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NEW DELHI: A parliamentary panel has recommended a slew of measures to boost tourism in the country, including development of last mile connectivity, regularising the adventure tour markets and introduction of a competitive tourism ranking system among cities.
It has also suggested promoting night tourism and providing better wayside facilities for travellers to to give a boost to the sector.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, in its report also recommended that the Ministry of Tourism should “exercise greater fiscal prudence” and ensure that unspent budgetary provisions are surrendered timely in future.
“The Committee also takes a serious note of keeping the unspent provision of Rs 1,056.97 crore till the close of financial year 2021-22 despite reduction in the budgetary outlay at the RE 2021-22 stage in disregard of the provisions of General Financial Rules,” read the report.
The report noted that there is a substantial under-utilization of the budgeted funds during financial year 2021-22.
“Against the revised estimates RE 2021-22 allocation of Rs 969.80 crore, only 47.70 percent amounting to Rs 462.55 crore could be spent till January 31.
“It means that the remaining expenditure would have to be squeezed in the last two months of FY 2021-22. Since as per norms stipulated by the Ministry of Finance, there is a ceiling of 25 per cent on expenditure in the last quarter, occurrence of huge savings is a certainty,” it said.
The report noted that savings of Rs 1056.97 crore vis-à-vis the budget estimates (BE) 2021-22 allocation “not only betrays fiscal indiscipline by way of under-utilization of the earmarked funds which will have an adverse bearing on infrastructure development-oriented activities of the Ministry, but is also indicative of shortcomings in budgetary planning and monitoring of the budgeted funds”.
“The Committee observes that a resource constrained country like India cannot afford to keep a vast chunk of its resources locked up and surrendered towards the end of the financial year. The committee, therefore, recommends that realistic projection of fund requirements should be given utmost priority at the highest level of the Ministry,” read the report.
The committee recommended that on the lines of World Tourism Rankings and “Swachh Survekshan”, a competitive Tourism Ranking System should be introduced amongst Indian cities which would provide the impetus for them to create, maintain and promote more and more tourist spots within their cities.
A very rapidly emerging trend in global tourism scenario is ‘night tourism’, the panel noted and said the ministry should focus on this domain and make more sites available for visit during nights, allow extended hours, provide exhaustive information on websites and social media pages and aggressively market the concept.
“Though India has opened some of its monuments for public to visit at night, it is still in a very nascent stage. Sufficient information is also not available regarding the participating sites, their timings and other such details. This will open a new dimension of looking at our existing tourism heritage and invite repeat visitors,” it said.
The committee also observed that last mile connectivity to several destinations is a deterrent to promotion of tourism.
“Since last mile connectivity is a key driver for promotion of tourism, the Committee recommends that while preparing Master Plan for connectivity to tourist destinations, last mile connectivity should mandatorily be included in the concept and the Detailed Project Report,” it said.
Noting that there is lack of good wayside amenities, including toilets at several tourist destinations which causes inconvenience and discourages them from visiting such places, the committee asked the ministry to focus more on improvement of such amenities.
The committee said 22 projects have been sanctioned by the Ministry of Tourism at a cost of Rs. 108.54 crores to provide enhanced facilities for tourists at railway stations.
“Though more than ten years have elapsed since their sanction in FY 2011-12, their full operationalization is still a far cry. The committee is unhappy at the continuing delay in full operationalization of these projects and constrained to observe that the desired priority has not been accorded to the upgradation of facilities at the 22 railway stations selected for the purpose.
“The Committee, therefore, recommends that concrete steps be taken to translate into reality the vision of developing top-class facilities at the 22 railway stations within a designated timeline,” it said.
Fourteen states have deployed tourist police in one form or the other, it said.
Keeping in mind the importance of safety and security of tourists, the committee in its earlier reports had asked the ministry of Tourism to take up the matter with the remaining States, it said.
The committee, however, is dismayed to note that no further headway has been made by the remaining states towards creation and deployment of tourism police at major tourist destinations,” it said.
It also said that the ministry should document good tourism practices from other countries.
