Jaipur, July 11 (IANS) Union Minister for Culture and Tourism, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, said on Saturday that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Union government has set a target of increasing the tourism sector’s contribution to the national economy from the current six to 10 per cent by 2047.

As an interim milestone, the Union government is working to raise tourism’s share to seven per cent by 2030.

Addressing the media at his residence, Shekhawat said India’s growing global stature under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership has had a positive impact on the tourism sector.

He noted that the number of foreign tourist arrivals is steadily increasing, while domestic tourism has witnessed unprecedented growth in recent years.

Describing tourism as a key driver of a decentralised economy, the Union Minister said the sector ensures that the benefits of development reach local communities directly.

He added that tourism creates employment and income opportunities across a wide range of sectors, including hospitality, transport, handicrafts, food and beverages, and local products.

Shekhawat emphasised that tourism has the potential to generate the highest number of employment opportunities after agriculture.

Accordingly, the Union government is giving priority to strengthening tourism infrastructure and improving visitor facilities across the country.

Union Minister Shekhawat said that more than 250 million people have moved above the poverty line due to the Central government’s welfare initiatives.

He added that India’s economy has more than doubled in size since 2014, while per capita income and farmers’ incomes have also increased.

He said that effective inflation management has enhanced people’s purchasing power, leading to a significant boost in domestic tourism.

Responding to a query on the transfer process in Rajasthan, Shekhawat added that many employees approached him after the long-standing ban on transfers was lifted, citing family circumstances, health issues, and other genuine difficulties.

He said that his office forwarded such representations to the concerned Ministers for consideration.

According to the Union Minister, the majority of eligible employees have already benefited from the transfer process.

However, applications are still being received in cases involving difficult postings or other administrative reasons.

He described the transfer exercise as a routine administrative process that will continue for the next few days.

–IANS

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