NEW DELHI: India and Nepal will jointly promote the Ramayana and Buddhist tourist circuits, tourism minister K J Alphons told Lok Sabha on Monday.

Alphons was responding to questions on the efforts made by the Indian and Nepalese governments to promote the Ramayana and Buddhist circuits among tourists. He said both governments have entered into an agreement and have, in the second meeting of the joint working group held in Kathmandu on July 6 this year, decided to set up the Indo Nepal Tourism Forum (INTF) with representation from government and private sector from both sides.

In May, PM Modi had flagged off a bus service connecting Nepal’s Janakpur — the birthplace of Sita — to Ayodhya , the birthplace of Ram. In 2016, the ministry of tourism had also announced the Buddhist circuit as India’s first trans-national tourist circuit to promote tourism in Nepal and Sri Lanka .

The tourism minister also said the INTF will work on mutual consultation and promotion of tourism in both India and Nepal, and the joint working group will officially recognise the Ramayana and Buddhist Circuits for joint promotions through common branding and marketing exercises.

Alphons also said the tourism ministry is extending cooperation to Nepal in the domain of human resource development and the hospitality sector.

He said India had, during the conclave of a special committee on tourism for Saarc countries held in India in 2016, agreed to offer 50 seats for three years B.Sc programme and diploma courses through Institute of Hotel Management to students from Saarc countries including Nepal.

Focusing on connectivity as the key facilitator for tourism, Alphons said the government of India’s Bharatmala Pariyojana will develop 5,300 km border and international connectivity roads including some national highways stretch leading to the Nepal border. The national highway infrastructure developed under this program will also provide connectivity for tourism-related activities, Alphons said.