It also recommended an urgent need to regularise the Adventure Tour Operators Market and promote registration of companies, indulging in these activities on a centralized platform to increase credibility and enforce safety regulations.
It has also suggested promoting night tourism and providing better wayside facilities for travellers to to give a boost to the sector.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, in its report also recommended that the Ministry of Tourism should “exercise greater fiscal prudence” and ensure that unspent budgetary provisions are surrendered timely in future.
“The Committee also takes a serious note of keeping the unspent provision of Rs 1,056.97 crore till the close of financial year 2021-22 despite reduction in the budgetary outlay at the RE 2021-22 stage in disregard of the provisions of General Financial Rules,” read the report.
The report noted that there is a substantial under-utilization of the budgeted funds during financial year 2021-22.
“Against the revised estimates RE 2021-22 allocation of Rs 969.80 crore, only 47.70 percent amounting to Rs 462.55 crore could be spent till January 31.
“It means that the remaining expenditure would have to be squeezed in the last two months of FY 2021-22. Since as per norms stipulated by the Ministry of Finance, there is a ceiling of 25 per cent on expenditure in the last quarter, occurrence of huge savings is a certainty,” it said.
The report noted that savings of Rs 1056.97 crore vis-à-vis the budget estimates (BE) 2021-22 allocation “not only betrays fiscal indiscipline by way of under-utilization of the earmarked funds which will have an adverse bearing on infrastructure development-oriented activities of the Ministry, but is also indicative of shortcomings in budgetary planning and monitoring of the budgeted funds”.
“The Committee observes that a resource constrained country like India cannot afford to keep a vast chunk of its resources locked up and surrendered towards the end of the financial year. The committee, therefore, recommends that realistic projection of fund requirements should be given utmost priority at the highest level of the Ministry,” read the report.
The committee recommended that on the lines of World Tourism Rankings and “Swachh Survekshan”, a competitive Tourism Ranking System should be introduced amongst Indian cities which would provide the impetus for them to create, maintain and promote more and more tourist spots within their cities.
A very rapidly emerging trend in global tourism scenario is ‘night tourism’, the panel noted and said the ministry should focus on this domain and make more sites available for visit during nights, allow extended hours, provide exhaustive information on websites and social media pages and aggressively market the concept.
“Though India has opened some of its monuments for public to visit at night, it is still in a very nascent stage. Sufficient information is also not available regarding the participating sites, their timings and other such details. This will open a new dimension of looking at our existing tourism heritage and invite repeat visitors,” it said.
The committee also observed that last mile connectivity to several destinations is a deterrent to promotion of tourism.
“Since last mile connectivity is a key driver for promotion of tourism, the Committee recommends that while preparing Master Plan for connectivity to tourist destinations, last mile connectivity should mandatorily be included in the concept and the Detailed Project Report,” it said.
Noting that there is lack of good wayside amenities, including toilets at several tourist destinations which causes inconvenience and discourages them from visiting such places, the committee asked the ministry to focus more on improvement of such amenities.
The committee said 22 projects have been sanctioned by the Ministry of Tourism at a cost of Rs. 108.54 crores to provide enhanced facilities for tourists at railway stations.
“Though more than ten years have elapsed since their sanction in FY 2011-12, their full operationalization is still a far cry. The committee is unhappy at the continuing delay in full operationalization of these projects and constrained to observe that the desired priority has not been accorded to the upgradation of facilities at the 22 railway stations selected for the purpose.
“The Committee, therefore, recommends that concrete steps be taken to translate into reality the vision of developing top-class facilities at the 22 railway stations within a designated timeline,” it said.
Fourteen states have deployed tourist police in one form or the other, it said.
Keeping in mind the importance of safety and security of tourists, the committee in its earlier reports had asked the ministry of Tourism to take up the matter with the remaining States, it said.
The committee, however, is dismayed to note that no further headway has been made by the remaining states towards creation and deployment of tourism police at major tourist destinations,” it said.
It also said that the ministry should document good tourism practices from other countries.
It also recommended an urgent need to regularise the Adventure Tour Operators Market and promote registration of companies, indulging in these activities on a centralized platform to increase credibility and enforce safety regulations.
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