Transformation From Model Village to Model Tourist Village: The Missing Link

Padawali Gram Panchayat, located in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh, is known for monuments like Garhi Padawali fortress and Bateshwar group of temples, protected by Archeological Survey of India. Padawali has an agro-oriented economy, where the livelihood of most residents depends on agriculture and related works. Due to lack of employment opportunities and inadequate wages, locals are reeling under poverty and are migrating to neighbouring cities for better prospects. The village is enlisted for consideration under various government policies for infrastructure development, skill development, employment and heritage conservation. Despite these policy implementations, the government failed to generate employment for the locals and did not establish a sense of cultural pride. This gap can be identified and filled by bringing tourism to the village. Padawali village has almost all the attributes that can transform it into a rural tourism site or Adarsh Paryatan Gram. Rural tourism can help the villages to become self-sustenance, earn recognition to local’s art & craft and support its rejuvenation, etc. This study investigated various government policies and identified the gaps that hinder the transformation of Padawali into a model tourist village or Adarsh Paryatan Gram. The findings can help other villages to identify their constraints.