Tourism likely to get 'industry' status in next budget

Tourism sector is likely to get industry status in the forthcoming budget, Union Minister of State for Tourism Sultan Ahmed said here on Saturday.

Tourism sector is likely to get industry status in the forthcoming budget, Union Minister of State for Tourism Sultan Ahmed said here on Saturday.

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"We have demanded for industry status for tourism and the Union finance ministry is scrutinising the proposal," Ahmed said while speaking at a seminar on tourism.

"We are hopeful to get it in this budget," he added. The industry status will help the tourism sector in a big way and it was a demand since long to boost private investment in the sector, he said.

Ahmed, a member of Trinamool Congress, and Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury alleged that the Left Front government in West Bengal did not gave due priority to tourism despite the state having much potential in this sector.

"The state government gets a lot of money to develop tourist circuits but people do not find any change," Ahmed said.

West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation Managing Director T V N Rao in his presentation said the Centre has praised the progress in the sector in the state and have provided Rs 50-60 crore as fiscal assistance.