Hyderabad: Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Friday directed officials to explore avenues for enhancing state revenues through tourism, focusing on eco-tourism, health tourism, and temple tourism.
Cabinet Sub-Committee Meeting on Resource Mobilisation
Chairing the Cabinet sub-committee meeting on resource mobilisation at the Secretariat, attended by ministers N Uttam Kumar Reddy and Jupally Krishna Rao, the Deputy CM emphasised prioritising tourism by effectively utilising government lands and properties in tourist destinations to generate revenue for the state government.
“States such as Goa and Kerala are effectively leveraging tourism, which not only creates employment opportunities but also contributes significantly to GDP growth. Telangana should also adopt similar methods,” he said.
Proposals for Helicopter Tourism and PPP Model
Vikramarka suggested preparing plans to promote helicopter tourism during weekends, such as tours between Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar. “Many tourism assets across the state are not being fully utilised. We can develop them under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model and create wealth. Infrastructure and development at tourist destinations play a key role in revenue generation. Tourism is crucial for achieving long-term economic growth targets,” he added.
Positive Trends in Registrations and Land Values
Meanwhile, officials informed the committee that the number of registrations in the state has increased significantly. They stated that the revision of land values under the slab-based system across the state is yielding positive results.
Transport Department Revenue and BH Series Taxation
The sub-committee also reviewed measures required to enhance revenue collections in the transport department. As part of the discussion, the committee noted that a court judgment had been delivered in favour of Kerala, upholding the state’s authority regarding taxation of Bharat Series (BH) series registrations. It discussed legal and policy-related issues concerning BH registrations. The Deputy CM directed officials to organise a meeting of transport ministers from southern states to discuss taxation issues related to BH Series vehicles.
Desilting Works and Crusher Units
The Cabinet sub-committee reviewed the desilting works being carried out at Lower Manair, Upper Manair, Medigadda, and other locations. It expressed the view that permissions should be granted to crusher units that comply with all legal regulations. The committee observed that Robo Sand is available at a lower cost compared to river sand. Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy advised officials to study the feasibility of exporting sand to neighbouring states.
