New Himachal Tourism policy gets nod

Shimla : The State Cabinet today approved the draft of Himachal Pradesh Tourism Policy, 2019.

The draft aims at holistic development of tourism in the State with special focus on ecotourism, agro organic tourism, snow tourism, lake tourism, adventure tourism, pilgrimage tourism, cultural and heritage tourism, health and wellness tourism, film tourism  and  MICE tourism (Meeting Travel, Incentive Travel, Conference Travel and Exhibition Travel).

The main objectives of this policy is to promote tourism diversification through theme based development, to safeguard state’s tourism destinations through sustainable interventions, to ensure that sustainable tourism primarily benefits host communities, to build capacity and develop quality human resource for the tourism industry, to provide safe, secure and unique ‘tourism for all’ and to create enabling environment for investments for sustainable tourism.

Cabinet also approved ‘Capital Investment Subsidy’ for tourism projects in under developed areas of the State and grant for access of roads and water supply to tourism units.

The state government also gave its consent to include 428 Gram Panchayats of 10 districts in the State  under the Integrated Development Projects for Source Sustainability and Climate Resilient Rain-fed Agriculture-IDP, a project sanctioned by Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India for strengthening and sustainable development natural resources available in forest area touching agriculture land of these panchayats. 

It also gave its approval to the draft policy for Buy-back of Non-recyclables Plastics Waste and various kinds of single use Plastic waste including bags in Himachal Pradesh having provision of Minimum Support Price of Rs. 75 kg.

To be paid to the Rag pickers and individuals from households for is collection and deposit with the Urban Local Bodies for ensuring cleanliness in the State.

It was also decided to procure and distribute 9700 laptops to the meritorious students of Class-10 and 12 under the Srinivasa Ramanujan Student Ditigal Yojana for the year 2017-18 and 2018-19.