Self-reliant India stimulus package: 'Disappointment' in the end for the Hospitality Industry..

Even as the Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman ended the fifth and last tranche of relief and reform package to revive and build a ‘self-reliant India’ as announced by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on his televised speech early this week, the travel, tourism and hospitality sector remained totally ignored. Despite lobbying by the industry collectively and through different industry collectives like FICCI, ASSOCHAM, CII, etc., one of the ‘worst hit' sector in the pandemic has been sidelined and wasn't considered for any sector-specific bailout by the government.In a strongly worded statement, Federation of Associations of Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH), an umbrella organisation representing 10 associations in the travel and tourism sector, which has been in the forefront of putting together a strong case for financial stimulus for the industry, said that the whole industry is in a “state of shock & disbelief” to the insensitive attitude of the government to one of the worst hit sectors of the economy.