Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla addresses the National Conference on Tourist Police Scheme held in New Delhi on October 19

Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla addresses the National Conference on Tourist Police Scheme held in New Delhi on October 19

Speaker of Lok Sabha, Shri Om Birla addressed the National Conference on Tourist Police Scheme on October 19 in New Delhi. Union Minister for Tourism Shri G. Kishan Reddy and MoS Tourism Shri Shripad Yesso Naik also graced the event. The Ministry of Tourism in co-ordination with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) organized this conference. Shri Arvind Singh, Secretary (Tourism), Shri Balaji Srivastava, Director General (BPR&D, MHA), Joint Secretary (Foreigners division, MHA), State Tourism Secretaries of Rajasthan, Kerala, Goa & Meghalaya, DGPs/ IGPs of States/UTs and other senior officials of MHA, MoT, BPR&D were also present during the conference. The report on the ‘Tourist Police Scheme’ prepared by BPR&D was deliberated upon and BPR&D also shared the finding and recommendations of the report.

Referring to increasing digitization in the tourism sector, Shri Birla said that in the information era, tourists ordinarily get every information related to their travel through mobile. In this regard, Shri Birla emphasized on developing a mobile application which provides all relevant information related to the tourists to their destinations in multiple languages. He said that to ensure safe and comfortable travel, this app should provide updated and complete information about hotels, taxis, guides, etc., among other facilities, and facilitate police assistance whenever needed. Shri Birla stressed on the need for quick police action in cases of crimes against tourists, saying that such steps increase the confidence of tourists and create a good environment. Shri Birla welcomed the establishment of tourism police by several State Governments from the point of view of tourism security and advised all the States and the Central Government to share best practices among themselves.

Regarding giving better security to the tourists, Shri Birla said that it is necessary to give adequate training to the tourist police for effective security and these police personnel should have knowledge of many languages and use of new technology. Referring to the hosting of the upcoming G20 summit by India, Shri Birla said that the Heads of State, leaders, and officials of the G20 countries will visit major tourist destinations of the country. This event will give us an opportunity to improve security and policing in popular tourist areas. Shri Birla opined that the country where the law and order are better, tourist inflow improves. Therefore, it is necessary to train the police in this regard. Emphasizing on the need for learning languages by tourist police, Shri Birla said that language is a medium to connect us with culture and country and therefore all tourist places should have multilingual tourist helpline facilities, which can provide information to tourists in their language. Simultaneously, tourist guides, especially female guides, should be multilingual.

During his address, Shri G Kishan Reddy said that India always has something for every kind of traveler, ranging from lofty mountains to fast flowing rivers, rolling valleys and sand-dunes. India offers a myriad of fascinating places of interest, natural beauty, and vibrant culture, which are globally unparalleled.  As we celebrate the Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, in the past 75 years India has become synonymous with tourism, spirituality, transformation, culture, and diversity. It is a matter of great pride to celebrate record beating expansion, leading India to become the 5th largest economy in the world.

Union Minister added that the government has opted a 360-degree approach to encourage the Tourism sector. Union Minister said that our focus is on safe, responsible, and sustainable tourism which are the thrust areas of the upcoming National Tourism Policy2022. The Union Minister further said that unscrupulous elements are active mostly at hotels, at entry-exit points of airports, railway stations and bus terminals. He strongly condemned the incidents of theft fraud incidents at some of the tourist places and asked the police administration to deal with them forcefully. We should have a policy of zero tolerance for incidents threating safety and security of tourists, he said. Shri Reddy added that such incidents tarnish the image of our country. So, to ward off all these issues, there is an urgent need to put in place proper systems. He added that police should be trained to secure active participation of Civil Societies, and NGOs in tourists places.

Shri Reddy said that now as the presidency of G20 shall also be with India from December 2022 for a period of One-year, it may be taken as a great opportunity for promotion of India Tourism products. We can showcase India to them and give them best experiences so that they may work as Ambassadors for the Indian Tourism products in their respective countries.

