Tap rich tourism potential of state: CII

Addressing a press conference,Pradeep Bhargava,chairman CII,Western region,said the industry body had submitted a white paper to the state government highlighting the tourism potential of the western region. He said the state and the central governments had been asked to carry out reforms for ushering in the right atmosphere for industrial growth in the country.

The CII,in an internal document on tourism in Western region,has strongly highlighted the tourism potential of Maharashtra. The document states that Maharashtra is rich in diverse tourist places and has a number of places of historical importance. The state,the document noted,is full of forts,caves and palaces known for their rich history. There are places associated with saints and philosophers,besides music,handicraft and festivals with colorful rituals,all of which amalgamate to give a true reflection of the Maharashtrian culture.

The document,while giving statistics on targets of the 12th five year plan,notes that foreign tourist arrivals in 2016 are estimated to be 11.2 million and the number of foreign tourist visits in 2016 will be 35.9 million. It added that domestic tourist visits (DTVs) in 2016 are estimated to touch 1451.4 million.

Bhargava said that on the governance front,the government should take measures like faster implementation of goods and services tax. He added that last month a white paper was presented to the state government highlighting the tourism potential of the state. He said the CII has been working on several initiatives including implementation of environmental guidelines in the state with regard to preservation of public buildings.

Bhargava also added that the CII has asked the Central government to ‘sooner make a law’ on land acquisition for industries. He said the bill is already being looked into by a Parliamentary Standing Committee. “We have presented our case before the standing committee,” he said. “It should be the prime reform of the country that a land bill is brought in,and land banks are created for industrial development,” he said. The press conference was addressed among others by Rajeev Bhide,Vice-Chairman,CII,Pune Zonal Council.