Times of India 30 May, 2004 Advocating a 'collective approach' to tap the huge potential of tourism in the country, Tourism Minister Renuka Choudhary has asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to form an inter-ministerial group to evolve a multi-pronged strategy to boost the sector.
"We are in the process of drafting a document containing issues like visa on arrival on reciprocal basis, land allotment and tourist police and will also enlist the names of the ministries which can help for a coordinated approach in these areas," said Choudhary.
Besides Tourism Ministry, other ministries, which will be actively involved, are Civil Aviation, Commerce, Culture, Urban Development and Industries, the minister said.
The minister said she has already spoken to the Prime Minister requesting him to take promotion of tourism as Common Minimum Programme (CMP) as there was a need to liaise with other ministries. "The document will be prepared within 10-15 days and will be sent to the Prime Minister," she said. Choudhary, who is full of innovative ideas to bring new approach to tourism, said the sector could be the answer to many problems of the country such as unemployment besides generating a whopping foreign exchange reserve. |