Odisha Cabinet nod to tourism policy

The State Cabinet approved the much delayed policy for the tourism sector, a move expected to boost the tourist inflow and pump new investments in the sector.

The policy's objective is to position Odisha as the most preferred tourist destination and place it prominently on the domestic and international tourism map with focus on employment generation and promoting small & medium enterprises.

The policy aims at attracting fresh investments through provision of investments and interest subsidies for development of world class tourism products and infrastructure.

The policy targeted to achieve at least 28 million domestic visitors and 400,000 overseas tourists by 2020.

According to the new tourism policy, all tourism projects shall be exempted from payment of entry tax on purchase of raw materials for the entire construction period or for a period of three years whichever is lower.

The waiver of entry tax would be applicable to projects like hotels, heritage hotels, resorts, service apartments spa and wellness centres, amusement parks, art and crafts villages, golf courses, convention centres, adventure tourism projects and eco-tourism projects to name a few.

The Cabinet also decided that Biju Saharanchal Vidyutikaran Yojana, aimed at providing electricity to people living in un-electrified slums and habitations with minimum population of 100 in urban areas, will be extended to habitations with population below 100.

A grant-in-aid policy for government aided schools also got the Cabinet nod.