With sluggish economic growth and burgeoning unemployment in its hands, India’s new government is eyeing at the tourism sector for a bail-out. As the sector has an instant and tangible impact on job creation, the government is giving utmost attention to it now.
According to government sources, the tourism sector has created 13 million jobs in the past four years and as per a report of World Travel and Tourism Council, tourism contributed 9 per cent to India’s GDP and 8 per cent to its total employment.
The new Union Minister of State for Tourism and Culture, Prahlad Singh Patel, also believes that the tourism industry had a huge potential to generate jobs for youths. In one of his press conferences Patel said, tourism policies are to be studied and various possibilities will be explored to create jobs in this sector.
Steps have already been taken in major Indian states in this regard. Since Patel represents Damoh Lok Sabha seat of Madhya pradesh, reporting developments of the state’s tourism sector he said, the work on the wildlife, Buddhist, eco and heritage circuits are expected to be completed soon. Further he informed, the Union government had sanctioned four projects under ‘Swadesh Darshan Scheme’ for Madhya Pradesh between 2015 and 2018.
The Union minister also briefed, “Under the Prasad Scheme, work for ‘Omkareshwar development project’and ‘Amarkantak (origin place of the Narmada river) development project’ are also in progress. The tourism ministry had granted approval to the Prasad Scheme in October 2018. The state government’s approval is awaited for the project.”
Modi government’s another newly-elected MP from Odisha, who has already became a minister in new cabinet and made headlines for his austerity, also believes in promoting tourism to address the unemployment problem. He belongs to the Balasore constituency and viewing the tourism potential of his place, he is very much excited about bringing Balasore on India’s tourism map. Indicating a less known destination of the region, he said, “Very few know about the ‘Kuldiha sanctuary’ which is famous for being inhibited by elephants. If developed in proper direction, Balasore has great scope for tourism. The local youths’ unemployment problem can be easily solved by it.”
Not only this, but in anticipation of making a mark among other developing nations, the tourism industry of the country has started its game plan as of now.
