Lok Sabha Question No. 1349 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-19
Subject: Cheaters Around Tourist Sites
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: Gautam Gambhir

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1349 ANSWERED ON 19.09.2020

## CHEATERS AROUND TOURIST SITES

## 1349. SHRI GAUTAM GAMBHIR:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) con men around important tourist sites, monuments, religious and  spiritual  sites,  railway  stations  etc.  are  a  major  factor dissuading  foreign  tourists  from  travelling  to  the  interiors  of the country. Whether the Government is working on any plan such  as  having  a  buddy  system  by  employing  locals  to  deal with this issue; and
- (b)
- if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR TOURISM (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (SHRI PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL)

(a) & (b): 'Public Order' and 'Police' and prevention of crime including safety & security of Tourists are State subjects. However, with  efforts  of  Ministry  of  Tourism,  the  State  Governments/Union Territory Administration of Delhi, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Sikkim have deployed tourist police, in one form or the other for the safety and security of Tourists.

The Bureau of Police Research and Development, Ministry of Home  Affairs,  Govt.  of  India,  has  constituted  a  Committee  with Ministry  of  Tourism  as  a  member  for  the  purpose  of  setting  up  of Dedicated  Call  Centres  with  Police  Personnel  at  important  tourist destinations  with  high  footfalls.  The  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  has also addressed letters to Chief Secretaries/Administrators of

States/Union  Territories  for  implementation  of  pilot  projects  on Tourist Police at important tourist places.

In  addition,  the  Ministry  of  Tourism  has  taken  the  following measures for safety and security of tourists:

- (i) The  Ministry  of  Tourism  has  launched  the  24x7  MultiLingual  Tourist  Info-Helpline  on  the  toll  free  number 1800111363  or  on  a  short  code  1363  in  12  Languages including  10  international  language,  Hindi  &  English  in February  2016,  for  domestic  and  foreign  tourists  to provide  support  service  in  terms  of  information  relating to Travel in India and also offers appropriate guidance to tourists in distress while travelling in India.
- (ii) The  Ministry  of  Tourism  along  with  all  stakeholders, including the Tourism Departments of all States and UTs, have adopted the 'Code of Conduct for Safe & Honourable  Tourism'  which  is  a  set  of  guidelines  to encourage  tourism  activities to be undertaken  with respect  for  basic  right  like  dignity,  safety  and  freedom from exploitation of both tourists and local residents in particular, women and children.
- (iii) The Ministry of Tourism has launched the Incredible India Tourist Facilitator Certification  Programme,  an  online training programme, with the objective of creating a pool of trained professionals to facilitate tourists in destinations across the country, including in  remote areas.  The Facilitators  shall  be  able  to  play  the  role  of local  host  and  in  the  process  also  ensure  both  actual safety and the perception of safety to both International and domestic travellers.

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