Shri Shripad Yesso Naik highlighted that Tourism sector contributes around 5.02% of India’s GDP and has supported around 14.87% of total direct & in-direct employment during the Financial Year 2018-19 and contributed Foreign Exchange Earnings of Rs. 2.12 lakh crore (USD 30 billion) in Indian Economy during the year 2019. Tourism in India has contributed significantly to making India the 5th largest economy in the world, though we are yet to optimize its full potential. Shri Naik added that safety and security is the first and foremost concern for any tourist, whether International or Domestic. Security related issues around the globe impact and affect tourism industry on local as well as global level. For any global tourist, India is not just to place to see or visit, but a destination to experience and get connected with people, culture, cuisine, and many more. For enriching the experience of the tourists visiting India, we need to be more focused about the safety & Security related aspects in & around the tourist destinations and across India, in general.

Secretary Tourism Shri Arvind Singh in his concluding remarks said that India’s global tourism indices will go up by improving the safety and security aspects of tourism and would go a long way in making India one of the favorable destinations. He added that this conference is another step to take measures to improve the confidence of travelers and implementation of this kind of uniform Tourist Police Scheme in the states and UTs, will result in safer tourism.

The objective of the National Conference on Tourist Police Scheme was to bring Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Home Affairs, Bureau of Police Research & Development, and State Govts/ UT Administration on the same platform, so that they may work together in close coordination with the State/UT Police department and sensitize them about the specific requirements of the foreign & domestic tourists for effective implementation of Uniform Tourist Police Scheme at pan-India level. This will change the safety & security-related perception of India at global level and will help in making India a must-visit destination around the globe.

National Conference on Nutrition- Poshan Panchayat 2022 held at Vivanta by Taj, Surajkund on 24th Sept’22

National Conference on Nutrition- Poshan Panchayat 2022 held at Vivanta by Taj, Surajkund on 24th Sept’22

A one-day National level Conference on Nutrition titled “Poshan Panchayat 2022” was organized on 24th September 2022 at Vivanta by Taj, Surajkund by SHARP NGO, India’s largest school health network working pan India since 1999. The event was held in support of the Government of India’s flagship program ‘Poshan Abhiyaan’ under which various activities are organized during the month of September, which is celebrated as ‘Poshan Maah’. It aims to improve the nutritional outcomes of adolescents, children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. The event was attended by over 300 delegates comprising nutritionists, doctors, academicians, policymakers, students, teachers, Government, CSR, and health professionals from various parts of the country. While inaugurating the event, Ms. A Dhanalaskshmi, Joint Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Minority Affairs, informed that the Government is in the process of preparation of Vision Document 2047, a way forward to make India a well-developed country, and to achieve this goal, the necessary roadmap towards the eradication of malnutrition by 2030 is a key priority for the country. Sh K Gurumurthy, Joint Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Fertilizers highlighted the significance of including millets in the diet to tackle malnutrition in India as India continues to be the largest producer of millets in the world. Dr. Puran Prakash, Founder of SHARP NGO gave the opening speech for the event.

Poshan Panchayat 2022 conference was curated using the Panchtattva strategy to achieve the goal of dealing with the need for nutrition awareness and healthy eating in the country. Poshan Chaupal showcased the deliberations to discuss the interventions which can be used to combat malnutrition. This was complemented with interesting segments such as Poshan Mela, Poshan Pakwan, Poshan Dangal, and a Nutrition theme Poshan fashion show.

Several students, teachers, schools, corporate organizations, and individuals were felicitated with Poshan Samman Awards for their exemplary work in the field of health and nutrition under various categories like Best School Nutrition Program, Best School Canteen, Best Foundation in Promoting Sustainable Nutrition Program, Best Health Tiffin, Best Nutri Garden, and many more.

The awardees were felicitated by Dr. Neelam Chillar and Dr. Mitra Basu Chillar, the parents of Ms. Manushi Chillar, Miss World, and the film actress. Renowned world-class puppeteer Padamshree Awardee Dadi D Pudumjee, Ms. Vineeta Singh, Chief Engineer, Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam, and several other high-profile dignitaries also gave away the awards.

