Tag Archives: Ministry of Tourism

In a first-of-its-kind initiative to attract more foreign tourists to India, the Ministry of Tourism is all set to launch the Chalo India promotional campaign on the sidelines of the ongoing World Travel Mart in London. Under the initiative, the government will allow one lakh free e-visas for “friends” of diaspora members. Five foreign nationals nominated by each Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder on a special portal will be eligible for a gratis e-visa (visa granted without fees).

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister for Culture and Tourism, GoI, announced that under the decongestion and new product development initiative, several big-ticket projects worth ₹8,000 crore have been submitted by states. In Jammu & Kashmir, three new tourist destinations are being developed under a budget of ₹5,600 crore.

In a key initiative to showcase the Kurukshetra region’s historical and cultural richness, the Ministry of Tourism’s Northern Regional Office is hosting the second Mahabharata Circuit Conference and Familiarization Tour. The event, scheduled from 4-6 November, will gather around 130 participants, including tourism professionals, media representatives, and officials from various tourism departments.

Aimed at supporting various states in their tourism development efforts, the Ministry of Tourism ties up with the World Bank to establish a long-term financing for tourism development. Minister of MOT, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat termed the move crucial for enhancing tourism across the country.

Government is exploring visa-on-arrival for countries that send the biggest numbers of tourists to India, said Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Tourism. “We are also working with the MEA to explore ways to engage with top markets to promote India as a global destination,” he added.

Ministry of Tourism, along with its India Tourism Offices, IHMs, Indian Institute of Tourism & Travel Management (IIT- TM), and ITDC is participating in the Special Campaign for Disposal of Pending Matters including 6,331 physical files and 1.803 e-office files that have been identified for review.

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of Tourism, GoI, held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Azzan Qassim Mohamed Al Busaidi, Under Secretary, Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, Oman, in Delhi. The meeting aimed to boost tourism between the two countries, fostering cultural ties.

Mugdha Sinha, a 1999 batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre, has been appointed as the new Director General, Ministry of Tourism. Before this, she was the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Culture and has replaced Manisha Saxena, IAS (AGMUT:96), who is now the Additional Secretary, Department of Personnel & Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. Sinha was the first woman officer to be posted as ADM-1 (Additional District Magistrate) in Jaipur, second-in-command to the Collector. She also served in the CM’s office for two years.

A visa-on-arrival facility is available to citizens of Japan, South Korea, and the UAE if they are visiting India for tourism, business, conference, and medical purposes. This visa is valid for 60 days with the flexibility of double entry, said MOT. However, it is available only at 6 designated airports: Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai.

Suman Billa, Additional Secretary, MOT, has said that India could have one taskforce that looks at the ‘macro side’ picture, but there is also a need to have four or five taskforces that work on sector-specific issues. “I think there is a clear case for making four or five taskforces, but we will figure out how to structure them,” he said.