The Uttar Pradesh government will promote ecotourism in the state backwaters with the help of the private sector investors.
The state will provide subsidy of 25 percent under the public private partnership (PPP) model for the setting up small guesthouses in the rural areas.
The subsidy will be higher if the guesthouses in the ecotourism villages are established by women or entrepreneurs belonging to the deprived sections of society.
In fact, the government intends to invest Rs 100 crore in promoting ecotourism in the ravine areas of the state.
Last year, the UP government had announced to constitute an ecotourism development board for ramping up infrastructure in the vicinity of wildlife sanctuaries and forests.
UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath is giving special emphasis towards ecotourism development on PPP for generating rural economic activities and creating jobs.
In fact, the state is looking to increase its green cover to 15 percent by 2030 from the current estimated green cover of less than 10 percent.
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While forests play an important role in supporting rural livelihood in UP, which is planning to catalyse its green economy and revitalise forest through ecotourism, agriculture, nursery development etc.