Lucknow,   Uttar Pradesh Tourism budget hotels "Rahi" that have been lying in neglect for years and running into major losses, will now be renovated on the PPP model.

Tourism Minister Jaiveer Singh said that advertisements have already been issued for Rahi hotels in 30 districts.

The minister said that as part of the various activities undertaken by the department of culture and tourism in the Yogi 2.0 government's first 100 days, district tourism and culture development councils have been set up in almost all districts.

The committee, to be headed by the district magistrate and with all local MPs, MLAs and MLCs as its members, will work towards identifying tourism spots in the district, implementing central and state programmes.

"Offices of the council will be set up in remaining districts soon. Among other achievements, the department carried out significant work on setting up of the ecotourism board, the launch of which was announced by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath earlier this week. Decks have also been cleared to set up helipads in five areas for better connectivity, which included Mathura, Agra, Prayagraj and Varanasi," he said.

Officials are putting together their inputs for the formulation of a five-year plan to development tourism in Uttar Pradesh.

After a marathon meeting with Union minister Nitin Gadkari and the chief minister, projects worth several hundred crores were cleared for the development of Mathura under Braj Teerth Vikas.

The government also inaugurated the Bhagirathi tourism house in Uttarakhand and organised several activities under the Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav.

For Lucknow, Singh said, the department had acquired INS Gomti after it was decommissioned by the Navy. This is being developed as a museum.

In Prayagraj, permission has been received from Indian Railways to convert the Curzon Bridge into a Ganga Gallery.