ITANAGAR: The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has launched a project at a village in West Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh to promote cultural eco-tourism. The project was launched on Friday at Kabu village in the district by NABARD general manager Partho Saha, as a communiqué informed here on Saturday. Saha said that the huge potential of the state for eco-tourism provided an ideal getaway for city people who looked for avenues to relax amongst pristine nature. He added that the tourism industry could provide sustainable income to all stakeholders without disturbing nature. Young Men’s Adventure Club (YMAC), the implementing agency of the project, has the responsibility of sensitising the entrepreneurs about the importance of conservation, Saha added. Saha informed that the other components of the project are preserving, promoting, and propagating the unique culture of the Galo community.
"Through the home stays and the proposed ‘Ethnographic Centre, it will be an endeavour of the project partners to open a window to the local cuisines, local weaving and handicraft, folklore, tribal religion, mythology, livelihoods, family structure, etc.," Saha pointed out. While these would be of immense interest to the tourists, they had the potential to provide substantial income to all the stakeholders, he added. NABARD district development manager (DDM) O P Mounglang highlighted the three skill development programmes sanctioned by NABARD in connection with the project: "travel and tour guides’, ‘food and beverage," and "basic computers and spoken English’. He said the programme aimed at building the capacity of the various stakeholders to facilitate their graduation into successful tourism-based entrepreneurs.
"Kabu village already has a reputation as the cleanest village in the district, having been awarded the prize for the last two consecutive years," Mounglang said. Earlier, a rural haat, supported under grant assistance from NABARD, was inaugurated in Bene Village of the district for the benefit of the farmers and women's self-help groups.
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