Move to privatise tourism resented

ROOPNAGAR, Aug 11: The members of Punjab Tourism Karamchari Dal and Punjab Tourism Employees Union have cautioned the state government ag...

ROOPNAGAR, Aug 11: The members of Punjab Tourism Karamchari Dal and Punjab Tourism Employees Union have cautioned the state government against its proposed move to privatise the hotel and tourism sector in the state.

While talking to this correspondent here today, the Dal chief Prem Bhatt and the union president Mangal Singh said that instead of toying with the idea to privatise the tourism sector, the state government should immediately declare it an industry.

The two leaders, who have formed a joint action committee, blamed the state government for denial of subsidies and loans to the tourism sector.

Story continues below this ad

Despite assurances, the government is yet to bring it under the purview of Industry Department, they said. Criticising the government for “wasteful expenditure” by appointing political persons at key posts in the department, the leaders alleged,“Ever since the tourism was declared corporation in the state, all potential amusement spots are facing financial crunch”.

They lamented that other departments such as the PWD and the Horticulture are not paying much attention to the infrastructure at various tourist complexes in the state. Giving an example of the local Boat Club, Bhatt said, “if put to use properly, the club can fetch them a foreign currency”.

All the river sites in the state, he said, are potential tourist spots but the state government is not applying its mind to promote these through advertisement.

“This is why, we lag behind Haryana and Chandigarh”, Bhatt lamented.