Sukhu govt sweetens deal for tourism ventures

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today announced that the state government will extend financial relief on loans taken for establishing new tourism units, including home stays, as well as for expanding or upgrading existing ones. He said the facility would be available to any bonafide resident of Himachal Pradesh.

According to the Chief Minister, the government will offer an interest subsidy of 3 per cent in urban areas, 4 per cent in rural areas and 5 per cent in tribal areas on loans of up to Rs 2 crore. The subsidy will be applicable for a maximum of three years from the date of loan disbursement. The initiative aims to reduce the financial burden on local entrepreneurs and encourage them to develop tourism-related ventures across the state.

Sukhu highlighted the growing importance of home stays, noting that they provide affordable accommodation while motivating tourists to spend more time in rural regions. The scheme, he said, would help unlock the tourism potential of culturally rich villages, promote self-employment and strengthen the state’s economy.

He also pointed out that the tourism and hospitality sector currently contributes 7.78 per cent to Himachal Pradesh’s Gross Domestic Product. The government’s broader goal, he added, is to promote sustainable tourism by working with private stakeholders without disturbing the state’s ecological balance.

The Chief Minister further stated that the Rs 619 crore Durgesh Aranya Zoological Park at Bankhandi in Kangra is poised to become India’s first zoo to receive certification from the Indian Green Building Council for its eco-friendly practices. The park will also feature a planetarium.

He reiterated that Kangra district is being developed as the state’s ‘Tourism Capital’, with Rs 460 crore already spent on the ongoing expansion of the Kangra airport.