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Indian Express
6 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Buddhist circuit in focus, UP looks to strengthen tourism, investment ties with Japan
The Uttar Pradesh government is exploring ways to strengthen business ties with Japan as the state Tourism Department is making extensive plans to start a tourism exchange and showcase investment opportunities with the East Asian country during the Japan Tourism Expo in September with a focus on the Buddhist Circuit. Meanwhile, a delegation led by state Finance Minister Suresh Khanna is meeting investors in Japan. Tourism Department officials said besides the Buddhist Circuit, the state is preparing an elaborate plan to showcase investment opportunities in meditation centers, hotels, and cultural infrastructure under public private partnership (PPP) mode. The foundation of the ties was laid last year during the visit of Yamanashi prefecture Governor Kotaro Nagasaki, who was accompanied by leading Japanese business delegates. They not only signed MOUs for industrial cooperation but also discussed opportunities in tourism exchange with a joint promotion of Mount Fuji and hot springs in Japan, and Buddhist and cultural destinations such as Sarnath, Shravasti and Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh. 'Familiarisation trips from Japan are being regularly organised by the state Tourism Department to showcase the Buddhist Circuit in Uttar Pradesh, which is deeply intertwined with the life of the Buddha. The idea is to showcase the significant role of UP in the global Buddhist pilgrimage trail and encourage tourism exchange with Japan,' said a senior government official. Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh said, 'The state has seen a three-fold rise in tourist footfall the last eight years, and this reflects our focused strategy and global engagement. Our vision is to transform the Buddhist Circuit into a world-class spiritual and cultural gateway by integrating infrastructure, international connectivity and community involvement. We are welcoming countries like Japan to partner with us in building Buddhist temples, meditation centres, wellness retreats, and hospitality projects under PPP mode.' With Kushinagar getting much attention in the past, the focus now is on developing infrastructure and cultural centres in Kaushambi and Farrukhabad districts where the government will invest on meditation centers or developing Buddhist tourist sites. 'In 2016, nearly 28 lakh tourists visited the Buddhist sites in UP. The number nearly tripled by 2024. Kaushambi witnessed a massive jump from just over 2 lakh tourists to more than 24 lakh visitors. Kushinagar witnessed a jump to 22 lakh from 9 lakh, while Sarnath remained a leading destination with 11.8 lakh visitors in the past year,' said Mukesh Kumar Meshram, Principal Secretary, Tourism and Culture. The delegation led by Finance Minister Suresh Khanna is camping in Japan for the last three days, to participate in the World Expo in Osaka and hold B2B meetings with potential investors. On Thursday, the delegation, also comprising Principal Secretary, Infrastructure and Industries, Alok Kumar, explored tie-ups in the semiconductor sector and academics. Officials said the delegation explored semiconductor collaboration with Tokyo Electron Limited (TEL) in a meeting with the company's Executive Vice President (Global Sales Division and India Business) Takeshi Okubo. During the meeting, the TEL's possibility of collaborating in semiconductor manufacturing, skill development and establishing global capability centres (GCCs) in UP were discussed. Khanna with officials from Invest UP also visited the Osaka Prefectural Assembly to explore investment in capacity-building, youth upskilling and technology exchange. At the World Expo 2025, academic collaborations with Portugal (University of Guarda) were also discussed, it is learnt.
Hans India
23-07-2025
- General
- Hans India
Spl CS worships Veerabhadra Swamy
Lepakshi: Special Chief Secretary for Tourism and Culture Ajay Jain accompanied by Sri Sathya Sai District Collector T S Chetan, visited the revered Sri Veerabhadra Swamy temple in Lepakshi. The dignitaries were warmly welcomed by temple priests amid chanting of Vedic hymns. During the visit, Ajay Jain and Collector Chetan performed special prayers and participated in a ceremonial Archana. The priests offered them Teertha Prasadam, Vedic blessings and mementoes to mark the occasion. A temple guide explained the historical and architectural significance of the ancient shrine. Tehsildar Soujanya Lakshmi, tourism manager Pratap Reddy and other officials were also present during the visit.
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
New pilot fatigue rules by November; Air India crash report likely tomorrow
India's civil aviation sector is undergoing crucial changes. A new mechanism to manage pilot fatigue is expected by November. The government plans to address staff shortages at the aviation regulator by October. A parliamentary panel reviewed air safety, raising concerns about air traffic control and Air India's maintenance. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads New Delhi: A new mechanism to deal with pilot fatigue is expected to be ready by November, top officials of the civil aviation ministry informed a parliamentary panel. The government is also taking steps to address a staff shortage at the civil aviation regulator by October, they deliberations on air traffic control, officials informed the panel that in several Indian airports, one radar handles nearly 30 flights at a time compared with the norm of eight to 10 in many Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture chaired by JD(U) MP Sanjay Jha held marathon meetings for over eight hours on Wednesday. As many as 97 representatives from the aviation ministry, regulators, airlines and airport operators appeared before the panel during the meeting to review safety in the civil aviation Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau informed the panel that it will make public its preliminary report on the Ahmedabad Air India plane crash, the first involving a Boeing Dreamliner, in a couple of days, sources the meeting, MPs across the party lines also expressed concerns over the maintenance of Air India flights, with many saying that the airline is still working in the old set-up, sources said. The previously state-run airline is now part of the Tata described the meeting as "very extensive and thorough", noting that every stakeholder participated in the discussion and answered queries of the panel's to officials, this is the first time the black box of a crashed plane is being investigated in India. The instruments collected from plane wreckage and parts will be shared with concerned OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), sources black box and voice recorder of the aircraft were parliamentary panel is likely to table its report in Parliament in the session beginning July 21.
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Business Standard
01-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Parliament panels to review civil aviation safety, AI171 crash next week
At least two parliamentary panels are slated to undertake a review of India's aviation sector next week. On 9 July, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture will hear the Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation on the subject of 'Overall review of safety in the civil aviation sector', according to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat. Janata Dal (United) Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Jha-led panel's scheduled interaction with the Civil Aviation Ministry Secretary will come less than a month after the crash of Air India flight AI171. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner went down moments after take-off from Ahmedabad on 12 June, killing 241 people on board. At its meeting on 8 July, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which Congress' K C Venugopal heads, will seek oral evidence from representatives of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERA), Airports Authority of India (AAI), AAI Cargo Logistics and Allied Services Company Ltd (AAICLAS), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), and other concerned organisations, including airport operators and airlines, on the subject of 'Levy and regulation of fees, tariffs, user charges etc. on public infrastructure and other public utilities'. The overall safety of the civil aviation sector is also likely to come up during the PAC's discussions, sources said.
The Hindu
26-06-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
Analogue astronaut Jahnavi Dangeti meets Pawan Kalyan, shares her achievements
Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Science and Technology K. Pawan Kalyan on Thursday congratulated analogue astronaut, Jahnavi Dangeti, 23, for being selected as an Astronaut Candidate (ASCAN) for the space mission of Titan Space Industries, a U.S.-based private agency. Ms. Jahnavi is a native of Palakollu, in West Godavari district. On Thursday, Ms. Jahnavi shared her achievements with Mr. Pawan Kalyan and Union Minister of Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat during the inauguration of the Regional Science Centre in Rajamahendravaram City. According to an official release, Mr. Pawan Kalyan inquired about the ASCAN programme. Ms. Jahnavi is also expected to meet Mr. Pawan Kalyan to share her dreams and achievements.
