Much needed decision to boost tourism sector

After facing hardships for several years, the houseboat owners have finally heaved a sigh of relief as the government has approved the proposal of the Tourism department to provide subsidized timber for repairs and maintenance of houseboats and taxi shikaras. The houseboat owners were pitching for such a demand for a long time, but unfortunately their cries went into deaf ears and thus simultaneously added to the miseries of these houseboat owners. The houseboat owners were not able to repair or maintain their properties due to the silence maintained by the successive regimes so far, but the incumbent regime has finally paid heed to the demands of the houseboat owners and approved the proposal of the tourism department in this regard. The repair and maintenance of the houseboats will surely attract the tourists from different parts of the country and outside as well. The maintenance and facilities at par with the houseboats outside in modern states and countries would further boost the tourism sector here. The flow of tourists at present is high compared to the previous years and almost 80 per cent of houseboats are jam-packed presently, which is helping the houseboat owners to compensate the losses they have suffered due to the absence of visitors in wake of Covid-19 outbreak. There is a need to take much more steps for boosting and promoting the tourism sector at different levels so that the people affiliated with the trade would earn their livelihood and the sufferings of people will come to an end.