Tourism and Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation Minister Kumari Selja has welcomed the proposals made in the Union Budget 2010-2011 in tourism and housing & urban poverty alleviation sectors.
The tourism ministry wants rationalisation of import duty on adventure sports equipment to promote adventure tourism in the country. There is a proposal for exemption of service tax for inbound tour operators on their foreign exchange earnings. Sources said Tourism Minister Kumari Selja would submit the detailed proposals to the finance ministry, seeking various tax incentives for the sector.
As part of its efforts to boost the sector, the Tourism Ministry has decided to announce policy initiatives for promotion of innovative programmes like 'caravan' and 'heliport tourism' in its 100-day agenda.
The joint action plan reiterates the provisions of cooperation enshrined in the bilateral agreement on tourism signed between the two countries on January 24, 1994. There has been a constant increase in the number of tourists from Singapore to India. While 44,306 Singaporeans visited India in 2002, the number increased to 92,908 in 2007.
Union Tourism and Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Minister Kumari Selja said, "The thrust area for the government will be creation and improvement of tourism infrastructure, promotion and publicity of India as a preferred destination in overseas markets, promotion of domestic tourism and most importantly employment generation." On housing and urban poverty alleviation, the JNNURM with approval of projects of nearly Rs 50,000 crore is reshaping our cities, she said.
The reigning Miss World, Ksenia Kukhinova of Russia, presented the award to India's tourism minister, Kumari Selja at a gala function held at the Grosvenor House in London.
Tourism minister Kumari Selja said other countries which followed the US in that year were UK, Bangladesh, Canada, France, Sri Lanka, Germany, Japan, Australia and Malaysia. To woo more tourists, Indiatourism offices overseas are undertaking promotional activities in all important and potential tourist-generating markets to showcase India's tourism potential, the minister said.
Tourism secretary Sujit Banerjee said the government is going for single window clearance system for hotel industry and all formalities including the preparation of cabinet note for the proposal has been finalised.
If the government has its way, the catchy 'Incredible India' tourism campaigns will be spotted in big ticket events like Oscar and Grammy awards.
Mani Shanker Aiyer, after having been told by the Congress leadership to desist from making statements against the Commonwealth Games, has now taken to writing letters to register his point.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is expected to release its preliminary report this week on the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, which resulted in the deaths of at least 260 people. The investigation is ongoing, with the help of foreign experts, and the black box and voice recorder data are being analyzed.
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