Rajasthan government has decided to shit down 15 units of Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) due to its continuing losses, the states Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Rathore informed during the question hour in the state Assembly.
RTDC has incurred losses to the tune of Rs 154 crore since 2013-14. For the same reason, 15 units of RTDC were closed in November. Here are the 15 units which have been closed down include Hotel Haveli Fatehpur, Motel Pokhran, Motel Behrod, Hotel Vrindavan Bundi, Motel Shahpura, Motel Dausa, Jheel Village Ramgarh, Tourist Village Pushkar, Motel Ratanpur, Hotel Gawri Rishabhdev, Motel Ratangarh, Hotel Jhunjhunu in Jhunjhunu, Hotel Chandravati, Jhalawar, Motel Mahuwa and Motel Devgarh, Rajsamand. Prior to the closure of these units, over 40 other hotels and motels were closed down due to losses.
As far as employees are concerned, RTDC and Rajasthan government has ensured that employees don’t have to suffer. They will be accommodated in other departments, Rathore informed.
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“When some of the units are earning a reasonable revenue, the government should improve the current services by investing some money. But instead of doing that, the government is thinking of closure of the units and transfer of RTDC staff to different departments. With minimal staff running each unit, tourism is being affected. The government’s intention is to run them down deliberately,” Rathore said at a meeting last year.
RTDC is currently managing a host of restaurants, cafeterias, hotels, motels, bars, and means of transport. It is a pedestal for heightening the tourism quotient in the state. It is widely known for providing affordable lodging facilities in the state to tourists and residents. Some of its units have been closed down due to their inability to produce profits, for instance, the RTDC hotel in Fatehpur of Sikar district tripled its losses to 18 lakh in 2015-16 from 6.67 lakh in 2007-08. Consequently, it was closed down.
On Wednesday, additional chief secretary, tourism, N.C. Goel, at a press conference, to identify and evaluate the government’s achievements towards boosting tourism in the past four years. He reiterated the role of private sector in boosting tourism and also reflected how it is inevitable. He said, “The decision to lease the two properties has been taken after a study. In a transparent manner, the properties will be openly tendered.”
As per the government, the units which are shutting down are being examined for its feasibility. The study said that neither the private sector nor the government will be able to make these locations and turn them profitable.