Gandhinagar, Mar 26 (IANS): The Gujarat government has spent around Rs 15 crore on Rannotsav festival to earn Rs 11.8 crore in the two years -- 2019 and 2020.

Answering to various questions put up by Congress legislators, Tourism Minister Jawahar Chavda on Thursday, informed during the ongoing budget session of the Gujarat state assembly, that during the two years period -- from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2020, the government spent Rs 1,491.71 lakh on the annual event held in the Kutch region of Gujarat Rannotsav (desert festival) while in return the state earned Rs 1,179.97 lakh.

The tourism department has an agreement, according to which it has leased the white desert region of Dhordo in Kutch to two private players Lallooji & Sons and Praveg Communications India Private Limited, to set up tents which they would rent to the tourists. The state earns the royalty from this agreement.

In the year 2019, the state government earned a total of Rs 403.76 lakh or 4.03 crore and in 2020 in it earned a total of Rs 4.20 crore.

The total number of visitors during this time where 4,38,125 in 2019 and 2,06,056 in 2020, including foreign visitors, where 4,457 foreign tourist came in 2019 and only 20 visited in 2020.

The Gujarat government also spent around Rs 55 crore on TV and newspaper advertisement, accommodation, transportation among others for various festivals held in Gujarat during 2019 and 2020.