Hospitality gets industry status in Maharashtra

State cabinet minister Aaditya Thackeray informed that the Maharashtra Government has granted industry status to the hospitality sector and it is now eligible for various benefits. An expert committee will finalize norms for other establishments. Valsa Nair, principal secretary, tourism department informed that there are 110 hotels, ranging between one to five stars, classified by the ministry of tourism. To provide benefits to them, the committee will suggest norms which will be finalized by the state. Under these norms, they will have to apply online and after a field visit, the state will make the final decision. With the industry status, eligible hotels will be charged at industrial rates for power supply, water supply, taxes and dues instead of the commercial rates that are currently applicable. For additional floor space index (FSI), establishments will be charged at industrial rates. The state is looking forward to more global hotels coming up in Maharashtra, with the state being the easiest to set up business in and the friendlier to run the same. In totality, all the facilities and incentives applicable to industries will now be applicable to the hospitality sector as well.