Relative linking of Northeastern tourism and Maan Ki Baat

Bishaldeep Kakati

(The author can be reached at dipaknewslive@gmail.com)

Bagmita Borthakur

(Faculty, Department of Political Science, Dispur College)

The tourism potential of the Northeast is multifold, and its tourism can be witnessed in terms of cultural and heritage tourism, eco and sustainable tourism, medical tourism, religious and pilgrimage tourism, as well as wildlife and nature-based tourism. The tourism of the region is also boosted by its linguistic and cultural variances, customary laws, and traditional practises, as the region is home to many diverse tribes of the nation of India. The historical study of the Northeast also brings forth references to this region in religious tales as well as epics like the Mahabharata. It is believed that Hidimba, a cardinal figure of the Mahabharata, had her origins in the state of Nagaland, and the region is also home to a scenic destination known as Parashuram Kunda, where Lord Parashurama is believed to have washed off his sin of beheading his own mother. The region is also known for having the largest and smallest river islands in the world, and it also holds in its bosom the sacred temple of Maa Kamakhya. Apart from this, the region feels like a place where nature has lavishly bestowed her belongings, and it is beautified by the presence of pristine hills, valleys, and plains as well as vivid flora and fauna.

The growth of a region, both in terms of popularity and economic viability, is also dependent on the growth and sustainable development of its tourism sector. The Northeast region is the repository of many hidden secrets of nature, which makes it a globetrotter’s favourite destination. But the dilemma with Northeast tourism has been its connectivity, which makes it difficult for tourists to reach the remotest area of the region, which often has the highest tourism potential. Over the years, substantial steps have been taken to enhance the connectivity of the region, but even then, the region was not properly connected to mainland India via roadways, airways, or railways.

This significant problem of connectivity in the Northeast was hampering the region in many ways, especially in the development of its tourism sector. As such, realising the effect that this dilemma has been having on the region, the Honourable Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, has in many of his speeches expressed his desire to enhance the connectivity and tourism of the region while referring to the region as the Ashtalakshmi of India. Since 2014, a unique initiative has been started in India, where an effort has been made to communicate with the denizens of this nation in the form of Man Ki Baat. But the importance of Man Ki Baat is not limited only to the prospect of it being a radio communication; in reality, the deeper motive behind this initiative is to create greater Indian unification by taking various aspects into consideration.

In as many as sixteen episodes of Maan Ki Baat, reference was made to the linking of tourism and the sustainable environment in the Northeast region. In fact, in the very third episode of Maan Ki Baat, reference was made to the scenic beauty of Northeast India as well as its potential. Episode 51 of Maan Ki Baat focused on connectivity to enhance tourism in the region, as in that episode, special reference was made to the longest railroad bridge in India, that is, the Bogibeel bridge, situated at Dibrugarh, Assam, as well as the commencement of Pakyong, which is the first airport of the state of Sikkim. The enhancement of tourism always benefits the economy of a state or a region, and this important aspect was mentioned in episode 59 of Maan Ki Baat. That episode also focused on how tourism and the growth of the economy can strengthen the concept of Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat. In another significant episode of Maan Ki Baat, i.e., the 88th episode, the Prime Minister informed the nation about the availability of UPI transactions even in the remotest areas of Northeast India to facilitate tourism in the region. Therefore, a deeper analysis of the episodes of Maan Ki Baat pertaining to tourism and the environment of Northeast India portrays a picture of the significant desire of the leadership to bring the periphery of the Northeast to the centre and use tourism as a gamechanger not only for the region but for the entire nation. To enhance connectivity and thereby improve the tourism potential of the Northeast region, reports suggest that the government has already made as many as seventeen airports operational in the region. Further, to boost the cultural diversity of the region, the government has also planned to provide 100% assistance for the states of the Northeast to organise indigenous fairs and festivals, as compared to the 50% assistance that other states get. Furthermore, as many as eighteen projects worth Rs 1,456 crore have been sanctioned by the ministry under Swadesh Darshan and Prasad schemes to promote tourism in the region. The result of this out-of-the-box approach to improving tourism in the Northeast is the reason why the region recorded over 11.8 million domestic visitors and over 1 lakh international travellers in 2022.

The prospect of tourism and the environment emphasised on Maan Ki Baat has also resulted in the states of the Northeast, in their individual capacities, taking steps to enhance the tourism of the region. For instance, to improve tourism in the state of Assam, the government has not only come up with the Assam Tourism Policy 2022 but also signed numerous MoUs with organisations to enhance connectivity and make it easier for tourists to experience the tourism potential of the region. While focusing on the tourism of the region in Maan Ki Baat, the relationship was always found with the environment, as such importance has also been given to providing a safe and hygienic stay for the tourists and also to keeping the tourist destinations neat and clean.

The initiative of Maan Ki Baat has a meaning above and beyond just the political diaphragm. The messages via Maan Ki Baat significantly take into consideration different factors affecting the country and, as such, amalgamate these factors for the greater purpose of connectivity, integration, and the idea of oneness and unity in diversity. In the case of the Northeast too, the emphasis that has been laid upon the tourism and environment of the region facilitates and enhances the connectivity of the region as well as popularises its diversity and scenic beauty. This out-of-the-box approach has been adopted not only to promote the northeast and create greater integration with mainland India but also to change the age-old narrative of the northeast being alienated.

Proficiency is gathered knowledge, while efficiency is the ability to translate the knowledge into action

— Chinmayanand Swami