Bhubaneswar, Dec 23 (IANS): Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday urged Union Tourism Minister G. Kishan Reddy for sanctioning a special package for the development of tourism infrastructure and facilities in Koraput district of Odisha.

Writing a letter to his Cabinet colleague, Pradhan said tourism and hospitality were one of the hardest hit sectors during the breakout of the Covid-19 pandemic, due to nationwide lockdowns.

Stating that tourism in the Korput region suffered recently due to the impact of the cyclone Hudhud in Vizag, he said a special package would go a long way in resuscitating the tourist foot fills in Koraput, which will certainly translate into a huge economic multiplier for the people in the region and adjoining areas.

Highlighting the potential for tourism development in the historically ignored Koraput district of Odisha, the Education Minister said Koraput is situated in the picturesque Eastern Ghats in southern Odisha, at a distance of about 200 k.m. from Vizag.

It is located close to the well-known tourist site Araku Valley in Andhra Pradesh, with similar topography, natural beauty, and cultural wealth. Koraput also enjoys good rail connectivity and boasts of Vistadome coaches on the Koraputa" Rayagada rail route, he pointed out.

While the Araku Valley tourism circuit is well developed and now world-renowned for its coffee plantations, drawing lakhs of tourists from Vizag and nearby areas, Koraput has not been able to capitalize on the huge tourist catchment area, Pradhan said.

To briefly touch upon some of the exquisite attractions in Koraput, tourists can enjoy the historical sites at the city of Jeypore, marvel at the Duduma waterfalls, enjoy boating at the Kolab Dam, trek & camp at Deomali and pay their obeisance at the Shri Jagannath Temple in Koraput.

In a nutshell, Koraput offers a fantastic opportunity for tourism development along the historic, environmental, ecological and spiritual circuits of the Swadesh Darshan scheme, he added.