BATHINDA APRIL 30:Punjab would soon emerge as a pioneer state in the hotel management, tourism and civil aviation sector. The setting up of Rs.10 crore State Institute of Hotel Management (SIHM) is also a step in this direction.Speaking on the occasion after laying the foundation stone of SIHM, Mr.Badal said that concerted efforts of SAD-BJP Government, the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India has sanctioned this prestigious institute to impart training to our youth in the hotel management and catering technology.
The Chief Minster said that the state government would accord top priority to training our youth for employment in various spheres, like hotel management, civil aviation, Information Technology etc. The government has also laid emphasis on short-term skill training for our youth in the private security sector. He said that Skill and job-oriented professional education was the need of the hour.
Referring to the national scenario of hospitality industry, Mr.Badal said that the demand for manpower in this industry is on the increase and the hospitality sector was facing a shortage of manpower. The need for qualified manpower was increasing. There was also a lack of high quality managers in our country. That’s why hotel companies employed managers from other countries. Manpower was provided to hotels and restaurants in the country from both government-run and privately managed hotel management and food craft institutes. The shortfall in trained manpower would increase unless training facilities were augmented to meet the international standards.
Mr. Badal informed the institute would follow norms prescribed by the National Council for Hotel Management. It has been estimated that the hotel industry in Punjab and neighboring states would absorb over 15000 trained personnel between 2007 and 2010, said Mr.Badal. Speaking on the occasion, President SAD & member Parliament Mr.Sukhbir Singh Badal said that the upcoming Bathinda Refinery and the International Cricket Stadium would certainly give a fillip to the hotel industry in the region. This prestigious institute would further boost the travel, tourism and hospitality industry in the region.
Mr.Sukhbir Singh Badal also said that after the setting up of the Bathinda refinery, Bathinda would soon emerge as the petro chemical hub in the North India. He said that the refinery would be later on developed as a mega refinery thereby its existing capacity 9 lac to 18 lac.
Mr. Badal said that Mr. L.N. Mittal had already given indication to put in heavy investment to the tune of Rs. 35,000 crors to 40,000 crores to enhance its capacity.
In his address Tourism Miniter Mr. Hira Singh Gabbaria said that the state government had embarked upon an ambitious programme to develop tourism sector on a large scale keeping in view its vast potential in the river tourism.
He also said that the tourism department was also considering developing few projects in the border areas to boost the tourism prospects in the state.
He blamed last congress regime for despising of prime government tourist properties at just as the price of pea nut.He said that the SAD_BJP had not only wipeout the huge losses of Rs. 10 crore incurred by the last government but has also made the profit of Rs. 2.5 crore within a period of one year.
Prominent among Member parliament from Bathinda Mr. Parmajit Kaur Gulshan, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Cooperation Jagdeep Singh Nikai, General Secretary SAD Mr. Balwinder Singh Bhundar and district president SAD Mr. Sikander Singh Maluka.