467 applicants for 'bed and breakfast' scheme; Delhi tops list

New Delhi, Apr 15 (UNI) The Tourism ministry's 'bed and breakfast' scheme has evoked a lukewarm response so far with only 467 applications being filed by people in 14 states and Union Territories.

''The ministry of Tourism has not received any application from the remaining states and UTs,'' Tourism and Culture minister Ambika Soni informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply today.

Out of the total 467 applications, Delhi has topped the list with 300 applications, whereas one application each was received from Puducherry, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Chattisgarh, West Bengal and Gujarat the minister told the Upper House.

The ministry has approved only 258 of the total applications filed. In Delhi alone, 190 applications were approved by the ministry for the new scheme. Haryana was the second in the list with 59 applications. But only 15 establishments were approved by the ministry.

The scheme was conceptualised by the Union Ministry of Tourism and launched in November, 2006 to tide over the shortage of 30,000 rooms for visitors during Commonwealth Games, 2010.

The scheme requires house owners to have additional rooms so that they can apply to the tourism authorities. A police verification follows. Then the houses are rated according to their facilities and amenities. The licence to operate is finally given after the entire process and grading of the house is completed.

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