Tourism becomes Chhattisgarh’s economic engine, culture its identity, and archaeology its pride: Achievements of the past two years have transformed the landscape

Tourism and Culture Department Secretary Dr. Rohit Yadav presented the achievements of the past two years and the future action plan at a press conference.

Raipur: Dr. Rohit Yadav, Secretary of the Tourism and Culture Department of the Government of Chhattisgarh, and Vivek Acharya, Managing Director of the Chhattisgarh Tourism Board and Director of Culture and Archaeology, provided a detailed account of the achievements of the past two years and future action plans at a press conference held at the Chhattisgarh Samvad Auditorium in Nava Raipur on Wednesday January 28, 2026

. The officials stated that the state government has established a model of integrated progress in the three areas of economic development, cultural preservation, and heritage promotion by granting industry status to tourism.

Tourism receives industry status

Tourism Department – Taking rapid strides towards investment, employment, and global recognition

The Chhattisgarh government’s decision to grant industry status to tourism has opened new avenues for private investment. Through Investor Connect programs organized in major cities of the state and the country, private investment exceeding ₹500 crore has been secured. This will boost tourism infrastructure, hotels, resorts, and adventure tourism activities. Under the Ramlala Darshan Yojana, an agreement with IRCTC facilitated the pilgrimage of approximately 42,500 devotees to Ayodhya via special trains in 2024-25. This scheme has proven to be a significant step in promoting religious tourism.

A new Home-Stay policy has been implemented to promote rural tourism in the state. The target is to develop 500 new home-stays. The state government notified the Chhattisgarh Home-Stay Policy 2025-30 on November 24, 2025. This policy provides capital investment subsidies and interest subsidies to encourage the development of new home-stays across the state, supporting rural and community-based tourism. The state government has also sanctioned a budget for this. Film City and Convention Center – A ₹350 Crore Project

Dr. Rohit Yadav informed that the development of an integrated Film City and Convention Center has been approved under the Government of India’s Special Assistance Scheme for Capital Investment (SASCI), with a total estimated cost of ₹350 crore.

The foundation stone was laid on January 24, 2026, by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. This is a major step towards establishing Chhattisgarh as a national film production hub. The construction of Chitrotpala Film City will give Chhattisgarh a new identity in the field of film production, both nationally and internationally.

Through this ambitious initiative, Chhattisgarh will not only move towards becoming a major center for film production and cultural events, but this project will also give new impetus to the state’s creative economy.

The construction of Chitrotpala Film City and the Tribal and Cultural Convention Center will provide a national and international platform for local talents, create new investment opportunities, and further strengthen Chhattisgarh’s cultural identity globally. This project will open new avenues of development for the state’s youth, artists, and tourism sector in the coming years.

Bhoramdev Temple Corridor Project

Director of Culture and Archaeology, Vivek Acharya, said that the Bhoramdev Corridor is being constructed under the Central Government’s Swadesh Darshan Scheme 2.0. This project is being developed at a cost of approximately ₹146 crore, on the lines of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi.

This is a significant step towards giving it a new identity at the national level. On January 1, 2026, the foundation stone for this project was laid by the Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Shekhawat and Chief Minister i Vishnu Deo Sai.

The Bhoramdev Temple is a historical heritage site approximately a thousand years old, and this corridor construction is being undertaken to preserve it for the next thousand years.

Mayali-Bagicha Development, Sirpur Integrated Development Master Plan Prepared

The Government of India has sanctioned ₹10 crore for the development of three major tourist destinations under the Mayali-Bagicha circuit in Jashpur.

The foundation stone for this project was laid on January 25, 2026, by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. A master plan is being developed for the Sirpur Integrated Development project to transform Sirpur into a World Heritage Site.

Chitrakoot Global Destination Development

A comprehensive proposal titled “Chitrakoot Indigenous Nature Retreat” is being prepared for submission to the Ministry of Tourism. The objective of this project is to redevelop Chitrakoot on a global scale. Funding of ₹250 crore is expected from the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, for this project.

