Cyclone Fani: Hoteliers seek exemptions to revive industry

Bhubaneswar: With the tourism industry taking a beating after cyclone Fani ravaged the coastal districts of Odisha, the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Odisha (HRAO) demanded several exemptions for hoteliers.

The damages to hotel industry in the state due to cyclone Fani would be around Rs 500 crore.

HARO demanded exemption on electricity billing, transformer generator restoration expenditure and subsequent relevant statutory charges to revive the industry in the aftermath of the cyclone.

HRAO urged the government to give special tax exemption for hotel industry on the heads of GST, holding tax, municipal tax and other relevant statutory taxes.

It proposed the state government to initiate a series of short term and long term measures for development of the tourism sector of the state in the wake of damages caused by the cyclone.

HRAO Chairman JK Mohanty said fresh loans should be sanctioned without any documentation and on priority basis, within 30 days from the date of submission of loan application.

He also said that all insurance companies should be asked to disburse 50 per cent of the claim amount by May 30, 2019.