Telangana Tourism Minister calls on Sri Lankan Prime Minister in Colombo

Colombo [Sri Lanka], September 23 (ANI): Telangana Tourism Minister V Srinivas Goud called on Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and briefed him about initiatives being taken by the Telangana government in promoting temple and medical tourism and discussed the advent of Buddhism and the Buddhist roots found in Telangana.  
“Paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Sri Dinesh Gunawardena & discussed over the advent of Buddhism traced back during the 5th century B.C. and the Buddhism roots found in the Telangana State," the Telangana Minister for Excise and Prohibition wrote on ‘X' on Friday.
Briefed the Sri Lankan Prime Minister on the various initiatives of State Government under the able leadership of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao Garu in promoting Temple & Medical Tourism, Industrial Policy and on the revolutionary agricultural reforms” Goud posted on X.
The Sri Lankan Prime Minister was briefed on the various initiatives of the Telangana government under Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao’s leadership. This includes promoting temple and medical tourism, industrial policy and revolutionary agricultural reforms.
“Sri Lankan MP Yadamini Gunawardena, Sri Lankan Govt Secretary Sugeshwar, Sri Lankan Parliament Secretary Kuruppu, Chairman Light of Asia Foundation and Radiance films International (Pvt) Ltd., Navin Gunaratna, Actor Gagan Malik & other dignitaries were also present,” Goud wrote.  
India and Sri Lanka recently agreed to promote and popularize the Buddhist circuit, Ramayana trail and ancient places of Buddhist, Hindu and other religious worship places in Sri Lanka. 
The bilateral document released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) read, "To promote awareness and popularize India’s Buddhist circuit, and Ramayana trail as well as ancient places of Buddhist, Hindu and other religious worship in Sri Lanka for enhancing tourism." The bilateral document was released as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe held bilateral and delegation-level talks in Delhi. 
The two sides agreed to explore cooperation between educational institutions on both sides including through the establishment of new higher education and skilling campuses in Sri Lanka as per the requirements and priorities of Sri Lanka.
India and Sri Lanka agreed to expand cooperation between research and academic institutes in areas of mutual interests such as agriculture, aquaculture, IT, business, finance and management, health and medicine, earth and marine sciences, oceanography, space applications, as well as history, culture, languages, literature, religious studies and other humanities.
The bilateral document released by MEA read, "To establish land connectivity between Sri Lanka and India for developing land access to the ports of Trincomalee and Colombo, propelling economic growth and prosperity in both Sri Lanka and India, and further consolidating the millennia-old relationship between the two countries. A feasibility study for such connectivity will be conducted at an early date." (ANI)