₹14 crore worth proposals to boost tourism in Kurnool, says Collector

District Collector A. Siri on Saturday called for maintaining balanced development with environmental protection, and at the same time promoting tourism in Kurnool. The Collector was speaking at the World Tourism Day celebrations here, held by the Department of Tourism.

Ms. Siri announced that proposals worth ₹14 crore for five tourism projects were being submitted to the State government. Underlining the theme of 2025 — “Sustainable Tourism and Transformation” — the Collector urged people to protect heritage sites, maintain cleanliness at the tourism centres, cut down reliance on plastic and avoid excessive power consumption. “By rejecting plastic water bottles and minimising AC usage, we will be doing a great job in safeguarding public health and the environment,” she said.

The Collector said that a major focus was on renewable energy sources such as solar and wind to bring down carbon emissions levels. She added that the completion of Vedavathi and Gundrevula projects would drastically recharge the groundwater levels in the district. “As the district has only 7% of the forest cover, we have to urgently initiate steps to increase it to 50%,” Ms. Siri said.

Calling on the farmers to prioritise natural farming, Siri asked them to reduce the consumption of pesticides and adopt crop rotation to preserve soil fertility. The Collector further urged the officials to contribute their best to improve the district literacy rate from the present 56%, besides ensuring that all girls complete at least degree education to strengthen their employment prospects.

The Collector opined that Kurnool’s heritage structures like Kondareddy Buruju and Gol Gumbaz, Shilparamam, and the ongoing Green Hotel initiative at ₹3 crore, would play a crucial role in boosting tourism.

World Tourism Day witnessed students and voluntary organisations organising a variety of cultural events.