Government launches new scheme for tourist vehicle operators

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has announced a new scheme under which any tourist vehicle operator will be able to apply for an ‘All India Tourist Authorisation/ Permit’ via online mode. The step has been taken to promote tourism as well as to grow state revenues.

The Ministry has also informed that a new set of rules will be known as ‘All India Tourist Vehicles Authorization and Permit Rules, 2021’ and will be applicable from April 1, 2021.

The permit will only be issued to the tourist vehicle operator after the submission of the relevant documents and the fees within 30 days of the submission of the applications. However, all the existing permits will continue to be in force during their validity.

MoRT&H has framed “All India Tourist Vehicles (Authorization or Permit) Rules, 2021” to provide seamless movement to tourist passenger vehicles across the country. This is another step towards facilitating citizens’ movement by providing one permit for one nation.#DrivingGrowth pic.twitter.com/u1JjHslnnM

— MORTHINDIA (@MORTHIndia) March 13, 2021

Significance:

According to the official release, the new rules for the permits are expected to go a long way to promote tourism across the states in the country, while also growing the revenue of the state governments.

The move was discussed in the 39th and 40th Transport Development Council meetings and was also appreciated by the participants in the state.

This scheme, to come into force from 1 April 2021, will promote tourism in a big way. It will be a single-window scheme for operators, thereby facilitating them immensely.

— MORTHINDIA (@MORTHIndia) March 13, 2021

The rules come as the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is in the pursuit of providing easy movement to the tourist passenger vehicles, after the success of the goods carriage vehicles under the National Permit Regime.

About All India Tourist Authorisation Scheme:

•  The scheme will allow flexibility in form of the permit or authorization being granted for a period of 3 months or more, and not exceeding three years at a time.

•  The provision by the government is aimed at keeping in mind the areas where there is a limited season of tourism and also those operators who have limited financial capacity.

•  The scheme will also consolidate a central database and the fees of all such permits/authorization, which may give a sense of scope for improvements, a sense of tourist movements, promotion of tourism.

Growth in the travel and tourism industry:

The step of launching the new scheme has come in the context of the travel and tourism industry in increasing the manifold in the last 15 years.

The growth in tourism in India has been contributed by both international and domestic tourists and there has also been a trend of high expectation and consumer experience.