It is an exasperated Tourism Minister Renuka Chowdhury who wants a more ‘‘definite’’ role for her ministry. In her bid ‘‘to be taken more seriously’’ Chowdhury has reiterated her minsitry’s long-standing demand of being included in the Concurrent List. Says Chowdhury, ‘‘Tourism Ministry works like an ombudsman, pushing other ministries to act according to the demands of the Tourism industry. So, we have to prod the Home Ministry to rationalise immigration and visas, or push the Civil Aviation Ministry to improve airport amenities, from toilets to taxis.”By including Tourism in the Concurrent List, the Union Tourism Ministry will be given powers to legislate with the states. Today, this privilege is only with the states, with the Centre playing the role of ‘‘mentor.’’Chowdhury is vexed by the dismal efforts by State Tourism Ministries to boost tourism, which send proposals ‘‘that do not go beyond building roads to a monument.’’ She is determined to get the Finance Ministry to begin asking state governments some pertinent questions. ‘‘Where does all the money go,’’ asks Chowdhury. ‘‘They have huge budgets but there has not been a single interesting proposal from the states. It is time state governments realise tourism is the third largest revenue-earner after Industry and IT.’’Meanwhile, Chowdhury has already held a high-level meeting with officials from the Surface Transport Ministry, including the minister, and has proposed wide ranging changes to promote ‘‘cruise tourism.’’ Says Chowdhury, ‘‘The cruise sector earns the $14 billion annually. The outbound tourist from India for cruises is 40-50,000 a year. It is time cruise tourism in the country took a quantum leap.’’
