Vice president M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday called upon people to give preference to domestic tourism and explore all parts of the country before choosing to tour abroad. Stressing the need for giving impetus to tourism in the Northeast, Naidu said that “frequent people-to-people exchanges and interactions can strengthen the unity and integrity of our nation.”
He was interacting with the participants of the expedition – ‘North East on Wheels’ in which 75 bikers, including five women from 18 states travelled across all the eight states of the Northeast.
He recalled his recent travels to all the states of Northeast India and stated that with beautiful landscapes, rich culture and warm hospitality of the people, the states are truly a traveller’s paradise. He lamented that despite the rich experience the region offers, many people are still unaware and uninformed about it.
He urged people who enjoy travelling to explore Northeast, to revel in its beauty and to admire the diversity in our culture.
He further appreciated the Northeast for “showing the way to the country in the field of organic farming”, and suggested that the other states too should learn from the best practices of Northeastern states and gradually shift to sustainable agriculture.
He also noted the marked improvements in infrastructure in the Northeast, especially in connectivity, and said that these efforts are “unleashing a new era of growth in the region.”
Complimenting the organisers for the unique expedition, he also appreciated their focus on the theme of road safety. Expressing concern about the huge loss of lives in avoidable road accidents in India every year, Naidu called for greater all-round efforts to minimise the number of accidents.