To promote nutrition among children and youth, a specially choreographed one of its kind Nutri Fashion Show was presented by the students of the World University of Design, Sonipat.

Speaking on occasion, Ms. Menaka Sharma, Director, School Health Annual Report Programme (SHARP) emphasized the need to introspect the reasons and find solutions to the problems of hunger and malnutrition in India. Even though the country is celebrating, 75 years of #AzaadiKaAmritMahotsav, yet every 3rd child in India is malnourished, and every 2nd tribal child suffers from malnutrition. The economically weaker section of society is caught under the vicious cycle of poverty and malnutrition passed on from generation to generation. The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG #2) to zero hunger, aims to end all forms of malnutrition by 2030, making sure all people especially children have access to enough nutritious food all around.

More details about the conference are available at  www.schoolhealthsummit.in

About SHARP NGO:

SHARP, a pan India NGO working in the field of public health since 1999, is a scientifically planned health program for community development, professionally managed under the guidance of eminent medical experts, sociologists, educationists, psychologists, nutritionists, and others who have a vision of promoting healthcare and overall development in the third world countries. To combat malnutrition, SHARP uses AAA Approach i.e. Assessment, Analysis, and Awareness which includes liaising/ networking with local key stakeholders, Training/ Capacity Building of the stakeholders (ANM, Anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, teachers, religious leaders, Village Health & Sanitation Committee), Pre & Post Nutritional Assessment of beneficiaries and IEC/ BCC Activities for behavioural change. SHARP has also implemented many Govt schemes like NRHM for school health programs, RBSK (Rashtirya Bal Suraksha Karyakaram), RKSK (Rashtriya Kishore Swasthya Karyakaram), Menstrual Health, SABLA, School AIDS Awareness Program, and Sanitation programs under Swachh Bharat Mission. For more details, please visit our website: (www.schoolindia.org)

National Flag To be installed at tourist places.: Shri G Kishan Reddy

National Flag To be installed at tourist places.: Shri G Kishan Reddy

The three days National Conference of State Tourism Ministers at Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh concluded on September 20 in the presence of Union Tourism Minister Shri G. Kishan Reddy. Tourism Ministers of 12 States including Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Goa, Haryana, Mizoram, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra, and Himachal Pradesh attended the conference.

During concluding remarks, Shri G Kishan Reddy thanked all the State delegates and sector representatives for their valuable suggestions. Shri Reddy urged that all states share and adopt best practices to boost the tourism sector. States must organize such conferences at the state level with district officers of different departments and stakeholders to improve and promote tourism destinations. Shri Reddy emphasized on the importance of Yuva Tourism Clubs and said these clubs can become a game changer for the sector.

Shri Reddy also informed that National Flag will be installed at tourist places. He also appealed to the states and stakeholders to install flags at all hotels and tourist places. The Union Minister said that such conferences will be organized from time to time to provide an opportunity to learn from one another and hoped that this will yield desired results very soon.

Talking about the outcome of the conference, Secretary Tourism Shri Arvind Singh said India will play a pivotal role in contributing towards global tourism recovery driven mainly through domestic tourism. All the major tourism indices have started showing signs of recovery towards the pre-pandemic levels such as domestic air passenger traffic, hotel occupancy, and tourist footfalls. The National Tourism Policy has been drafted with a holistic vision and strategy to revive India’s Tourism and targets to achieve USD 1 Trillion by the sector in 2047. Against this backdrop, the Ministry is also paving the way for developing responsible and sustainable tourism destinations. The Government of India will continue to support MSMEs in tourism and capitalize on the employment generation potential in the sector. Various initiatives under the ongoing schemes of the Ministry of Tourism are planned to be strengthened to ensure a complete recovery from the disruption caused to the tourism economy due to the pandemic.

