Sikkim Assembly Passes Bill to Tackle Tourism Issues

Sikkim’s Tourism Bill

The Sikkim assembly has passed a bill to regulate the tourism industry and improve the quality of service. The bill, called the Sikkim Registration of Tourist Trade Bill, 2024, was introduced by Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Tshering Thendup Bhutia. Its aim is to set up rules for tourism-related activities. This will ensure that everyone involved follows standards for safety, quality, and ethical practices. Bhutia said that this will help tour operators provide better service and make Sikkim one of the country’s top tourist destinations.

The bill outlines essential policies related to responsible tourism and the expected behaviours of stakeholders, tourists, and travellers. It also proposes fines for not following the provisions in the bill and the associated rules. The bill aims to ensure stakeholders adhere to sustainable tourism practices, act responsibly towards the environment, and contribute to community development. The minister mentioned that the bill will also lead to the empowerment and restructuring of the Tourism and Civil Aviation Department. Additionally, the Sikkim Court Fees and Stamps on Documents (Amendment) Bill 2024 was passed to introduce e-stamping.

The Chief Minister of Sikkim, Prem Singh Tamang, stated that e-stamping is a modern way of paying stamp duty electronically, which carries the same legal status as traditional stamping on documents. He mentioned that e-stamping simplifies verification, reduces errors, and is easily traceable. Additionally, the House approved the Sikkim Online Gaming (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2024, to regulate the state’s online gaming operations.

The Chief Minister mentioned that the state government has decided to redefine ‘Intranet Gaming Terminal’ and include penalties for unlicensed operators. The four-day budget session started on Monday. The second day began with tributes to former MP Pahalman Subba and former MLAs Sonam Gyatso Bhutia and Ram Chandra Poud.

No discussion occurred on the Motion of Thanks to the Governor’s address, which the House later passed. The debate on the state budget for 2024-25 was opened, but no discussion occurred. The voting and passing of the budget will take place on August 9. The assembly also passed the Demands for Excess Grants/Appropriation 2015-16, moved by the CM, who holds the Finance portfolio. The House was then adjourned until 11 am.