Vijaita Singh, Avishek G Dastidar
The Indian Express
March 25, 2015
The Home Ministry is likely to include China in the list of 150 countries that would be extended tourist visa-on-arrival (TVoA) facilities. PM Narendra Modi is likely to make this announcement when he visits Beijing in May. The PMO has decided to go ahead with China’s inclusion despite strong objections by the Intelligence Bureau (IB).
The government is also planning to collect biometrics of people arriving in India on e-visas.
The move to extend TVoA facilities is expected to boost tourism. In 2013, tourists from China accounted for 2.51 per cent of all foreign tourists arriving in India, with 1.74 lakh people coming from China (main) and 35,491 from China (Taiwan).
Minister of State (Tourism) Mahesh Sharma told The Indian Express that the inclusion of China, France, Italy, Spain and UK was aimed at increasing tourism. When asked specifically about China, Sharma said, “it is the prerogative of the government to do so. China’s inclusion in our proposal is meant to increase the foreign tourist arrival numbers.”
Currently, 43 countries including US, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Myanmar and New Zealand are provided TVoA for single entry visit to India for tourism purpose not exceeding 30 days.
“A time-bound exercise has started for the procedure to extend TVoA facilities to 150 countries. We have requested for five countries which should be included in the list immediately. They are China, Spain, France, Italy and UK. The Home Minister has assured us that it will be done soon, most probably in the next two-four days. If this is implemented, tourist flow into the country would increase from 42 to 62 per cent. We would also provide welcome card printed in 12 languages to international tourists at the immigration desk,” said Sharma.
Earlier, the government took initiatives to ease security clearances for Chinese companies who wanted to set up manufacturing units in India.
“Back then also, IB had serious concerns that Chinese companies should be given conditional clearances and on a case to case basis. IB said Chinese companies should not be given clearances for projects specially in government sectors and in cyber sphere. Now that PMO has decided that extending TVoA will boost tourism, the ministry is most likely to concede to the proposal,” said a Home Ministry official.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday has approved a committee under Additional Secretary (Foreigners) with three Joint Secretaries from MHA, Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Civil Aviation as members. This committee will meet periodically and resolve issues concerning Visa facilitation and tourism promotion. Singh also said that suggestions regarding double entry for TVoA applicants and increasing the period from one month to two months will also be examined keeping in view security concerns.
