MoT advises state govts to deploy Tourist Police for protecting foreigners

ETW STAFF – New Delhi

Union tourism minister, K Chiranjeevi, informed the Rajya Sabha that in order to ensure safety and security of tourists/foreign tourists, ministry of tourism (MoT) has advised all the state governments/UT administrations to deploy Tourist Police. He said some of the state governments have deployed Tourist Police in one form or the other. Further, the guidelines for formation of Tourist Security Organisation(s) comprising ex-servicemen, formulated by the ministry of tourism, Government of India in consultation with the ministry of defence, Home and Directorate General of Resettlements, have been forwarded to the state governments/UT administrations.

The minister said in addition, MoT, along with stakeholders has adopted the code of conduct for ‘Safe & Honourable Tourism’, which is a set of guidelines to encourage tourism activities to be undertaken with respect for basic rights like dignity, safety and freedom from exploitation of both tourists and local residents, in particular women and children.

However, the minister added that ‘Public Order’ and ‘Police’ are state subjects as per the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. As such, prevention of crime against tourists/foreign tourists is primarily the responsibility of the state governments/UT administrations.

The tourism minister said that the number of Foreign Tourist Arrivals in India during January – March, 2013 were 20.27 lakh (provisional) as compared to 19.81 lakh (provisional) during the corresponding period of 2012, registering a positive growth of 2.3 per cent.

The minister also informed the Lok Sabha that Embarkation and Disembarkation Cards are proposed to be made smaller by reducing the information to be filled up. In the new procedure, Embarkation and Disembarkation Cards will be required to be filled up by arriving foreign nationals and departing Indian nationals only.