and Kanjia, Hiarkud. Besides, there are around ten major river basins such as Mahanadi, Bramhani and Baitarani, an official said.
These places offer scores of sites for boating activities, he said.