TBM Staff - Mumbai The Centre will soon declare a national tourism policy and is also planning a global tourism investment summit, said G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister for Culture and Tourism .
He, along with Union Minister Jitendra Singh and India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant, was addressing a press conference in Srinagar as part of the three-day third Tourism Working Group Meeting of the G20.
“We are going to declare national tourism policy for India soon. We are planning global tourism investment summit,” Reddy said. He said the Centre is allowing 100 per cent foreign direct investment in tourism. “Our idea is that without private investment, we cannot become a global destination,” he added.
Reddy said the Centre and the Ministry of Tourism are closely working with all the ministries and the State governments to encourage tourism. “The government of India is also working with all the G20 countries and invited countries for developing sustainable tourism,” he added.
G20 Sherpa Kant said India is hosting G20 presidency at a time of “global turbulence”. “Seventy per cent countries are facing debt crisis. But India sees G20 as an opportunity,” he said.
“We are growing at a high rate of around seven per cent. If there is growth, we will be able to lift people out of poverty,” he said.
There is a need to transform multilateral financial institutions to ensure that resources flow to emerging countries, Kant said. He said India thought of making G20 as people’s presidency and the country is hosting the G20 events in 60 cities. “The meeting in Kashmir is very important for us as we believe in peace and prosperity,” he said.
Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh said holding the G20 event in Srinagar was an achievement in itself.
“The common man wants development and progress. He has seen the development across the country and avenues for progress. He does not want to miss the bus,” Singh said. (Source The Business Line)
