Nagpur district gets tourism district status, GR issued, ten-year relief for businesses
Maharashtra's tourism department has issued the official order declaring Nagpur a tourism district, extending tax relief for hotel and tourism businesses from seven to ten years.
An order to declare Nagpur district a tourism district had been issued earlier, but its implementation was delayed. The Maharashtra government's tourism department finally issued the official Government Resolution (GR) on September 15, formally declaring Nagpur district a tourism district.
The decision has brought major relief to hotel and tourism sector entrepreneurs and businesses in Nagpur district. The relief period, which was earlier available for up to seven years, will now be available for up to ten years, along with GST benefits.
The historic decision was taken with the aim of boosting tourism infrastructure, local employment and economic development in Nagpur, known as Maharashtra's second capital, the Orange City and India's Tiger Capital. Before issuing the order under the Tourism Policy 2016, proposals from the Nagpur district collector and the tourism directorate were reviewed.
The state government cited the district's geographical, historical and natural features as the main basis for declaring Nagpur a tourism district. Nagpur is located at the centre of India, and is home to the historic Zero Mile Stone built during the British era, considered the country's national midpoint. World-class sanctuaries and tiger reserves such as Pench National Park and Umred-Karhandla near the district have given Nagpur its identity as India's Tiger Capital. Nagpur, once the seat of power of the Gond kings and the Bhosale dynasty, has several historical monuments and forts. Other attractions include the historic Deekshabhoomi, the ancient Ram temple at Ramtek, the water sports centre at Khindsi, as well as rich tribal folk art, handicrafts and expansive gardens.
AID member Sanjay Gupta said that after this announcement, special funds and schemes would become available for the maintenance of tourist spots in Nagpur district, development of new facilities, and boosting tourism infrastructure in the Vidarbha region. He also said that increased tourism would create new employment opportunities locally in hotels, transport, guiding and handicrafts.
According to Gupta, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had been consistently pursuing the matter through AID, following which Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and District Collector Kumar Ashirwad also extended considerable cooperation. After all of them approved the proposal, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took the final decision and issued the GR.
Nagpur has become the third district in the state to receive tourism district status, after Sindhudurg and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Gupta said that with only a seven-year relief period available until now, hotel and tourism businesses could not fully avail the GST benefit, as nearly fifty percent of that period went unused. With the period now extended to ten years, all businesses will be able to avail maximum benefit.
