Govt working on proposal for upkeep of ticketed tourist sites

The government is working on a proposal that seeks to hand over maintenance of ticketed monuments and tourist destinations to private sector, Union Minister Mahesh Sharma said here today.
The move aims at boosting participation of the private industry in the tourism sector.
"We are working on a proposal for all our ticketed monuments and tourist destinations which are in the hands of government people now...We are working on a module (which) proposes to hand over responsibilities of maintaining and showcasing of those monuments to private hands," Sharma said.
The Union minister said this during the launch of a Rajasthan government's campaign to promote tourism. The event was also attended by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and state officials.

Sharma also said his ministry has linked tourism with the 'Swachh Bharat Mission' and it will ensure all the destinations and monuments in the country are "cleaner".
"We are also trying to make them hospitable to all tourists. Hospitality is our strength," he added.

Sharma further said, India is "one of the safest" tourist destinations in the world and narrated his personal experience to make his point.
Both Centre and Rajasthan government are committed to provide "clean and safe" tourism for all, he added.
Sharma also said that the tourism ministry is planning to launch a helpline on the Republic Day. The helpline will be available in multi-languages including Russian and Japanese.

"Suppose if a Japanese or Russian tourist is finding any difficulty or is in trouble, he will get a reply in his language. We propose to give a welcome kit which may have a SIM card for that purpose which will start in 15-20 minutes as soon as foreign tourists start using them," he added.
He said the government proposes to make India a "destination of choice" in medical and wellness tourism.
Talking about Rajasthan, Raje said tourism was "important" for the state and it empowers women and ensure social justice.
"In our initial attempts, we had stressed on showcasing our landscape. Now we are going ahead with a holistic package. Communication is required in it, so is safety and security and infrastructure," she said, adding, people of Rajasthan themselves will be the "brand ambassadors" of the campaign.

The chief minister also launched the state government's super luxury bus service for ferrying tourists to various destinations in the state.
Sharma later also inaugurated an exhibition entitled 'Shoonya Ghar' (zero house) by Mumbai-based artist Sudarshan Shetty at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA).