The Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Thursday passed the HP Tourism Development and Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2023, seeking to amend nine sections of the 2002 Act and make registration of all tourism units, including homestays, mandatory. The Amendment Bill, 2023, was introduced in the assembly by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday.

Under the provisions of the amendment Bill, all the operational units would be required to apply for registration within 30 days but they would not have to pay any fee till the expiry of the existing registration license. The new units would have to apply for registration and units operating illegally without registration would face action.

The registration of the tourism units would have to be done within 90 days after fulfilling all the formalities.  A provision of six months imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 had been made for the units running without registration under the 2002 Act. The amendment Bill seeks to do away with imprisonment, but the amount of fine would be increased to Rs one lakh.

The Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development and Registration Act enacted in 2002 had not been revised and changes were required as the tourism sector has undergone tremendous changes in terms of scope activities and the number of persons involved in tourism and allied activities.  Besides, proliferation of tourism units, several other activities like water sports, adventure sports, homestays and other such units have come under the ambit of tourism. The concerned department is facing the challenge of regulating the tourism sector and other functions like registration of tourism units.  It also seeks decriminalization of offenses and imposition of penalties.

Every assembly constituency to have office of Jal Shakti deptt

The divisions of Jal Shakti department would be opened in all 68 assembly constituencies and a policy decision has been taken in this regard, Himachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri informed the state assembly during the Question Hour on Thursday. Replying to BJP leader Pawan Kajal's question, Agnihotri said there are 68 divisions of the Jal Shakti department in the state and nine assembly constituencies are without Jal Shakti divisions.

Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi informed the House that the Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Produce Marketing Corporation (HPMC) would provide inputs and implements to the horticulturists at cheaper rates as the corporation has decided to reduce its commission from 15 to 9 per cent. The minister said that the corporation would directly purchase the implements from the manufacturers and informed that the HPMC and Himachal Pradesh State Cooperative Marketing and Consumer Federation (HIMFED) procured fruits worth Rs 240 crore from the growers during the past four years.