Hyderabad: In a major initiative to attract global tourists to Telangana State and to allow search of the best tourist center here, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Telangana State Forest Dept. are thoroughly working to identify potential tourist center to form a tourism Center.

Sangareddy, Siddipet, Medak, Kamareddy and Adilabad are the districts where tourism spots are being explored to be included in the Center. The USAID, which selected Medak district under its Forest Plus 2.0 to improve greenery in the forest area, has identified the Global tourism potential in Telangana State.

The USAID, MoEF and Telangana State Forest Dept. have together roped in a tourism consultant, Deepu Karthikeyan, who had earlier worked with Telangana State Tourism Dept. in Medak and Khammam districts, to identify possible tourist places in these parts of the State.

A delegation of officials from USAID, MoEF and Telangana State Forest Dept. and the consultant visited the Archeological Museum in Kondapur mandal in Sangareddy district and Manjeera Wildlife Sanctuary on Tuesday. Places such as Pocharam Wildlife Sanctuary, Urban Park located in Narsapur Forest Area, Edupayala Temple, Medak Fort, Medak Church, Gajwel Urban Park and other important wildlife destinations in erstwhile Medak district, historically prominent places and water bodies would be made part of the tourism Center, the sources said. Since the trip on the Center will last three days, officials are planning to provide night camping facility in Gajwel Urban Park, Narsapur Park and Manjeera Wildlife Sanctuary in Sangareddy in erstwhile Medak district. The district is home to more than 300 bird species besides rich fauna and flora.

Sources said the tour will start in Sangareddy district and end at Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary in Adilabad district, which is known for wildlife and waterfalls. The officials were also considering inclusion of some reservoirs built under Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme such as Kondapochamma Sagar in the tourist Center.

Students from international universities and those within India will also be invited to Telangana State to impart education in nature.

Since the plan to draw Global tourists would mean that certain facilities need to meet the set standards, the team is also working on identifying the exact needs and resources that need to be improved. After preparing a project report, the team will present it to both the Union and State governments for funds. The USAID will mobilize funding from international agencies such as World Bank if they fail to raise funds here, the sources said.