Jaipur, Sept. 17 -- Rajasthan's Shekhawati region, known for its grand fresco-painted havelis, is fast emerging as a new tourism hotspot. In just the first six months of 2025, the districts of Sikar, Jhunjhunu and Churu welcomed nearly 1.9 crore domestic tourists and over 33,000 foreign visitors, underscoring Shekhawati's growing appeal as a heritage destination. The region's havelis as "invaluable and unique heritage of the state" and stressed that their preservation and promotion is a shared responsibility, said Bhajan Lal Sharma, Chief Minister, addressing the Shekhawati Heritage Conservation Dialogue. He highlighted that the state government had already taken concrete steps under the Shekhawati Haveli Conservation Scheme, announced in the 2025-26 budget. As part of the initiative, 662 historic havelis across Jhunjhunu, Sikar and Churu have been identified for development into heritage walks, art galleries, cultural centres, homestays and tourism hubs, thereby blending cultural preservation with economic opportunity. The Chief Minister noted that Shekhawati's unique combination of art, culture and faith has propelled its rise as a tourism leader. Alongside heritage tourism, religious sites such as Khatushyamji and Salasar Balaji temples are being developed to enhance the visitor experience. He said 30 heritage certificates have already been issued to havelis, linking them with tourism activity and local livelihoods. Sharma also pointed to strong investor interest, with 58 MoUs signed for tourism projects in the region. These are expected to generate significant employment, while Rising Rajasthan Conclaves in Kolkata, Hyderabad and Surat will connect haveli owners and other stakeholders to investment opportunities. To ensure structured and sustainable development, the Chief Minister announced the creation of a joint committee of various departments that will prepare a long-term roadmap for conservation and tourism development in towns such as Ramgarh, Nawalgarh, Mandawa, Khetri, Laxmangarh, Fatehpur and Mahansar. He also directed DCs to ensure that no heritage structure is demolished in the future....