Lok Sabha Question No. 2321 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-13
Subject: Issuance of Regional Level Tourist Guide Licenses
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: Omprakash Bhupalsinh alias Pawan Rajenimbalkar, C.N. Annadurai, Ganesan Selvam, Gautham Sigamani Pon, Dhanush M Kumar

- (a)

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2321 ANSWERED ON 13.12.2021

## ISSUANCE OF REGIONAL LEVEL TOURIST GUIDE LICENSES

## 2321.SHRI OMPRAKASH BHUPALSINH alias PAWAN RAJENIMBALKAR:

SHRI C.N. ANNADURAI:

SHRI SELVAM G.:

SHRI GAUTHAM SIGAMANI PON:

SHRI DHANUSH M. KUMAR:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- the number of tourist guides operating in the country, State/UT-wise;
- (b) whether Government is issuing Regional Level Tourist Guide licences  under  the  delegated  power  of  Ancient  Monuments  and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act;
- (c) if so, the number of tourist guide licences issued during each of the last three years and the current year;
- (d) whether there is a severe shortage of approved tourist guides in the country;
- (e) whether the Government has rolled out online certificate course to create a pool of skilled persons at local level;
- (f) whether the Government is conducting refresher course for tourist guides in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (g) whether the Government is extending any facility to tourist guides for their betterment and if so, the details thereof; and
- (h) whether any special institution has been set-up for tourist management in the country and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF TOURISM

(SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a): At present, there are 3227 Regional Level Tourist Guides available in  the  Country.  The  State/Union  Territory-  wise  details  are  given  the statement attached to the reply as Annexure.

(b): Yes, Sir.

(c): During the last three year no new licence for Regional Level Guide (RLG) has been issued as the matter is sub-judiced in the Hon'ble High Court  of  Delhi  (W.P.  No.  3342/2017,4155/2017).  However,  as  per  the direction of High Court licences of existing Regional Level Guides (RLG) have been renewed/extended till dated. (d): Yes, Sir. (e): Yes, Sir. (f): Yes, Sir. During the current year and upto 7 th  December, 2021, total number  of  1294  Regional  Level  Guides  (RLGs)/Incredible  India  Tourist Guides  (IITG)  have  completed  the  Refresher  course  conducted  online through the Incredible India Tourist Facilitator (IITFC)/IITG portal. (g): Government  of  India  has  launched  "Loan  Guarantee  Scheme  for Covid  Affected  Tourism  Service  Sector  (LGSCATSS)".    Loan  guarantee upto  Rs.1.00  lakh  is  being  extended  to  each  Regional  Tourist  Guide/ Incredible  India  Tourist  Guide  approved/recognized  by  the  Ministry  of Tourism and Tourist Guides approved/ recognized by the State Govt./ UT Administration. The  purpose  of  the  LGSCATSS  of  the  Ministry  of  Tourism  is  to provide  guarantee  coverage  for  the  loans  provided  by  the  Scheduled Commercial  Banks  to  the  above  mentioned  beneficiaries,  to  discharge their liabilities  and  restart  their  business  affected  due  to  Covid-19 pandemic. Validity of the said scheme is till 31.03.2022 or till the guarantee of Rs.250.00 crores are issued under the scheme, whichever is earlier and would be applicable to all eligible loans sanctioned under the scheme on or  after  04.10.2021  (issuance  of  LGSCATSS  guidelines  by  NCGTC)  till 31.03.2022. No guarantee fee will be charged from the MLIs by NCGTC for the credit facilities provided under the Scheme. (h): The  Indian  Institute  of  Tourism  &  Travel  Management  (IITTM),  an autonomous institute under Ministry of Tourism, conducts Tourism Management  courses  through  its  Gwalior,  Bhubaneswar,  Noida,  Nellor& Goa Centers.

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ANNEXURE STATEMENT  IN  REPLY  TO  PART (a)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2321 ANSWERED ON 13.12.2021 REGARDING ISSUANCE OF REGIONAL LEVEL TOURIST GUIDES LICENSES.

| S. No.   | Name of States/UTs         | No. of Guides   |
|----------|----------------------------|-----------------|
| 1.       | Delhi                      | 738             |
| 2.       | Haryana                    | 35              |
| 3.       | Rajasthan                  | 977             |
| 4.       | Uttar Pradesh 749          |                 |
| 5.       | Punjab                     | 03              |
| 6.       | Jammu & Kashmir            | 01              |
| 7.       | Uttrakhand                 | 02              |
| 8.       | Himachal Pradesh           | 04              |
| 9.       | Meghalaya                  | 01              |
| 10.      | Tamil Nadu & Puducherry    | 120             |
| 11.      | Karnataka                  | 34              |
| 12.      | Kerala                     | 86              |
| 13.      | Andhra Pradesh & Telangana | 15              |
| 14.      | Maharashtra                | 180             |
| 15.      | Goa                        | 31              |
| 16.      | Gujarat                    | 22              |
| 17.      | Chattisgarh                | 02              |
| 18.      | Madhya Pradesh             | 106             |
| 19.      | Bihar                      | 25              |
| 20.      | Jharkhand                  | 02              |
| 21.      | Odisha                     | 23              |
| 22.      | West Bengal                | 69              |
| 23.      | Assam                      | 02              |
|          | Total                      | 3227            |

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