The Union tourism ministry, along with the UP Tourism Department, is set to develop a village in Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s constituency of Rae Bareli as a rural tourism destination. The project, which was approved in 2006 under the 11th Five-Year Plan, was on hold all these years before the Union ministry showed interest once again.

The village, Bhitargaon, was chosen by a committee headed by tourism secretary for its scenic beauty, situated as it is on a canal. It also has a popular temple, which is believed to more than 100 years old.

D K Burman, a joint director in UP Tourism, said: “The project was sanctioned in 2006. We had sent proposals to the Government of India and the Indian Tourism Development Corporation for the development of this village, but the project was stalled. With the Centre once again taking interest, we hope the project will be revived.”

The village will be developed to attract both domestic and international tourists, giving them a flavour of the rural life of India. Apart from developing basic infrastructure like approach roads and a tourist guest house, the project includes involving local villagers and developing facilities so that tourists can stay as paying guests in their homes to get a feel of the life in a village.

The project also includes developing craft skills of the local villagers, which could open up employment opportunities, and building a tourist complex near the temple on the bank of the canal.

“We have got most of the approvals and zeroed in on the agencies that will be working for the infrastructure development of the area,” said Burman, adding they already have Rs 39 lakh sanctioned in 2006.

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