Nationwide Promotion of Chhattisgarh Tourism

The Tourism Secretary stated that the Chhattisgarh Tourism Board has promoted Chhattisgarh tourism both domestically and internationally by participating in global travel events held in countries like Spain, Thailand, and Vietnam, thereby placing Chhattisgarh’s tourist destinations on the global map.

The Chhattisgarh Tourism Board has also partnered with organisations like FICCI to ensure its participation in major promotional platforms and events across the country. It actively participated in renowned travel exhibitions such as the Universal Travel Conclave.

Rapid Increase in Registration of Tourism-Related Businesses in the State

In Chhattisgarh, the number of registered tour operators and travel agents was only 30 until January 2024; currently, this number has exceeded 300. In addition, 15 hotels are registered with the Chhattisgarh Tourism Board, and this number is expected to increase further.

Due to the operational efficiency and strategic management of resorts and motels, the revenue of the Chhattisgarh Tourism Board has increased significantly. While the financial profit of the Chhattisgarh Tourism Board was ₹2 crore in the financial year 2024-25, the profit increased fivefold to ₹10 crore in the financial year 2025-26.

Employment for Local People through Chhattisgarh Tourism, Target to Develop 500 New Homestays

Secretary Dr. Rohit Yadav stated that under Chhattisgarh’s Tourism Policy 2026, an investment of more than ₹350 crore is estimated over the next five years. The Chhattisgarh Tourism Board plans to attract an investment of ₹200 crore by outsourcing 17 tourism properties through a lease-cum-development model with private participation, which is expected to create employment for hundreds of local people.

The target is to develop 500 new homestays across the state. Similarly, there are plans to develop a tent city in Chitrakoot, under which at least 50 luxury tents will be set up near Chitrakoot Falls along with adventure activities. An annual flagship event called Chhattisgarh Travel Mart will be established in collaboration with FICCI.

This event will focus on promoting B2B tourism, with plans to attract more than 200 tour operators from various Indian states.

Achievements of the Department of Culture and Archaeology

Director of Culture and Archaeology, Vivek Acharya, informed that the Culture Department is registering artists and writers of Chhattisgarh on the Chinhari portal so that they can benefit from the schemes run by the department.

He informed that 141 artists and writers registered on the Chinhari portal were provided approximately ₹34 lakh in pension during the financial year 2024-25, and a total of 130 artists received approximately ₹31 lakh in pension during the financial year 2025-26.

Similarly, under the Artists’ Welfare Fund scheme, in cases of illness, accident, and death of artists and writers or their family members, a total of ₹2 lakh was sanctioned to 8 financially distressed writers/artists in the financial year 2024-25, and ₹14 lakh was sanctioned for a total of 44 cases in the financial year 2025-26.

The State Government of Chhattisgarh stands with the artists and writers of Chhattisgarh in their times of joy and sorrow, and the Culture Department is committed to protecting the interests of the artists of Chhattisgarh.

Bastar Pandum

The Chhattisgarh Culture Department is organising Bastar Pandum 2026 to preserve and promote the rich tribal culture of Bastar. This festival will be held in three phases from January 10 to February 9, 2026. It will promote tribal dance, folk songs, drama, musical instruments, costumes and ornaments, worship practices, handicrafts, paintings, tribal beverages, traditional cuisine, regional literature, forest-based medicinal knowledge, tourism, and cultural awareness.

Achievements in the Archaeological Sector

The ongoing archaeological excavation at Rewa (Rewangarh) village, located approximately 25 kilometers east of Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh, has revealed new and important information about the ancient history of the state. This excavation, conducted by the Directorate of Archaeology, Archives, and Museums of the Culture Department, has confirmed through scientific AMS radiocarbon (carbon-14) dating that human civilization had developed in this region even before the Late Vedic period, i.e., before 800 BC.

Plans are underway for the establishment of Bharat Bhavan, a multi-arts and cultural center, the State Archives, the State Anthropological Museum, and the Swami Vivekananda Memorial Museum.