Bengaluru,  A high-level committee meeting, chaired by Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, on Friday decided to conduct a simple and traditional Mysuru Dasara festival this year.

The Chief Minister also directed the officials to submit an estimate for developing infrastructure in Mysuru in connection with Dasara celebrations.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Bommai said all the rituals that are connected with the Dasara celebrations such as the inauguration of the festivities atop Chamundi Hills, 'Jambu Savari' (elephant parade) and lighting of the entire city for 10 days will be conducted.

"We have decided to release Rs 6 crore to celebrate Dasara festival at Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, and Sriragapatna," he added.

The high-level committee also authorised the Chief Minister to select the eminent personality to inaugurate the 10-day cultural and religious festival.

With several elected representatives requesting a tourist circuit be established in the Mysuru region, and many potential tourist circuits such as Hampi, Badami, and Vijayapura, Bommai said: "I will discuss with the Tourism Minister and officials to make optimum utilisation of the opportunity to increase tourist inflow in the existing tourism policy."

"Tourism has taken a hit due to Covid-19 crisis resulting in an economic slowdown. In this background, concrete steps will be taken to promote tourism," he added.

Cooperation and Mysuru in-charge Minister S. T. Somashekar, Kannada and Culture Minister V. Sunil Kumar, Urban Development Minister Byrathi Basavaraj, Chief Secretary P. Ravi Kumar, MPs, MLAs and other elected representatives were present in the high-power committee meeting.