Lok Sabha Question No. 3502 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-08
Subject: Revival of Tourism in NER Post Covid-19
Ministry: DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION
Asked by: Vincent H Pala

Government of India Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No.3502

To be answered on Monday, August 8, 2022/Sravana 17, 1944 (Saka)

## QUESTION

## Revival of Tourism in NER Post Covid-19

3502.  SHRI VINCENT H. PALA:

Will the Minister of DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has undertaken any dedicated efforts to revive tourism in North East Region (NER) post Covid-19; (b) if so, the details thereof; (c) whether the Government is considering to provide incentives or compensate to the  ones  who lost  their  jobs  who  were  earlier  employed in  the  tourism  sector, due  to Covid-19; and

- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER The Minister of Ministry of  Development of North Eastern Region [Shri G. Kishan Reddy]

(a) to (d)   Yes, Sir. Post-Covid, in order to motivate and boost the morale of the tourism industry  in  the  country,  including  the  North  East  Region  (NER)  and  to  encourage citizens  to  resume  travelling  within  the  country,  the  Ministry  of  Tourism  took  the following steps: (i) The Ministry  of Tourism  organised webinars, quiz, pledges, discussions, road shows and events under the 'Dekho Apna Desh' campaign to promote different

- tourist  destinations  and  tangible  and  intangible  tourism  products  of  India

including  those  from  the  NER.The  initiatives  were  extensively  promoted  on social media accounts and website of the Ministry of Tourism.

- (ii) An initiative called SAATHI (System for Assessment, Awareness & Training for Hospitality Industry) has  been  developed  for  effective  implementation of Guidelines/Standard  Operating  Procedures  (SOP)  issued  with  reference  to Covid-19 and beyond for safe operation of hotels, restaurants etc.
- (iii) With an aim to incentivize stakeholders in the  tourism industry, the guidelines for the scheme of Market Development Assistance (MDA) for providing financial support  to  stakeholders  for  the  promotion  of  domestic  tourism  have  been modified  to  enhance  the  scope  and  reach  of  the  scheme,  so  as  to  provide maximum benefits to the stakeholders.
- (iv) The  guidelines  of  the  MDA  under  the  Overseas  Promotion  and  Publicity scheme has been modified to enhance the scope and reach of the scheme, so as to provide maximum benefits to the stakeholders in the tourism industry.
- (v) Validity  of  approval  or  certification  of  hotels  and  other  accommodation  units whose project approval/re-approval and classification/re-classification had expired/were likely to expire were extended up to 31 st March 2022.
- (vi) Financial  support  is  being  provided  under  the  Loan  Guarantee  Scheme  for Covid  Affected  Tourism  Service  Sector  (LGSCATSS)  to  regional  level  tourist guides recognised by the Ministry of Tourism and tourist guides recognised by the  State  Governments/  Union  Territories  Administrations  and  Travel  and Tourism Stakeholders (TTS) recognized by the Ministry of Tourism. TTSs  are eligible to get a loan of upto Rs.10 Lakh each while tourist guides can avail a loan  of  upto  Rs.1  Lakh  each.  There  is  no  processing  charges,  waiver  of foreclosure/prepayment charges and no requirement of additional collateral.
- (vii) The Ministry of Tourism also conducted various study tours for students from all over  the  country  including  the  NER  to  promote  tourism  products  among  the youth. Two major tourism promotional events were organized to revive tourism in NER post-Covid namely; Tourism & Culture Ministers meeting for NER under chairmanship  of  Hon'ble  Minister  for  Tourism,  Culture  &  DONER  (13 th -14 th September,  2021)  at  Guwahati  and;  International  Tourism  Mart  -  Nagaland, Kohima (27 th - 29 th  November, 2021).

In addition to the above, other agencies/Ministries of Government of India have fund contribution,  deferment  of  Tax  Collected  at  Source  (TCS),  collateral  free  automation loan under the Atmanirbhar Bharat package etc. to revive the economy including the declared stimulus packages like loan moratorium, waived off provident tourism and hospitality industry. During  the  financial  year  2020-21  to  2021-22,  the  Ministry  of  Development  of North Eastern Region sanctioned 28 projects worth Rs.1023.28 crore under North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) and 23 projects worth Rs.97.09 crore under  schemes  of  North  Eastern  Council (NEC)  for  the  overall  development  of

tourism sector in NER.

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