Telangana govt trains tribal youth from former LWE-hit areas as tourist guides

The Telangana government has trained tribal youth from two districts formerly affected by Left Wing Extremism as professional tourist guides, as part of an initiative to provide sustainable livelihood opportunities for unemployed youth. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Tuesday handed over appointment letters to 20 tribal youth from areas previously affected by Naxalism, appointing them as ''Giri Darshaks'' (tourist guides). 'Giri Darshaks' initiative represents a convergent, multi-departmental approach led by the Telangana Police, in coordination with Forest, Tourism, Endowment Departments, and ITDA. It aims to promote sustainable tourism and facilitate the socio-economic reintegration of tribal communities in the ''Legacy and Thrust'' districts of Mulugu and Bhadradri Kothagudem, official sources said. MHA categorised Mulugu and Bhadradri Kothagudem as ''Legacy and Thrust'' districts. A ''Legacy and Thrust district'' is one completely free of Naxal insurgency. The initiative promotes community participation as professional tourist guides in eco tourism and pilgrimage activities to foster sustainable regional development and to ensure overall law and order and provide a secure environment for tourists, they said. The core objectives of Giri Darshaks include engaging local tribal youth as professional guides and community facilitators and providing sustainable livelihood opportunities for unemployed tribal youth, they said. The other objectives include strengthening community-police trust and ''enhance the state's presence'' in remote tribal areas and position Mulugu and Bhadradri Kothagudem districts as models for tourism-led inclusive development. The 20 youth underwent a training programme for about a month covering tour guiding, etiquette, heritage knowledge, and safety and first aid. They will be deployed on a rotational basis across heritage, eco-tourism, and pilgrimage circuits to facilitate tourist movement, the sources said.

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