Category Archives: Ministry

CBDT notifies new Income Tax rules for non-resident cruise ships

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has notified amendments to the Income-Tax Rules, outlining the conditions for the applicability of the presumptive taxation regime for non-resident cruise ship operators, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday.

As a measure to promote investment and employment, the Finance Act, 2024, introduced a presumptive taxation regime for non-residents engaged in the business of operating cruise ships.

Additionally, an exemption has been provided for income of a foreign company from lease rentals of cruise ships, received from a related company operating such ships in India.

The applicability of this presumptive taxation regime is subject to prescribed conditions, which include the requirement that the passenger ship being operated must have a carrying capacity of more than 200 passengers or a length of 75 meters or more, be used for leisure and recreational purposes, and have appropriate dining and cabin facilities for passengers.

The ship being operated must also be on a scheduled voyage or shore excursion, touching at least two sea ports in India or the same sea ports in India twice. Furthermore, the ship must be primarily for passenger transport, not for cargo.

Additionally, the ship must be operated according to the procedures and guidelines issued by the Ministry of Tourism or Ministry of Shipping.

These amendments were proposed in the Union Budget to promote the cruise-shipping industry and make India an attractive cruise tourism destination by attracting global tourists and popularizing cruise shipping with domestic tourists.

The Centre has also launched a five-year Cruise Bharat Mission, aiming to boost cruise tourism in India with a target of 1 million passengers and the creation of 400,000 jobs by 2029. The mission includes setting up a dedicated fund, easing cabotage regulations, and offering financial incentives.

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal stated at the time of the launch that cruise shipping has tremendous potential in the country, but it has remained unexplored for a long time.
(Source; DD News)

Goa’s tourism sector performing better than national average: Minister

Goa’s tourism sector is performing better than the national average, Minister Rohan Khaunte said on Monday, and underlined the State government’s efforts in sensitising visitors about local culture and traditions.

The Tourism Minister addressed a conclave of tourism stakeholders in Goa.

“Goa is performing better than the national average. Goa has great resilience and adaptability in the competitive tourism and the landscape,” he told reporters while dismissing reports on the decline in tourist footfalls in Goa.

Khaunte said tourist destinations throw up unique challenges, pointing to issues raised by certain social media influencers.
“We have summed up all the issues for raising them in the Goa Tourism Board meeting chaired by the CM. After the meeting, the chief secretary will prepare an action plan,” he added.

He said the government is aware of the friction between local people and tourists due to overcrowding at Baga and Calangute beaches.
“There are issues related to waste management, public transport, and cleanliness of beaches,” he said.

The Tourism Minister referred to reports about disregarding local culture and rules in certain areas visited by budget travellers.
“There are some complaints regarding taxis but we would like to highlight that traditionally the taxi fellows have been our ambassadors in attracting long-term tourists who visit every year,” he said.

Khaunte said the government is making efforts to educate visitors about respecting local culture, tradition and boundaries.
“As a State, we have our own restrictions for open-air policy. We can’t be compared with Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam in the number of tourist footfalls, and tourism from a different perspective. We don’t want to be Thailand,” he added. (Source: PTI)

The Sonmarg Tunnel will enhance connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir.

J&K becoming hub of tunnels, bridges & ropeways, says PM while inaugurating Sonmarg Tunnel

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that Jammu and Kashmir is becoming a hub of tunnels, bridges and ropeways, adding that the world’s highest tunnel, railroad bridge and rail lines are being built here.

The Prime Minister was speaking after inaugurating the newly constructed Z-Morh tunnel in Sonamarg located in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Prime Minister said that the world is in awe after witnessing the marvellous engineering of the Chenab Bridge.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the Sonamarg Tunnel, PM Modi said, “Our Jammu and Kashmir is becoming a hub of tunnels, bridges and ropeways. The highest tunnel in the world is being built here. The highest railroad bridge in the world is being built here. The highest rail lines in the world are being built here. The world is in awe after seeing the engineering of the Chenab Bridge.”

