Mining tourism gets a leg-up in Jharkhand govt’s new policy

Amitabh Kaushal, state Tourism Secretary, said, “For any tourist destination – the three most important attributes comprise location, location and location. Jharkhand is a bridge between north India and eastern India, as also between north India and central India. The rail network has been effective since the British time as it is a traditionally mineral-rich state.”

The new policy focuses on the promotion of mining tourism — a concept which is gaining traction nationally and internationally, especially in countries like Australia, Estonia and Finland. Since coal, iron and uranium mining is extensively done in the state, it wants to leverage the unique feature to its advantage to boost experiential tourism. The policy also talks about the formation of a Tourist Security Force, along with 24-hour helpline and a central control room.