The tourism and hospitality sector in Himachal Pradesh has recorded a loss of 46 per cent in turnover in the Covid pandemic.

This was informed by the state government in a written reply to a question raised by Dharamshala MLA Vishal Nehria on the 4th day of the ongoing winter session of HP assembly at Tapovan in Dharamshala in Kangra district.

Since people are directly and indirectly involved in the tourism business, it is not possible to make an accurate assessment of the losses caused to the tourism industry due to the COVID pandemic.

According to the State Excise and Taxation Department, the top 26 taxpayers of the tourism and hospitality sector had decreased by around 46 per cent in Covid pandemic as compared to 2019-20.

The state government informed that it has taken various steps to provide relief to the businessmen associated with the tourism industry who were hit by the pandemic.

Responding to a query by Kinnaur MLA Jagat Singh Negi during Question Hour, State Rural Development Minister Virender Kanwar said Rs 2.20 crore is pending for wage component under MGNREGA and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur had sanctioned Rs 100 crore corpus fund to ensure time-bound payment in case of delay in the release of funds from Central government.

Besides this, about Rs 53.83 crore is pending under material component in MGNREGA in Himachal Pradesh.

Kanwar stated that as many as 2,75,413 works have been completed so far in the last four years including 25,706 ways and 14,910 water conservation tanks under MGNREGA.

“In the last four years, Himachal has done remarkable work under the scheme and exceeded the target of man-days created.

In 2019-20, a total of 280 lakh man-days against a target of 270 lakh man-days were created. Similarly, in 2020-21 against the target of 320 lakh man-days, 336.19 lakh man-days have been created till December,” he said.

He further stated that MNREGA has been converged with other schemes to cover the wages of skilled labour.

“As far as non-payment of wages of labourers for five months which took place due to technical glitch, strict action will be taken against responsible officers,” he added.