Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 16: A joint delegation of Hotel & Restaurant Association, Katra & Federation of Hotels, Restaurants, Industry and Commerce of Jammu region, led by their President Rakesh Wazir, met Union Minister for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises Narayan Rane and discussed in details the scope, problems and challenges being faced by the hotel industry.
Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Raghav Langer and Director Industries & Commerce Anoo Malhotra were also present on the occasion.
Wazir said that tourism whether it is pilgrimage, adventure, leisure or even otherwise is the backbone of J&K economy but the tragedy is that main component of it i.e. hotel industry is still struggling to get the basic incentives which the other sectors of Industry are getting.
He further said that previously hotels were provided with electricity at par with industries but that practice too is disbanded just after one year and likewise there was no tax on lodging before GST regime was there at J&K but with the coming of GST regime the taxes in the form of GST were imposed on hotel industry.
He appealed the Minister that all the benefits which are being provided to other sectors of Industry be provided to Hotel Industry as well because hotels too are part of Industry and are covered under MSME.
Rane listened to the delegation patiently and apprised the members that he too is a hotelier and knows the problems of the hoteliers fully well and assured that every effort would be made to uplift the sectors which provide maximum employment to the people and the units connected with tourism and hotel industry in particular. He directed the concerned for looking into the matter of providing of same benefits to hotel industry as well which are being provided to other sectors as well.
The delegation among others was comprised of Chairman HRAK, Shyam Lal Kesar, Sr.Vice President Virender Kesar, Vice President Ajay Kotwal, Koushal Magotra, Vivek Sharma, Ankush Gupta and Sahil Heera.
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