Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Five states – Kerala, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh – will implement Madhya Pradesh’s Safe Tourism Destination for Women (STDW) Project.

The project is run by Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board (MPTB) under Responsible Tourism Mission for enhancing the safety and security of women at tourist destinations. The results of the project are motivating and project have impacted behavioural changes towards women travellers.

According to Board official, Kerala has begun implementing the project. Maharashtra, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh are about to implement it soon, the official said.

Director General, Union Ministry of Tourism, Manisha Saxena has written a letter to the principal secretaries, tourism, of all the states across the country recently and requested to formulate and send good and innovative proposals pertaining to safety of women tourists as per Nirbhaya Framework guidelines for enhancing the safety and security of women/girls. The project is partially funded from budget allocated under Nirbhaya Fund maintained by Government of India. The standard funding pattern for such projects between the Centre and states is in the ratio of 60:40, with the State share being 40.

37,000 women trained in self-defence

According to Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board, the Safe Tourist Places for Women project, which started from November 18, 2021, is being operated at 50 tourist places under 20 clusters of the state. The project aims to train 10,000 women in the state, out of whom more than 7,000 women have been trained for 48 types of job roles in eight sectors. Out of 40,000, training in self-defence was given to 37,000 girls, women and students.