PM Modi said that there’s a time for everything, and all things will happen in its designated time. As PM Modi inaugurated the Sonamarg Tunnel today, he said that he has come here as ‘sevak‘.

“Today I came here as ‘sevak’ in between you. A few days ago I got the opportunity to lay the foundation stone of your own railway division in Jammu. This was your very old demand. Today I have got the opportunity to hand over the Sonamarg Tunnel to the country. One more long-pending demand has been fulfilled. This is Modi, ‘wada karta hai to nibhata hai’. There’s a time for everything, and all things will happen in due course. When I speak about Sonarmarg Tunnel, this will ease the life of people of Kargil and Leh. This tunnel will reduce the hardships of the people of J-K and Ladakh,” the Prime Minister said.

He said, “Two days ago, our CM has shared some pictures, after seeing those pictures, I was excited to come between you people. When I worked as BJP worker, I had to come frequently. I have spent a lot of time here, whether Sonamarg, Gulmarg, Baramulla or Ganderbal. We used to travel several kilometres on foot for hours and the snowfall used to be very heavy even then. But the warmth of the people of Jammu and Kashmir is such that we did not feel the cold. Today is a very special day, as every corner of state is in a festive mood. From today, Maha Kumbh has started in Prayagraj, crores of people have come for holy dip. The whole India is celebrating Lohri, Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Magh Bihu. I wish for all success of all.”

Highlighting that this weather is called ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’ in the valley, the Prime Minister stated that this weather brings new opportunities for tourist destinations like Sonamarg, as tourists from all over the country are flocking here.

PM Modi said, “This time of the year is of Chilla-i-Kalan here in the valley. This weather brings new opportunities for tourist destinations like Sonamarg. Tourists from all over the country are coming here. The work of this tunnel was actually started in 2015 only, when our party came into government. I am happy that this tunnel is completed in our government. This tunnel will bring various tourism opportunities in Sonamarg.”

“Now, Kashmir is being connected with railways. People are happy with the developmental works. Schools and colleges are being constructed. This is the new Jammu and Kashmir. The whole nation is engaged into making India a developed nation. It is possible when no part of the family is left in the race of development. For this, our government with a resolution of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas is working,” he added.

The Sonamarg Tunnel project, around 12 km long, has been constructed at a cost of over INR 2,700 crore.

It comprises the Sonamarg main tunnel of 6.4 km in length, an egress tunnel and approach roads. Situated at an altitude of over 8,650 feet above sea level, it will enhance all-weather connectivity between Srinagar and Sonamarg enroute to Leh, bypassing landslide and avalanche routes and ensuring safer and uninterrupted access to the strategically critical Ladakh region.

The newly inaugurated Sonamarg tunnel will also promote tourism by transforming Sonamarg into a year-round destination, boosting winter tourism, adventure sports, and local livelihoods.

Along with the Zojila Tunnel, set for completion by 2028, it will reduce the route length from 49 km to 43 km and boost vehicle speed from 30 km/hr to 70 km/hr, ensuring seamless NH-1 connectivity between Srinagar Valley and Ladakh.

This enhanced connectivity will boost defence logistics, and drive economic growth and socio-cultural integration across Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. (Source: ANI)

‘Incredible India pavilion, luxury tents, enhanced connectivity’: Govt plan to boost tourism for Mahakumbh 2025

The Mahakumbh, held every 12 years, will take place from January 13 to February 26, 2025 in Prayagraj.

An ‘Incredible India Pavillion’ showcasing cultural heritage and significance of the Kumbh Mela, luxury tents and enhanced air connectivity, the Ministry of Tourism is beckoning people to visit Prayagraj and explore the mega cultural congregation that begins from today.

