Tourism Ministry plans slew of measures to boost sector

NEW DELHI: In a bid to boost tourist inflows, the government has proposed a slew of measures including finalisation of a Rs 500 crore fund to promote sectoral development besides favouring a liberalised aviation policy.
A constitutional amendment, incorporating tourism in the concurrent list would also be brought before the Union cabinet in the near future.
The Tourism Ministry has also suggested imposition of central sales tax regime to replace the current state level taxes on aviation turbine fuel, official sources said.
The proposals were made at a quarterly performance meeting called by Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, K C Pant here today.
Ministry officials said in the meeting that a tourism development fund with a corpus of Rs 500 crore is on the anvil which would also address issues pertaining to last mile infrastructure bottlenecks.
It has also suggested further liberalisation of aviation policy before the Naresh Chandra Committee on Civil Aviation and suggested consistency in policy matters for three year period to allow extra air traffic during peak season.
The proposal for a constitutional amendment has received wide support with 21 states backing the move, while seven opposing it.
Pant asked the ministry to circulate a model legislation drawing upon similar legislations in tourism oriented countries to allay any apprehensions among stake holders.