Gates to promote adventure tourism

Uttaranchal Chief Minister Narain Dutt Tiwari said on Thursday that global IT giant Microsoft Corp has pledged to support adventure tourism in the state. The discussions between Microsoft officials and the state government would begin soon to work out the modalities of the deal.

"He showed keen interest in adventure tourism. Our government would follow up the matter with his officials in India," Tiwari said.

Bill Gates in India: Complete Coverage

Disclosing this Tiwari said Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft, was also bullish on some of Uttaranchal key projects. Tiwari met Gates in New Delhi on Wednesday and discussed various proposals with him. M Ramachandran, chief secretary, Govt of Uttaranchal, also accompanied the CM.

This was his second meeting with Gates. When he met him for the first time some two years ago, Gates had envisioned plans of a partnership between Microsoft and Uttaranchal particularly in the information technology arena.

Speaking to rediff.com Tiwari said that Gates had set up two academies one each in Dehradun and in Nainital.

According to him Gates was keen to further strengthen the partnership between his company and the Uttaranchal government. "He has announced a big project for Asia and I hope the Indian chapter would include our state," Tiwari said.