Chandigarh, September 11: The three-day Punjab Tourism Summit began in Mohali on Monday, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann pitching the state as an ideal tourism destination. The state's first tourism summit is aimed at showcasing the state's tourism potential.

Addressing the gathering, Mann said Punjab has a lot to offer in terms of religious tourism, eco-tourism and wellness tourism, and more people should come and visit the state and enjoy the hospitality and warmth, for which Punjabis are famous the world over. Punjab to Host Tourism Summit From September 11 to 13, Says CM Bhagwant Mann.

At the event -- which saw the participation of stand-up comedian and TV show host Kapil Sharma, Sunil Pal and some of the industry leaders associated with the travel and tourism sector -- Mann while pitching Punjab as an ideal tourist destination, said the state is famous for its "Makki Ki Roti aur Sarsoon Ka Saag", and tourists can relish it during October to February. On the occasion, Mann announced a new project "Celebration Point" to be set up in Amritsar.

"In Amritsar, we are coming out with a new project -- Celebration Point. Under this, over 50 to 100 acres of land on the city outskirts, a marriage palace, banquet hall, residential accommodation, hotel and other things will be set up. In a single place, people will get everything. People can come there to celebrate any happy occasion," he said. He said people can also come to hold weddings.

Some of his cabinet colleagues, including Tourism Minister Anmol Gagan Maan, were also present on the occasion. We are also focusing on eco-tourism, wellness centre, adventure tourism, developing heritage circuit and farm tourism, he said. The state plans to develop Pathankot, Hoshiarpur, Rupnagar and some other places for eco-tourism as these places have dams and water bodies.

Wooing the filmmakers, Mann also said: "We are going to set up a Film City in Punjab". Punjabis are hardworking and have made their presence felt in various fields, he said. Mann also made a reference to the "Bharat" issue, though in a lighter vein. "Bharat hai waangh mundri, wich nagg Punjab da (If India is a precious ring then Punjab is its shining jewel). G20 Summit: Punjab Police Conducts Joint Operation with Counterparts in Neighbouring States.

"Yeh India jo desh hamara, Chalo India kehta mein...Eitraz hota hai kayiyan nu (India, our country...I said India, some people have objections to this). Bharat, Hindustan..," he then quipped. The Narendra Modi government for a G20 dinner referred to the President as the President of "Bharat" and not India.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asked on Tuesday whether it (BJP) would change the name of Bharat if the opposition alliance INDIA rechristens itself as "Bharat".

Meanwhile, Mann said that during the present regime, 35,848 government jobs have been given during the past one-and-a-half years. Employment opportunities are being created for youth, he said. He also said Punjab has garnered an investment of Rs 50,840 crore under the present dispensation.

Taking a dig at previous regimes, Mann said, earlier, single window clearances used to be only on paper.

He said after AAP came to power in the state, an industrialist told him that he needed support from the government and when mann pressed to specify what kind of support was needed he said the government should not harass him. "I kept thinking that here is a person who is investing money and creating jobs and the support, he is asking that he should not be harassed. Such was the kind of atmosphere, which was prevalent during previous regimes," said Mann.

He said the present regime is committed to providing all kinds of facilities and a congenial atmosphere for industry to flourish. Meanwhile, at the event, state government officials stated that a calendar of various festivals has been drawn to boost tourism. During 2023-24, among other places, Amritsar will host a multi-theme "Dil Punjabi" festival in January next year, while in April Bathinda will hold Baisakhi Mela.

Faridkot will host the "Baba Sheikh Farid Aagman" festival in September, and Fatehgarh to hold the Sahib Valour festival in December, while the Basant festival will be held in Ferozepur in January. In February, the nature festival will be held in Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar in November will host the equestrian event.

To showcase the grandeur of the erstwhile Kapurthala Princely State Kapurthala Heritage Festival will be held in January. Mann said every village has an imprint of the martyrs who had laid down their lives for the sake of the country both in pre and post-independence times, which needs to be showcased duly.

The state government has formulated several policies for boosting tourism, and if needed, they will be amended as per the need of captains of industry, he noted. The chief minister said that his government will complete the Saragarhi memorial to remember the supreme sacrifice made by the 21 valiant soldiers, who laid their lives while protecting the sovereignty of the country, at the famous battle of Saragarhi.

The previous state government did not release the funds for this memorial, but we have released the pending funds now so that the memorial is completed at the earliest, he said. Stand-up comedian Kapil Sharma said that the summit is a laudable step by the state government to promote tourism in the state.

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