Member of Parliament Requests Finance Minister to Waive Off Interests for Youths Involved in Tourism Sector

Port Blair, May 16: The Member of Parliament, Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma through a letter has requested the Finance Minister, Govt. of India to waive off the EMI of the bank loan of unemployed youths who are into tourism business.

In his letter, he said that Andaman & Nicobar Islands being a far away and remote place from the rest of the country and don’t have any industry or corporate houses for employment. The only mode of employment is government job and tourism industry.

As per A&N Administration the footfall of tourist during 2018 was about 5 (five) lakhs. For this reason, many unemployed youths had engaged themselves in tourism industry. These unemployed youths took loan from various banks and purchased four wheeler and also fiber boats for transporting the tourists to various tourist destinations.

After the deadly COVID-19 since March, 2020 followed by lockdown, the tourism industry is standstill in the Islands. This has led to all these youths unable to pay their interest and EMI of the loan. The MP requested the Finance Minister to waive off interest part of all these youths having four wheeler and Fiber boats in tourism sector from March 2020 till the end of Corona.