Expected to host over 40 crore devotees from across the globe, this 45-day festival from January 13 to February 26 is also expected to draw a large number of tourists and cultural aficionados aiming to explore what is billed as one of the largest religious gatherings on earth.

he government on Sunday said the Ministry of Tourism is set to make the Maha Kumbh this year a “landmark event” not only for spiritual gatherings, but also for global tourism.

The Ministry is rolling out several initiatives to celebrate this momentous occasion, aimed at boosting both domestic and international tourism with the Maha Kumbh – held every 12 years – set to showcase India’s rich cultural heritage and spiritual traditions.“To ensure seamless travel for tourists attending the Maha Kumbh, the Ministry of Tourism has partnered with Alliance Air to enhance air connectivity to Prayagraj from multiple cities across India. This will facilitate easier access for domestic and international visitors, allowing them to reach the event with ease and convenience,” the ministry said in a statement.

The Ministry also shared a schedule of flights operating from multiple cities, including New Delhi, Kolkata, Jabalpur and Dehradun, as per this partnership.

The Ministry also said it is “setting up an ‘Incredible India Pavillion’, a sprawling 5,000 sq ft space at Maha Kumbh”, which will facilitate the foreign tourists, scholars, researchers, photographers, journalists, expat community and Indian diaspora members among others.
The pavillion will offer “an immersive experience” for visitors, showcasing India’s rich cultural heritage and the significance of the Kumbh Mela. The pavilion will also feature the ‘Dekho Apna Desh People’s Choice Poll’, allowing visitors to vote for their favourite tourism destinations in India, it said.

Besides, the ministry has collaborated with key tourism stakeholders like the Uttar Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation (UPSTDC), IRCTC and ITDC to offer a range of “curated tour packages and luxury accommodation options”.

The ITDC has set up 80 luxury accommodations at the tent city, Prayagraj, while the IRCTC is also providing luxury tents to accommodate the influx of pilgrims and tourists.

These packages will be available in a digital brochure, which has been widely circulated to Indian Missions and India Tourism offices for greater amplification, the Ministry said.

To cater to the specific needs of foreign tourists, social media influencers, journalists and photographers attending the Maha Kumbh, the Ministry of Tourism has set up a dedicated toll-free Tourist Infoline (1800111363 or 1363), the statement said.

Besides English and Hindi, the toll-free infoline is now operating in ten international languages and also in Indian vernacular languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, Assamese and Marathi, it said.

The service will provide assistance, information and guidance to make the experience smoother and more enjoyable for international visitors.

The Ministry has launched a major social media campaign to generate buzz about the upcoming Maha Kumbh. Special hashtags such as #Mahakumbh2025 and *#*SpiritualPrayagraj are being used to encourage people to share their experiences and moments from the event.
Social media contests, collaborative posts with organisations like the ITDC, Uttar Pradesh Tourism and other organisations, will amplify the visibility of the event and invite people to witness this spiritual extravaganza, the Ministry said.

“To capsulise this rare opportunity, the Ministry of Tourism will undertake a large-scale photoshoot and videography project to capture the grandeur and spiritual essence of the Maha Kumbh. The visuals will be shared widely across international and national media platforms, showcasing the grandeur of the Maha Kumbh and highlighting the tourism potential of Prayagraj as a spiritual and cultural destination,” it said.

 

Government to ask airlines to share climate data with Weather Office

The government is planning to make it mandatory for domestic airlines to share weather data captured by aircraft during take offs and landings with the weather office, which could lead to significantly better forecasts.

Currently, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) launches weather balloons from 50-60 stations to collect critical data on temperature, humidity and wind speed at various altitudes, which form crucial inputs for weather forecasting models.

These inputs could increase exponentially as the country records more than 6,000 take offs and landings by domestic airlines at various airports every day.
M Ravichandran, Secretary in the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences, told PTI that his Ministry had been in discussions with its Civil Aviation counterpart on the matter, and providing weather data would be “made mandatory for domestic airlines within a year”.

