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Business EYE JULY 02, 2021 | The Indian Eye 36

Will the Govt plan

to boost tourism work?

Jammu & Kashmir and Goa welcome the move; Haryana working on the Krishna Circuit

Our Bureau which has been hit hard due to

New Delhi COVID-19.
Sawant welcomed the an-
he Centre on Monday nouncement claiming that it
announced Credit Guar- will help in boosting tourism
Tantee Scheme to facil- in the state. “I am yet to go
itate new lending among the through the details of the deci-
smallest borrowers and stated sion. Once I go through it, I will
that this includes the ‘stressed react in detail,” he told ANI at
borrowers’. While addressing BJP headquarters in Panaji.
a press conference here on Also, Narendra K. Sawaikar,
Monday, Union Finance Min- Goa’s Commissioner for NRI
ister Nirmala Sitharaman said, affairs told ANI that the deci-
“Under the Credit Guarantee sion will help to revive the tour-
Scheme we aim to reach out ism sector in the state. State
to 25 lakh people who are ab- BJP President Sadanand Shet
solutely small borrowers. Loan Tanavade said that post-Covid
to be given to the smallest bor- such a stimulus was required
rowers by Microfinance Insti- Tourists enjoy Shikara ride at Dal Lake, in Srinagar for the tourism sector, which
tutions. A maximum Rs 1.25 on Wednesday. (ANI) has been severely affected due
lakhs amount to be lent.” to the pandemic.
“The interest rate under the People associated with the goodwill gesture. We hope to Meanwhile, Union Minis-
new Credit Guarantee Scheme tourism industry have wel- see more foreign tourists in the ter of State for Tourism and
is 2 per cent below RBI pre- comed finance minister Nirma- near future. We hope the bene- Culture (Independent Charge)
scribed rate, with a loan dura- la Sitharaman’s loan package ficiaries will avail the benefits,” Prahlad Singh Patel on Tuesday
tion of 3 years,” the Union Fi- for travel agencies and tourist Gupta said. said Haryana Government has
nance Minister stated. guides which is likely to revive Deepanka Sengupta, an completed the first phase of the
“The focus will be on new the industry. economist by profession in Krishna circuit project and is
lending and not on repayment Rajesh Gupta, chairperson Srinagar said, “During the working on the second one.
of the old loans. Stressed bor- of Tourism Federation in Jam- COVID-19 lockdown, the Patel met Haryana Chief
rowers except NPAs to be cov- mu and Kashmir, told ANI, tourism sector in Jammu and Minister Manohar Lal Khattar
ered under the new Scheme,” “We welcome post COVID Kashmir was hit badly. Here, in Delhi to discuss development
she said. lockdown schemes by the I believe that the tourism sec- schemes related to spiritual
During the press con- Centre to boost the tourism tor is the largest ‘employment’ tourism in Haryana. Speaking
ference, a Rs 1.1 lakh crore industry. The humanitarian sector. Hence, many people after the meeting, he informed
loan guarantee scheme for move by the Centre will pro- faced job losses. But with these that Khattar also presented a
COVID-affected sectors was vide financial support to more packages by the Centre, it will plan of building a virtual mu-
also announced. Of this, Rs than 11,000 registered tour- easier for tourist guides to take seum based on religious scrip-
50,000 crore has been allocat- ists, guides, travel and tourism loans. It will also enhance the tures in Jyotisar, a pilgrimage
ed to the health sector and Rs stakeholders. We just have to liquidity in the market. With site near Kurukshetra.
60,000 crore for other sectors. monitor that the benefits pro- these announcements by the “Haryana Government has
Sitharaman said, “We are vided by this scheme reach the Finance Ministry, the tourism completed the first plan Krish-
announcing about eight eco- grassroot level.” sector will get the much-need- na circuit and is working on
nomic relief measures, of which “The schemes in the tour- ed relief.” Krishna circuit plan two. He
four are absolutely new and ism sector will encourage for- Goa Chief Minister Pramod (Khattar) has a plan of build-
one is specific to health infra- eign tourists as well. As per the Sawant on Monday welcomed ing a virtual museum based on
structure. For COVID-affected Centre, once the visa issuance the decision of Union Finance Gita and Mahabharat in Jyotis-
areas, Rs 1.1 lakh crores cred- is restarted, the first 5 lakh Minister Nirmala Sitharaman ar, which is so big. We also dis-
it guarantee scheme and Rs foreign tourists visas will be is- to provide a financial package cussed making a science city in
50,000 crores for health sector.” sued free of charge. It is a great to revive the tourism sector Haryana,” the Minister said.

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