Prime Minister of India - Dr. Manmohan Singh

Government sets up inter-ministerial coordination committee for Tourism Sector

Government has set up an inter-ministerial coordination committee for Tourism Sector under the chairmanship of the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister to resolve inter-ministerial and industry issues and promote tourism.

Shri Pulok Chatterji presided over the first meeting of the committee in PMO on 19.1.2012. Secretaries to Government of India of important ministries were present. Sh Chatterji said tourism should be seen as development: it should be pro-poor and focus on employment creation. He emphasized the need to give tourism a major fillip during the 12th Plan so as to more than double the number of foreign tourists arriving in India and further encourage domestic tourism.

Some of the important decisions taken in the meeting were:

· A sub-committee under consisting of Member Secretary, Planning Commission, Culture Secretary, Secretary (Environment and Forests), Secretary (Rural Development) and Secretary(Tourism) will identify the potential of tourism in rural, eco and cultural sectors in the country and submit its report within four weeks.

· MOEF should finalise its eco-tourism policy at the earliest possible duly analysing the feedback it has received from different quarters.

· It is imperative that all local stakeholders are involved in promoting eco-tourism.

· Ministry of Culture should adopt a pro-active tourism policy which should promote Museums, cultural and heritage sites, besides monuments. There should be close inter-face between MOC and MOT.

· MHA to take steps to facilitate extension of Tourist Visa on Arrival to GOA, Hyderabad, Kochi and Bengaluru airports within next one year.

· A coordination Committee consisting of Joint Secretaries of MHA, MEA and MoT constituted to resolve day to day visa related complaints.

· In order to promote vocational courses related to tourism it was decided that MHRD will accord High Priority in including maximum schools under the scheme.

· The initiative taken by Ministry of Tourism through Hunar se Rozgar scheme was appreciated by the Committee. It was noted that tourism related activities should become an integral part of relevant poverty alleviation programme of the Ministry of Rural Development including NREGA.

· Ministry of Road Transport and Highways will utilise the funds available under Central Road Fund (CRF) in consultation with concerned State Governments in 13 States in February, 2012 where the roads have already been identified.

· Ministry of Road Transport & Highways will undertake development of essential road infrastructure in the tourism circuits either from its own fund or Central Road Fund.

· Ministry of Defence (Border Road Organisation) will expedite ongoing work at Gangtok and Leh roads which are tentatively scheduled to be completed by 2014 and 2015 respectively.