Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren on Saturday launched the tourism policy 2021 for the state.
The policy aimed at attracting tourists to the state would also lead to employment generation, improvement in happiness quotient and achieving sustainable development, showed a presentation at the launch ceremony.
Under the policy, the government would provide single window system, capital investment subsidy at 20-25% up to a limit of ₹10 crore and reimbursement of 75% of net GST paid for a period of five years to the investors in state’s tourism sector.
Other incentives include no levying of holding tax for five years, reimbursement of electricity duty and stamp duty captive power generating subsidy of 30% up to a limit of ₹5 lakh among others.
The fiscal incentives also include interest subsidy at 50% up to a limit of ₹20 lakh for five years.
The government would also provide special provisions for women, ex-servicemen, differently abled and people belonging to scheduled caste and scheduled tribe categories.
Speaking at the launch event, chief minister Soren said: “The perspective towards Jharkhand has been largely based on extraction but now the govt wants to base it on attraction.”
He said that the pandemic severely impacted the tourism sector and several hospitality and tourism related businesses got shut. The chief minister added that the contemplation on the policy was underway even during the severe wave of the pandemic.
Under the policy, the government plans to bring in private sector participation, development infrastructure through public investment.
It would also set up tourism economic zones, a Tourism Development Board and a Tourism Development Authority.
“Jharkhand is largely known for its mineral wealth. But, along with its mineral wealth, it has attractions in terms of natural beauty and religious sites. Keeping these in mind, we have tried to bring together several tourism-related sectors. We have also brought in mining tourism under its (policy) ambit,” Soren said.
He said that Jharkhand is on the way to get into the league of other developed states which have efficiently harnessed their tourism sector. The government is trying to give a new way of development to the state through tourism, Soren said, adding that people in the rural areas would benefit from the policy.
According to state government, the tourism policy seeks to build upon a holistic approach which takes into account the rural tourism and the local economy, at the same time makes room for the modern and urban traveler seeking rendezvous with nature. The policy also aims to promote eco-tourism by developing several eco-circuits.
The chief minister also outlined that the state is well connected to other regions in the country through all modes of transport including airways and railways. He also noted that the inland waterways system in the state has also been developed.
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