Mysore/Mysuru: A day after Tourism Minister C.T. Ravi issued instructions, the Tourism Department in association with KSTDC (Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation) distributed Food Kits to 45 registered Tourist Guides of the city at the premises of Hotel Mayura Hoysala on JLB Road here  this morning.

Each Kit contains 10 kg of Rice and 1 kg each of Tur Dal, Urd Dal, Green Dal, Rava, Beaten Rice, Edible Oil, Salt, Potato and Onion.

Speaking on the occasion, B.S. Prashanth of Safe Wheels, said that it was happy to note that the Tourism Department  distributed free Food Kits to registered Tourist Guides of Mysuru at a time when the entire country is under COVID-19 lockdown.

Noting that the Department should also look at tourist vehicle drivers, who are 800 in number in the city, he said that the Department must take initiative for distributing food kits to at least half of them, while all other Tourism stakeholders will pool in to distribute the same to the remaining half.

Highlighting the plight of vehicle drivers who have lost income due to the lockdown, he said that he will submit a memorandum to the Government seeking Food Kits and other essential items to tourist vehicle drivers.

KSTDC Regional Manager Uday Kumar, Tourism Deputy Director H.P. Janardhan, C.A. Jayakumar of Mysuru Travels Association, Mysuru Hotel Owners’ Association President C. Narayanagowda, Shivalingaiah and others were present.

Yesterday, Tourism Minister C.T. Ravi  distributed free Food Kits to Tourist Guides at Belur in Hassan district.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that his Department had undertaken this novel initiative to come to the help of Tourist Guides at this hour of crisis, when the entire country is under COVID-19 lockdown.

He has instructed the Department officials to distribute free Food Kits to all registered Tourist Guides at Mysuru, Halebeedu, Srirangapatna, Chitradurga, Badami, Hampi and other prominent tourism destinations of the State, he added.