Lok Sabha Question No. 1954 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-14
Subject: Role of ITDC in Promotion of Tourism
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: Sumedhanand Saraswati

- (e)

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.†1954 ANSWERED ON 14.03.2022

## ROLE OF ITDC IN PROMOTION OF TOURISM

†1954. SHRI SUMEDHANAND SARASWATI:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) the  role  of    India  Tourism  Development  Corporation  (ITDC)  in  the promotion of tourism in the country and in the hospitality industry;
- (b) the number of ITDC Hotels operating in the country at present;
- (c) whether the Government has taken note of the huge loss incurred to ITDC in the recent years;
- (d) if  so,  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  improve  the  economic
- condition of these Hotels; and
- if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF TOURISM                                          (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

- (a):    At present, India Tourism Development Corporation Limited (ITDC) is running the following verticals:
-  Ashok Group of Hotels Division; as part of its main objectives, ITDC has been running hotels, restaurants and catering establishments.
-  Ashok  Travels  and  Tours  (ATT)  Division  is  providing  travel  related services  like  air-ticketing,  transport,  accommodation,  tours  etc.  to promote tourism in the country.
-  Ashok Consultancy and Engineering Services (ACES) Division; undertakes  various  projects  sanctioned  by  Ministry  of  Tourism  and State  Govt's.  for  development  and  expansion  of  tourism  in  the country.

ACES Division of ITDC since its inception has been providing services from Concept to Commissioning of Tourism Infrastructure Development,  Hotels,  Commercial,  Educational,  Landscaping,  River Front  Development  Projects,  and  Theme  Based  Parks  etc.  The division  also  prepares  Tourism  Master  Plans,  Feasibility  &  Pre  Feasibility Reports, Cost- Benefit Analysis, Detailed Project Reports, Preparation of Drawings, Estimates & Tender documents for development of Tourism Infrastructure. The division has been executing  various  Tourism  Infrastructure  Projects  under  Swadesh Darshan, PRASAD and CFA Schemes of Ministry of Tourism and State Govts.

For  promotion  of  tourism  and  increase  in  tourist  foot  fall,  SEL/ Multimedia  shows  and  musical  fountains  are  being  implemented  by the  division.  This  division  is  the  oldest  entity  in  the  country  for implementation of SEL shows.

-  Ashok Events Division (AED), a strategic business unit of ITDC, is a leading event management agency handling Conferences, Exhibitions, Workshops, Seminars and other national & International events. Ashok Events' core competence is providing one-stop solutions as a Professional Conference Organizer for the entire gamut of services.

With the help of in-house design and print expertise, it also provides printing services. ITDC has made a mark in event management in a big  way  and  with  its  rich  expertise  it  has  an  illustrious  client  list comprising Government Ministries, Departments, Autonomous Bodies and Authorities.

Ashok  Events  is  the  designated  agency  of  Ministry  of  Tourism  for handling Conferences, Workshops, Conclaves, Award Ceremonies and other events of national importance.

-  Ashok  Institute  of  Hospitality  &  Tourism  Management  (AIH&TM); ITDC's Human  Resource Development Division provides quality hospitality  education  at  under  graduate  and  graduate  levels,  thus helping the hospitality industry with trained and quality manpower. In addition  to  above,  HRD  Division  also  trains  workforce  who  are matriculate  and  above,  so  as  to  make  them  job  worthy  and  Skill Upgradation courses for existing workforce in hotel industry to bring them at par with industry standards.

