india

Updated: Sep 03, 2019 12:35 IST

Union minister for culture and tourism Prahlad Patel will be travelling to Leh on Tuesday to look at tourism and cultural opportunities in the region, which was recently declared a union territory.

Patel will be travelling with a delegation of officials from both ministries, including secretaries, and will tour the region till September 7. Ministry officials said that he will be exploring ways of coming up with adventure tourism options, and new spots under the Centre’s Buddhist circuit. Patel will also be a part of the upcoming Leh festival.

Skill development training for local people to promote adventure tourism will be explored, said officials. In addition to that, a hub for to promote the region’s cultural activities will be developed.

“We will be deputing a nodal officer to ensure that projects can be cleared soon,” said an official.

Last month, in an interview to HT, Patel had said that Leh has been treated unfairly, as all the infrastructure development took place in Jammu and Kashmir. “People from the region did not get employment or a road to development. The ministry has started working out a plan on a war footing to send more tourists to Leh; it is a clean and peaceful place,” Patel had said.

The Archaeological Survey of India has already taken up conservation work at the 500-year-old Lhonpo House at Henaksu village, a heritage building made of mud. And, the ministry is mapping similar heritage sites for conservation efforts.