Uttarakhand Trains 141 Youth as Paragliding Pilots for Tourism Jobs
Image: The Tribune (file photo)
The Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB) has trained 141 young people from across the state in paragliding and is now running a flight practice campaign to turn them into licensed commercial tandem pilots, officials said on Tuesday, October 20, according to PTI. The initiative aims to make Uttarakhand a “premier hub for adventure tourism” and create self-employment for local youth in the hills.
From Bilkhet Slopes to a Commercial Licence
Seventeen of the trained youth are taking part in the current campaign at Bilkhet in Pauri Garhwal district, which runs from October 1 to October 30. The campaign will move to Champawat district for the whole of November. Officials said the focus is practical training in tandem flying, with each participant working towards 100 flight hours.
After completing those hours, trainees must fly a 35-km cross-country route. Those who qualify will receive a Commercial Tandem Pilot Licence and can run paid paragliding flights at sites cleared by a technical committee, which officials said would help them earn a living close to home.
The board has not yet said how many more youth will be trained or which new sites will be approved for commercial flying. More short stories are on our Quick Reads page, and other good-news stories are on Positive News.
Source: Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board officials, as reported by PTI. Also based on reporting by The Tribune / PTI and ThePrint / PTI.
Image: The Tribune (file photo).
