Kochi: Mr Alphons Kannanthanam, Union Minister of State for Tourism and IT, has justified the high price for petroleum products as a necessary evil for the development of the country. Those who can afford to buy a vehicle should also be prepared to foot the fuel bill, he said. The money received from the high fuel cost is required for development and someone has to bear the cost, he added. Money is needed for the infrastructure development projects such as roads and even public toilets. “There is nothing wrong if those filling fuel in their vehicles pay a higher amount that goes for such requirements,” he told reporters at the Ernakulam Press Club on Thursday.
He also stated that the high price for petroleum products has not caused any price rise in the country. Referring to the tourism sector, he said there was lack of basic infrastructure. The focus will be to develop infrastructure such as toilets. Even places such as Munnar lack basic facilities. Stressing the importance of the private sector, he said running commercial establishments is not the function of the government. So there will not be any change in the decision to sell 13 hotels under the Indian Tourism Development Corporation.
There was huge potential for the growth of tourism in the country as now there is a low level of foreign tourist arrivals. The average foreign tourist flow to the country is less than one million while in places like Paris the number is around 20-22 million, he added. The minister downplayed his remarks about beef and said that it should be considered as a joke. “I was talking in a jovial manner in Odisha and some people gave it an unnecessary twist. I was only saying that foreigners can taste good beef in their own countries and need not come to India for that,” he added.