## AIH&TM conducts the following programs/courses:

-  AIH&TM is conducting 03 years B.Sc program in Hospitality and Hotel Administration (H&HA) in affiliation with NCHMCT/IGNOU.
-  B.Voc (in Food Production) and Diploma in Hospitality Management in collaboration with Jamia Millia Islamia University.
-  One year Diploma courses in Food Production, Bakery & Confectionery,  Front  Office,  Housekeeping  and  F&B  services  jointly
- with National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), Ministry of Human Resource Development.
-  Hunar se Rozgar (HSR), Skill Testing and Certification (STC), Entrepreneurship Programme (EP) programmes of Ministry of Tourism.
-  ITDC  has  created  a  parallel  vertical  within  HRD  Division  of  ITDC, under 'Entrepreneurship Development Programme' by forming groups and  societies  through  which  graduates  from  hotel  management institutes  along  with  recently  unemployed  and  other  experienced hospitality  professionals  looking  for  new  job  opportunities  in  the hospitality  sector  would  be  provided  with  the  non  financial  support for  running  catering  and  other  hospitality  related  establishments (canteen/café,  Event  Management,  Manpower  Services,  Banquet services,  Pest  Control,  Packaged  foods  etc.)  in  government  and private  offices/institutions  and  in  other  commercial  buildings  in various  locations.  The  training  on  Entrepreneurship  Development Programme  for the selected candidates is being imparted by NIESBUD, MSDE, Noida.
-  On  the  job  training  to  Industrial  Trainees  from  various  professional Hospitality Institutes in the country.
-  Customized training programmes for various Government departments/institutions.
-  Apprenticeship  training  under  Ministry  of  Skill  Development  and Entrepreneurship.  In these tough times of COVID-19 pandemic, HRD Division of ITDC has compiled a manual on Post COVID Operations at hotels and is being followed at every hotel and catering unit of ITDC.
-  ITDC has signed a MoU with APSSDC to promote skill education in Hospitality Sector at Andhra Pradesh. AIH&TM has conducted various training programmes virtually on Hospitality Operations Post COVID19 for the staff and executives of reputed organizations like IRCTC, Madhya  Pradesh  State  Tourism  Development  Corporation,  IREDA, CAG Office  and  in  a  process  of  finalizing  the  same  with  Karnataka Bhawan, J&K House, SMVDSB, Tamil Nadu House etc. AIH&TM has also  received  an  appreciation  for  conducting  the  said  training  from these agencies.
-  AIH&TM  has  successfully  organized  a  live  food  demonstration  for Vietnam Consulate in view of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav to celebrate 75  years  of  Independent  India.  These  sessions  showcased  ITDC  to the world audience and have been widely appreciated.

In addition to above the, institute also conducts training programmes for  its  employees  on  regular  basis.  The  institute  during  the  year  is conducting various programmes on Tendering Process, Prevention of

- Sexual harassment at work place, grooming classes, Vendors Workshop during vigilance awareness week for the employees of the Corporation.
-  Ashok International Trade Division (AITD); operates 15 shops for Duty Free  goods  on  Seaports  which  facilitates  the  International  tourist travelling through sea route.
- (b):      At  present  the  following  Hotels  are  being  operated  by  ITDC/JV Company:

|   # | Name of the hotel-ITDC                | State/UT               |
|-----|---------------------------------------|------------------------|
|   1 | Ashok Hotel                           | New Delhi              |
|   2 | Samrat Hotel                          | New Delhi              |
|   3 | Hotel Kalinga Ashok                   | Bhubaneswar, Orissa    |
|   4 | Hotel Jammu Ashok (Operations closed) | Jammu, Jammu & Kashmir |

|   # | Name of the Hotels- Joint Venture        | State/UT          | Joint Venture   |
|-----|------------------------------------------|-------------------|-----------------|
|   1 | The Ashok Beach Resort                   | Puducherry        | ITDC: PIPDICL   |
|   2 | Hotel Ranchi Ashok (operations closed)   | Ranchi, Jharkhand | ITDC : BSTDC    |
|   3 | Hotel Nilachal Ashok (operations Closed) | Puri, Odisha      | ITDC : OTDC     |

(c): ITDC  has  not  suffered  losses  during  last  5  years  except  in  the financial year 2020-21 due to COVID19 impact and lock down restrictions. Profitability position of the Company during last five years is as follows:

Rupees in Lakh

| Financial Year   | Profit After Tax (PAT)   | Total Comprehensive Income (TCI)   |
|------------------|--------------------------|------------------------------------|
| 2020-21          | -2,720.29                | -2,583.86                          |
| 2019-20          | 2,195.47                 | 1,429.90                           |
| 2018-19          | 3,957.44                 | ` 4,135.04                         |
| 2017-18          | 1,770.72                 | 1,322.32                           |
| 2016-17          | 1,143.20                 | 1,062.33                           |

(d):   The following steps have been undertaken by ITDC for improvement in the hotels:

-  Renovation of some rooms in The Ashok Hotel, New Delhi in recent past.
-  Renovation of 48 rooms, addition of a new swimming Pool for guests and a new licensed F&B outlet has been done in Samrat Hotel, New Delhi.
-  Tie  up  with  most  of  the  Online  Travel  Agents  for  online  room bookings.
-  Modernization  &  upgradation  of  products/services  is  a  regular  and continuous process in the hotels & catering establishments of ITDC.

(e):   as replied in Point (d) above. ********