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Bodoland officially the Bodoland Territorial Region is an autonomous region in Assam of Northeast India. Blessed with the beautiful landscape & wildlife sanctuary, it is surrounded with beautiful forests of flora and fauna. The region is one of the most underdeveloped and backward regions of India. The economy is largely agricultural based but is lagging behind in urbanization and development. To have a closer analysis reason to the initiatives taken by the department of Bodoland Tourism, Eastern Panorama met Dr Dharma Narayan Das, the Executive Member of the Tourism Department of Bodoland Territorial Region who is responsible to look after the development of Tourism.
About Him
Born in 1971, Shri Dharma Narayan Das did his schooling from one of the prestigious schools of Assam; the
Sainik School in Goalpara and completed his further studies in B. Pharm from Vivekananda College of Pharmacy. After completion of his studies, he did a number of jobs in the pharmaceutical industry but he missed his home dearly and yearned to return home. In 2007 he resigned from his varied assignments and started Tea plantation in his hometown at Nagrijuli, Bodoland Territorial Region in Assam. He applied his knowledge in Pharmacology in his village by providing health care to the villagers for improvement in their quality for life.
While deliberating with numerous social activists he got inclined towards politics and joined the BJP party. He contested in the elections in 2015 and because of his social works of his past he won the elections from his constituency. In 2021 elections, he was once again victorious and is now presently the Hon’ble Executive Member of the Tourism Department of Bodoland Territorial Council.
From his joining as an Executive Member in Tourism Department, he visited the entire region and had interactions with almost all segments of Travel and Hospitality Industry which was very productive and useful. He has been laying stress on SOCIAL TOURISM which helps in increasing family capital in the short term and social capital in terms of social networks which is related to proactive behaviour and self-esteem in the medium term. For the development of the region through tourism, he had taken up a number of schemes which will bear its results very soon.
Recently, Dr Dharma Narayan Das had been conferred with the Honorary Doctorate from the University of America for his tremendous services towards socio-economic uplift in remote areas in Baksa district. Eastern Panorama team congratulates him for this achievement and also for completing one year in the office as the Executive Member! In an interaction with us, he discussed about various aspects for the tourism. Here are his Excerpts-
1. What special measures you have taken to promote tourism in Bodoland Territorial Region?
Ans: Bodoland Territorial Region is still unexplored from the time, I have taken over as Executive Member of Tourism Department. A number of Awareness and Training Programme for the local stakeholders in Tourism is held. The Department was formed in 2011 but till date we did not have any organized Tourist Guides under the Department. A ten day training programme was implemented for the tourist guides and issued licenses to them. In addition to this, we have undertaken a camping Festival at Chakrasila Wildlife Sanctuary in collaboration with Nature’s Beckon and inaugurated night trekking in the fringe areas of the wildlife Sanctuary.
The infrastructural facilities in the tourist destinations are very limited. Hence, this year the Department has introduced Home-stays at some of the destinations not only to cater to the needs of the tourists but also to provide employment opportunities to the local youths. Initiatives have also been taken regarding eco-friendly infrastructural development in the region but it is at a nascent stage.
To read the further articles please get your copy of Eastern Panorama January issue @http://www.magzter.com/IN/Hill-Publications/Eastern-Panorama/News/ or mail to contact @easternpanorama.in