“It has to be mandatory… It will not only be very useful for airline operations but also for weather forecasts everywhere,” he said.
M Ravichandran said weather forecasts depended largely on the number of observations collected.

He said that with new airports coming up in different parts of the country, the weather office could have access to data from a wider geographical region, leading to better localised predictions.

“The more observations we have, the better our predictions can be. It is similar to an exit poll — if you gather data from more places, you will get a clearer picture. In the same way, we aim to collect information on temperature, humidity, and wind wherever possible,” he said.

Vertical weather observations (obtained from aircraft and weather balloons) are more important than ground observations because they provide a complete picture of the atmosphere, not just what is happening at the surface, Ravichandran said.

Weather systems such as storms form and evolve in the atmosphere, where temperature, humidity and wind conditions at different altitudes play a key role, he said.
Aircraft also record weather data during takeoffs and landings. This data is transmitted to the ground in real-time and integrated into forecasting models. Unlike the limited number of weather balloons, thousands of aircraft can relay data.

M Ravichandran said all aircraft operating on international routes provided weather data because it was required by law.

However, not all domestic airlines do so as it is not mandatory for them.

He said many countries had made it mandatory for their airlines to provide this data and India needed to have a similar mechanism.

“The aircraft are already gathering the data. It would be a different issue if they were not doing so,” he said.

“Air connectivity is increasing tremendously in India, with each state having 10 to 15 airports. Our prediction capability will improve significantly if all domestic airlines start providing this crucial data,” he added.

Aircraft provide weather observations using sensors and instruments installed on the plane, which are typically part of onboard systems collectively referred to as Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay (AMDAR) or other advanced systems.

One major advantage of collecting weather data from aircraft is their ability to provide information from regions where weather balloons are rarely or never launched, such as over oceans or in remote areas.

Established in 1875, the IMD will turn 150 on January 15. (Source: PTI)

 

The effort is to make North East India as lucrative choice for travellers.

DonER signs 4 MoUs to boost tourism in North East India

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said that development of the India’s North East region is of prime importance for the overall inclusive growth of India, and tourism development has always been one of the key focus areas of the Union government.

Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, was present at the signing of the four memorandum of understanding (MoUs) under the aegis of his Ministry on Monday.
He said these MoUs with Airbnb are a step towards achieving our aim of doubling tourist growth rate in the next three years, by creating more sustainable accommodation options and enhancing the hospitality service standards in the region.

The MoUs were signed on behalf of the North Eastern Council (NEC), the North East Tourism Development Council (NETDC) and two key livelihood initiatives, North East Rural Livelihood Project (NERLP) and North Eastern Region Community Resource Management Project (NERCORMP).

The MoUs aim at creating hospitality micro-entrepreneurs across key destinations in the North East of India.
Kum Hong Siew, Regional Director, Airbnb Asia Pacific signed the MoUs on behalf of Airbnb, one of the world’s leading community-driven hospitality companies.

According to a government release, under the MoUs, the NEC, NETDC and Airbnb have agrees to:
• Expand tourism in the North East of India through Airbnb’s global platform
• Improve the quality of homestay facilities and unique properties in the North East of India
• Provide and promote outstanding tourism resources in the North East of India, and
• Cooperate to improve the regulatory environment for home sharing in the North East of India

MoUs were also signed for strategic partnerships between NERLP and NERCORMP and Airbnb to generate technology-enabled livelihood opportunities in tourism and hospitality for micro-entrepreneurs in the North East of India, and to help low-income families monetize their existing assets through home sharing.

Under these agreements, Airbnb will provide training to core teams of the NERLP and NERCORMP, which will further train existing and potential hosts on home sharing, responsible hosting, hospitality standards, hygiene and basic amenities, the release said.

Another MoU was signed between NERCORMP and HESCO (Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organization) for leveraging of community resources and appropriate local resources based technology for development.