Uttarkashi: In Uttarkashi district, tourists usually turn towards Harshil Valley or Mori-Sankari. In such a situation, the women of Matholi village of Chinyalisaur block have made the village a new destination for tourists with their hospitality and skills. Here, women are running everything from running homestays to village tours.
The credit for transforming Matholi from a common mountain village to a tourist village goes to the youth of the village, Pradeep Panwar. Pradeep Panwar had to return to his village during the Covid 19 lockdown, fortunately he had experience working in the tourism sector. Therefore, he converted his Chhani (cowshed) located near the village into a homestay and opened it for tourists. Along with this, Pradeep Panwar gave training to the women of the village on running a homestay (hospitality, cooking, trekking, village tour). Along with this, the village was branded as ‘Bwari Village’, so that the message of women empowerment reaches far and wide. Meanwhile, he also presented a new glimpse of village life for the tourists through Ghasyari competition in the village. Which is very much liked by the tourists. Local woman Anita Panwar tells that now other women in the village have also come forward to convert their huts into homestays. Pradeep Panwar says that now he has got his homestay registered with the tourism department, so that he can also take online booking. Pradeep tells that he started his homestay from March 8, 2022, after which about one thousand tourists have come here, due to which about 20 women get work from time to time.
5331 homestays are registered
At present 5331 homestays are registered with the tourism department. Which are mostly being run by women in rural areas. The government provides subsidy of up to 25 percent in the plains and 33 percent in the hilly area on the cost of home stay under Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Home Stay Scheme.
Matholi village is an example of women empowerment along with rural tourism. If any family of the village comes forward to run a home stay, they will be given the benefit of all the schemes of the Tourism Department. Along with this, assistance will also be provided in the registration process. Other people should also take inspiration from Matholi village.
Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Minister
