West Bengal Announces Coastal Tourism Push and Homestay Subsidies

The West Bengal government has announced a significant expansion of its tourism infrastructure, focusing on the development of a 27-km stretch of coastline in the Purba Medinipur district. According to reports from the T3 News Network, this initiative aims to boost 'blue tourism' in the region and includes plans for a new helicopter service to Digha to improve connectivity for visitors. As part of this broader strategy to enhance the state's travel industry, the government is also introducing a INR 5 lakh subsidy for new homestay projects, aimed at bolstering local employment and tourism capacity. Tourism Minister Sankar Ghosh recently highlighted that the state is actively working to streamline the sector, noting that a new portal has been launched to facilitate the registration of homestays, of which 5,479 are currently operating across the state. Furthermore, the government is in the process of revamping tourist lodges under the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation to improve service quality and profitability. Travelers are advised to monitor local weather updates, as the India Meteorological Department has indicated that tourism and recreational activities may be regulated in certain coastal areas due to prevailing weather conditions in the Bay of Bengal.