The Delhi government has said that no grant of approval is required from the Department of Tourism of the government here for standalone restaurants in Delhi.
As per the directions of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Tourism Department, GNCTD of Delhi, on Tuesday notified the termination of the process of granting approvals to standalone restaurants in Delhi.
The notification has come as a major relief to the restaurant industry in Delhi, especially after a major economic downfall due to the Covid-19 lockdown.
The notification comes in the wake of a meeting convened by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal last month, where he directed various officials to remove hassles in the ease of doing business for the restaurant industry in Delhi.
As per the order, "In terms of decision taken by the Hon'ble Chief Minister, GNCT of Delhi in the meeting dated 07.10.2020 regarding Ease of Doing Business for Restaurants, the Voluntary Scheme of Granting Approval to the Standalone Restaurants being implemented by the Tourism Department, GNCT of Delhi is hereby discontinued with immediate effect."
According to a statement from the Delhi government, Before June 2003, the scheme for granting approvals to restaurants was being implemented by the Union Ministry of Tourism, on an All India basis. However, the scheme was discontinued on an All India from June 30, 2003, and the states were asked to formulate their own guidelines if they wished to implement the scheme.
The scheme was adopted by the Department of Tourism, GNCTD in the same year, and was formally launched in 2004 for all restaurants having more than 30 seats. Various reviews and reconsiderations were done by the Tourism Department over the years on the request of Restaurant Associations. However, owing to the recent circumstances (Covid-19), the Chief Minister has ordered the removal of the voluntary scheme of granting approval for standalone restaurants.
On October 7, Kejriwal had convened a meeting with the delegation of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), wherein he directed several ministers and top officials of various departments and agencies to remove hassles in the ease of doing business for the restaurant industry in Delhi, as per the press statement.
In the meeting, various decisions were taken for the economic revival of the hospitality industry in the national capital. A detailed representation was received from the NRAI, to provide relief and ease regulations and approvals constraining the growth of the restaurant industry in Delhi.
The notification to remove Grant of Approval by the Tourism Department to standalone restaurants has been issued in the wake of the same meeting, which will provide relief to the hospitality industry, encourage their economic growth and generation of employment in the industry, the press statement added.
( With inputs from ANI )
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