Shri Arvind further said that India plans to position itself as a major tourism destination during its presidency of G20 for 2023. We plan to ensure due rigor, and dedication and showcase our cultural richness while welcoming the world to our nation. We plan to bring in necessary interventions including Visa Reforms, Ease of Travel, traveler-friendly Immigration Facilities at Airports, and openness to international travel, and these major topics were deliberated during the two-day meet.

Informing about the goals for the India Tourism Sector for 2024 he said that we will strive to recover to pre-pandemic level by mid-2024. The country is estimated to achieve 50 Bn USD GDP contribution from Tourism, 30 Bn USD in Foreign Exchange Earnings, and 15 Mn foreign arrivals by 2024.

He further said that India is estimated to grow at 7-9% CAGR in the coming decade and 250 Bn USD GDP contribution from Tourism, 137 Mn jobs in the Tourism sector, 56 Bn USD in Foreign Exchange Earnings, and 25 million foreign arrivals are expected to be achieved by 2030. We commit to deliver plans aligned with these goals and commitments to ensure positioning of India as one of the leaders in the tourism sector by 2047.

On the last day of conference sessions on Role of digital technology for the marketing and promotion of tourism destinations, the Emerging importance of homestays in the Indian hospitality sector, Ayurveda, Wellness, and Medical Value travel, and lastly on Forest and wildlife tourism were organized.  Secretary Electronics and Information Technology, GoI Shri Alkesh Sharma, Secretary Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, GoI Shri Rajesh Aggarwal, G20 Sherpa Shri Amitabh Kant, Member NITI Aayog Dr. Vinod Kumar Paul, Additional Secretary Health & Family Welfare Shri Lav Agarwal, Secretary Tourism Shri Arvind Singh, DG Tourism Shri G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, and other senior officers of the Ministries also graced the event.

The three-day National Conference of State Tourism Ministers begins in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh

The three-day National Conference of State Tourism Ministers begins in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh

The three-day National Conference of State Tourism Ministers at Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh began on September 18 with a press conference chaired by Shri G Kishan Reddy. The National Conference of State Tourism Ministers aims to bring in diverse viewpoints and perspectives from all the States and Union Territories of India on tourism development and growth and to create a direct dialogue with the States on Schemes, policies and steps being taken at a national level for overall tourism improvement in India. The National Conference also aims to be a platform for sharing best practices, successful projects, and tourism product opportunities. During the press conference MoS Tourism Shri Ajay Bhatt and MoS Tourism Shri Shripad Naik, Chairman FAITH Shri Nakul Anand, and DG Tourism Shri G Kamala Vardhana Rao were also present.

During the Press Conference, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Tourism, Culture and DONER stated that in the past 75 years, India has become synonymous with tourism, spirituality, transformation, culture, and diversity. It is a matter of great pride to celebrate the record-breaking expansion, leading India to become the 5th largest economy in the world. As such, establishing the tourism sector as the primary concern, the Ministry of Tourism has undertaken various initiatives and taken a four-fold development strategy that focuses on improving the connectivity via air, rail, and roads, enhancing the tourism infrastructure and dependent services, streamlining branding and promotion and showcasing the culture and heritage.

Highlighting the slogan of ‘Vikas Bhi Virasat Bhi’ given by the Prime Minister, Sh Kishan Reddy that after the vast process of consultations and deliberations, the National Tourism Policy will be brought out before the Budget session. He also informed that various tourist circuits are being promoted and a new ‘Ambedkar Circuit’ shall soon be launched. The Himalayan Circuit will also be promoted under the action plan for the development of tourist circuits, Sh G Kishan Reddy elaborated.

The Union Tourism Minister further added that the National Conference of State Tourism Ministers is also important in the current context of India’s G20 presidency. G-20 will be used as a platform to showcase India’s tourism potential to the world, he disclosed.

Emphasizing the importance of air connectivity Sh G Kishan Reddy said that the number of airports in the country has increased from 74 in 2014 to 140 now, and it is further proposed to increase the number of airports to 220 by 2025.

