Union Tourism Minister K.Chiranjeevi has urged the State Governments and UTs to enact the cadre of Tourist Police in one form or other. Inaugurating the day long National Conference of State Tourism Ministers in New Delhi yesterday, he said this can be done either by borrowing some companies from the Police Department or hiring ex-servicemen or home guards. The Tourist Police can be deployed visibly in places where such incidents can happen.
The Minister said “ If inspite of our best efforts, such incidents occur, we must take immediate action to bring the culprits to the book and ensure speedy court trials. While doing so, we must show our sensitivity towards the feelings of the victim and respect their dignity and privacy”.
Referring to the recent incidents of assault on women tourists which has seriously damaged our image the Minister said “It is not only important that we provide security to the tourists but it is also important that we must instil a sense of confidence in them”.
Shri Chiranjeevi said the second important issue which has become a serious cause of concern and due to which we are losing business to other markets is cleanliness and hygiene. He said heaps of garbage at tourist destinations, open defecation at the beaches, morning soils on the railway tracks etc. discourage the tourists. The Minister said, “The problem is serious and if we fail to tackle it now, it may be too late. I suggest that all States and UT Administrations must declare various tourist destinations as plastic free, ensure regular removal of garbage, build proper toilets to check open defecation and sensitise the community about the need to keep the destinations clean”.
Expressing concern over high tax structure on tourism products the Tourism Minister said that collective taxes like VAT, Service Tax and Luxury Tax on tourism related services range between 20 to 30 per cent in India as compared 5 to 10 percent in the neighbouring countries. He said, “I have opened a dialogue with the Finance Ministry to rationalise the central taxes. I would request you also to take up the issue of rationalisation of State taxes with your counterpart in Finance Department of your State”.
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