Sun Dec 08 03:11:44 UTC 2024: ## Visakhapatnam Tourism to Get Boost Under National Growth Hub Programme
**Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, December 8, 2024** – The development of Visakhapatnam’s tourism sector is set to receive a significant boost under the Union Planning Ministry’s Growth Hub Programme (GHP). This was revealed following the third meeting of the NITI Aayog, held recently in Visakhapatnam.
The meeting, attended by representatives from the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA), Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), and officials from the Andhra Pradesh government, focused heavily on leveraging the region’s tourism potential. Discussions centered on promoting the Araku Valley and Alluri Sitharama Raju districts.
Visakhapatnam, along with Mumbai, Surat, and Varanasi, was selected in 2023 as a pilot city for the GHP, an initiative under the Viksit Bharat scheme aiming to build a $30 trillion economy by 2047. The program involves a comprehensive assessment of the city’s economic strengths and challenges to create targeted growth strategies.
A source familiar with the meeting stated that tourism is a primary focus for Visakhapatnam’s development plan, drawing comparisons with Mumbai’s tourism success. The NITI Aayog is expected to issue a report with recommendations by March 2025, guiding funding applications to the state and union governments. The next meeting is scheduled for January 2025.
The GHP aims to create a model for developing economic growth strategies for cities across India, with Visakhapatnam serving as a key pilot project in the first phase.
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