Our Bureau
New Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chairing the 10th NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting on Saturday, called on state governments to accelerate development and adopt a “One State, One Global Destination” strategy to boost tourism and economic growth. The meeting, attended by several chief ministers, was the first since Operation Sindoor and recent hostilities with Pakistan.
Modi emphasized that each state should identify and develop at least one tourist destination to international standards, complete with world-class infrastructure and facilities. “States should develop at least one tourist destination per state at par with global standards. This will also spur the development of neighboring cities as tourist places,” he said. The move is seen as a bold push to revive India’s tourism sector, which has faced setbacks following the recent terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam that left 26 dead.
The Prime Minister also stressed the importance of unity between the Centre and states, urging leaders to work together as “Team India” to achieve the ambitious goal of a developed India, ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047. “We have to increase the speed of development. If the Centre and all the States come together and work like Team India, no goal is impossible,” Modi asserted.
While the meeting was marked by the absence of some southern chief ministers, including those from Puducherry, Karnataka, and Kerala, leaders from Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Jammu & Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh were present.
Modi further highlighted the need for “growth, innovation, and sustainability” in creating future-ready cities, noting India’s rapid urbanization. He called for inclusive policies, particularly for integrating women into the workforce, as essential to the nation’s progress.
The “One State, One Global Destination” initiative forms a key part of Modi’s vision for transforming India into a developed nation by 2047, positioning tourism as a catalyst for economic and social development across the country.
