To boost tourism, the Punjab government is planning to connect historically and culturally important spots, including places associated with the freedom struggle.

Addressing a Press conference, the local government and tourism and cultural affairs minister, Navjot Singh Sidhu, said the Union government has sanctioned Rs 100 crore for the religious circuit which comprises Sri Anandpur Sahib, Fatehgarh Sahib and Chamkaur Sahib.

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Apart from this, places associated with the freedom struggle ~ JallianwalaBagh, KhatkarKalan and Hussainiwala ~ are also included in the circuit.

An additional Rs 15 crore has been released for the Jang-E-Azadi memorial at Kartarpur. In coming days, Maharaja and Mughal circuits would be given shape and proposals would be sent to the Union government for getting more funds, Sidhu said.

The Maharaja Circuit includes Patiala, Nabha, Kapurthala and Faridkot which would be developed and made attractable for tourists. Similarly, Mughal Circuit comprises serais in Punjab such as- Shambhu, Doraha, Noormahal and Tarntaran which would be developed as wedding destinations thus paving the way for strengthening the economic infrastructure of the state, the minister said.

Sidhu said Kalanaur where the coronation of Mughal Emperor Akbar took place, and AamKhasBagh in Sirhind would be developed too. The policy of medical tourism would be framed and patients from foreign countries visiting India would be accorded specialised amenities.

atting for making Punjab a favourable destination for shooting movies, the minister said a Film City would come up in Punjab which would go a long way in ensuring increased avenues of employment.The state would also revive otherwise neglected and dilapidated spots, the minister said. Programmes would be chalked out to promote diminishing handicrafts, art forms besides creating job avenues for the people connected with these arts under ‘HunarNaalRozgar’. A food street would also come up at Amritsar, Sidhu said.

The minister also said the 550th Gurpurb of Sri Guru Nanak DevJi in 2019 would be observed on a large scale and in the same year the centenary of the JallianwalaBagh tragedy would be observed as per a specially chalked out programme.

Apart from this, Sufi Mela, Heritage Melas at Patiala, Kapurthala, Amritsar and Bathinda and Military Literature Festival would be held too. The other traditionalmelas such as HarvallabhSangeetSammelan, HolaMohalla, Qila Raipur, Baba Sheikh FaridAagmanPurb and Shiv Batalvi festival and Babe Da Viahpurb would be held on a grand scale and given all assistance, Sidhu said.