West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said UNESCO has declared the state as a top destination for heritage tourism, asserting that the sector generated employment for lakhs of youths.

• Mamata Banerjee, speaking in the assembly, said the state has taken "giant strides" in religious, heritage and tea tourism.
• The chief minister also said the under-construction Jagannath temple at Digha will soon be open for devotees.
• Minister of State for Tourism Indranil Sen said a "record" 2,489 homestays opened in the state, and 65 per cent of those are located in north Bengal.
• Mamata Banerjee also said that a tender has been floated for construction of a bridge over the Muriganga river in the Ganga Sagar Island, where the annual Gangasagar Mela is held.