New Delhi: Nirmala Sitharaman, the finance minister, announced on Monday that the Indian government will provide free visas to 500,000 tourists visiting India.
Sitharaman announced measures to revive the tourism sector battered by Covid-19, including financial assistance to more than 11,000 registered tourist guides and tourism stakeholders. She said that once the visa issuance for international travel is restarted, the first 500,000 travelers will be issued visas free of charge. The total financial implications for this measure would be Rs.1 billion.
The scheme would be applicable until March 31, 2022, or until 500,000 visas are issued, whichever comes first. It would encourage short-term tourism to India, she said.
The government will also provide working capital or personal loans to tourism industry workers to discharge liabilities or restart businesses impacted by the Covid-19. Loans will be 100 percent guaranteed for travel and tourism stakeholders and Rs. 100,000 for tourist guides.
Sitharaman added that Rs. 232.20 billion more will be provided for public health. In light of the short-term nature of emergency preparedness, special emphasis will be placed on pediatric care and/or beds or child care in general.
The measures are part of a slew of announcements made by the finance minister on Monday for economic improvement.
Post Your Comments