Assam government to lift COVID-19 restrictions from November 1: CM
(Sourced from PTI)
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said his government is making efforts to revive the COVID-19 hit tourism industry by lifting restrictions from November 1 as the COVID-19 situation in Assam has considerably improved. He announced a relief package of Rs. two lakh each to 142 tour operators and Rs. 25,000 each to 605 guides to overcome losses due to COVID-19.
He announced the relief package while addressing a state government program on the occasion of World Tourism Day. "The Assam government is working toward lifting all COVID-19 restrictions from November 1 in the state and also making all-out efforts to ensure that the maximum number of people get the vaccine doses," the Chief Minister said.
Sarma hoped COVID-19 would no longer be able to threaten the lives and livelihood of people from 2022, and said the tourism industry is expected to witness a major boost. Sarma stressed the need to promote less-explored destinations of Assam for outside visitors.
He asked the industry stakeholders not to keep the tourism circuit limited to only Kaziranga National Park and other known places. "The state's food, handloom, handicraft, tribal culture, and natural beauty must be explored by travelers," he said. Sarma asserted that militancy has been controlled to a large extent in the state as several extremist groups are in talks with the government.
He urged tour operators to aggressively promote places in Dima Hasao, Karbi Anglong, Bodoland Totrerritorial Region (BTR), and other parts of the state by taking advantage of the prevailing peaceful situation. He appreciated the Indian Railways' initiative to start the Vistadome service from Guwahati to New Haflong in Dima Hasao, which would go a long way in popularizing the hill station.
Speaking at the state government program, Tourism Minister Bimal Bora highlighted the importance of domestic travelers to revive the tourism industry in the post-pandemic era. Meanwhile, India Tourism (North East) Regional Director Sankha Subhra Devbarman flagged off a vintage car rally from the Chandamri field located in Guwahati on the occasion of World Tourism Day.
Devbarman urged all stakeholders in the region to raise awareness about tourism's immense potential to uplift those who have been badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ten vintage car owners and 35 motorcyclists participated in the rally which passed through Dighalipukhuri-Jalukbari-Khanapara-Ulubari-Guwahati Club.
