Punjab’s Hansali wins award for agri tourism

CHANDIGARH: Village Hansali in Punjab’s Fatehgarh Sahib district was on Friday chosen for Best Tourism Village of India 2024 award in the agri tourism category.

The award was given by union minister of tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat to Punjab’s director tourism Amrit Singh, village representative Pavail Singh Gill and manager statistics and projects Sheetal Behl on World Tourism Day at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. The program was inaugurated by vice president of India Jagdeep Dhankhar.

Village Hansali has been selected as the best village of India 2024 among others in the agri tourism category. The village has turned into a rural destination for agri-based tourism with the focus on Hansali Organic Farm of Sukhchain Singh Gill and his son Pavail Gill, registered with the Punjab department of tourism and cultural affairs.

In November 2016, King Charles and his wife Cornwall Camilla had visited the village as part of a daylong visit to Punjab, a day after taking part in the inaugural ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi,.

Director tourism Amrit Singh said that the village is a hub for organic farming and tourists can experience farm to plate meals, participate in farming activities, enjoy village tours and rural traditional hospitality, she said.

Meanwhile, the farm directly reaches more than 170 homes in Chandigarh and surroundings with its organic produce, and supplies select stores in Chandigarh as well. The farm also collaborates with hotels, curating an organic menu that reflects their commitment to sustainability. Apart from providing employment opportunities to locals, the farm collaborates with many women's self-help groups, empowering them through various initiatives.

Last year, Punjab’s Nawan Pind Sardaran of district Gurdaspur had also bagged the award of Best Tourism Village of India.

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