He also said that the Prime Minister’s vision of associating Indian diaspora and NRIs for promoting tourism will be encouraged and urged each diaspora Indian to motivate at least 5 foreigners to visit India as per the vision of our PM.

The financial assistance to the tourism sector, which is the biggest sufferer due to Covid 19, continues to be extended up to 31st March 2023 he said.

The Tourism sector generated INR 16.91 lakh crore (USD 240 billion) or 9.2% of India’s GDP in 2018 and has supported around 42.67 million jobs or 8.1% of total employment.

The Conference is divided into thematic sessions on Development of Tourism Infrastructure, Cultural, Spiritual & Heritage tourism, Tourism in the Himalayan states, Responsible and sustainable tourism, Role of digital technology for the marketing and promotion of tourism destinations, Emerging importance of homestays in the Indian hospitality sector, Ayurveda, Wellness, and Medical Value travel, and lastly on Forest and wildlife tourism.

The three-day National Conference of State Tourism Ministers begins in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh

The three-day National Conference of State Tourism Ministers begins in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh

The three-day National Conference of State Tourism Ministers at Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh began on September 18 with a press conference chaired by Shri G Kishan Reddy. The National Conference of State Tourism Ministers aims to bring in diverse viewpoints and perspectives from all the States and Union Territories of India on tourism development and growth and to create a direct dialogue with the States on Schemes, policies and steps being taken at a national level for overall tourism improvement in India. The National Conference also aims to be a platform for sharing best practices, successful projects, and tourism product opportunities. During the press conference MoS Tourism Shri Ajay Bhatt and MoS Tourism Shri Shripad Naik, Chairman FAITH Shri Nakul Anand, and DG Tourism Shri G Kamala Vardhana Rao were also present.

During the Press Conference, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Tourism, Culture and DONER stated that in the past 75 years, India has become synonymous with tourism, spirituality, transformation, culture, and diversity. It is a matter of great pride to celebrate the record-breaking expansion, leading India to become the 5th largest economy in the world. As such, establishing the tourism sector as the primary concern, the Ministry of Tourism has undertaken various initiatives and taken a four-fold development strategy that focuses on improving the connectivity via air, rail, and roads, enhancing the tourism infrastructure and dependent services, streamlining branding and promotion and showcasing the culture and heritage.

Highlighting the slogan of ‘Vikas Bhi Virasat Bhi’ given by the Prime Minister, Sh Kishan Reddy that after the vast process of consultations and deliberations, the National Tourism Policy will be brought out before the Budget session. He also informed that various tourist circuits are being promoted and a new ‘Ambedkar Circuit’ shall soon be launched. The Himalayan Circuit will also be promoted under the action plan for the development of tourist circuits, Sh G Kishan Reddy elaborated.

The Union Tourism Minister further added that the National Conference of State Tourism Ministers is also important in the current context of India’s G20 presidency. G-20 will be used as a platform to showcase India’s tourism potential to the world, he disclosed.

Emphasizing the importance of air connectivity Sh G Kishan Reddy said that the number of airports in the country has increased from 74 in 2014 to 140 now, and it is further proposed to increase the number of airports to 220 by 2025.

He also said that the Prime Minister’s vision of associating Indian diaspora and NRIs for promoting tourism will be encouraged and urged each diaspora Indian to motivate at least 5 foreigners to visit India as per the vision of our PM.

The financial assistance to the tourism sector, which is the biggest sufferer due to Covid 19, continues to be extended up to 31st March 2023 he said.

The Tourism sector generated INR 16.91 lakh crore (USD 240 billion) or 9.2% of India’s GDP in 2018 and has supported around 42.67 million jobs or 8.1% of total employment.

The Conference is divided into thematic sessions on Development of Tourism Infrastructure, Cultural, Spiritual & Heritage tourism, Tourism in the Himalayan states, Responsible and sustainable tourism, Role of digital technology for the marketing and promotion of tourism destinations, Emerging importance of homestays in the Indian hospitality sector, Ayurveda, Wellness, and Medical Value travel, and lastly on Forest and wildlife tourism.