Religious tourism to get a boost in AP

Hyderabad, June 22 : The Andhra Pradesh Government is working out a new policy to promote religious tourism at a large scale.

According to Endowments Minister Pydikondala Manikyal Rao, who assumed charge in the State Secretariat here on Sunday, there were several major temples across Andhra Pradesh including the famous temple of Lord Venkateshwara in Tirupati. He said the temples and other places of religious importance could be turned into the hubs of religious tourism. He said the help of experts and tour operators would be utilised to prepare packages as part of religious tourism.

Further, Manikyal Rao said that the State Government would ensure proper utilisation of temples’ income for education and other welfare measures.

The minister signed the first file related to free feeding of nearly 5,000 poor people in the temples of Vijayawada, Annavaram and Srisailam.     INN