New Delhi: The Tourism and Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Minister Kumari Selja has said that the contribution of tourism to the country's GDP was 5.92% and contribution to employment (both direct and indirect) was 9.24% for the year 2007-08.

She was speaking at a function organized for signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology (NCHMCT) and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in New Delhi today.

The MoU has been signed to offer Hotel Management and Catering Technology courses for Class 11 and 12 students with effect from the academic session 2010-11 in CBSE schools. The CEO of NCHMCT, Devesh Chaturvedi and CBSE Chairman Vineet Joshi signed the MoU while Kumari Selja and Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal and his deputy, D. Purandeswari were present on the occasion.

Kumari Selja said that a robust economy has a cascading effect on tourism as well. Conversely, tourism is an important driver in the growth of economy especially in the area of employment generation. The indirect impact of tourism on economy is much larger.

The minister said, "To translate the opportunity accorded to us by the cascading effect of a robust economy into tangible gains, the Tourism Industry needs to be in a state of readiness. As per a survey conducted in the year 2004, the industry requires about two lakh-trained persons annually. As against this, the supply is only 18000 persons, which effectively came to only 12000 persons after reckoning the attrition.

She added that this huge skill gap in the industry is a cause of serious concern and the government has to find means to negotiate the huge skill gap which is affecting the hospitality sector.

Kumari Selja informed that her ministry has constantly endeavored with a multi-pronged strategy to bridge this skill gap. The approach comprises strengthening of institutional infrastructure for training, special programmes and schemes to enable and up-skill the existing service providers, standardization and certification of services and broad basing of hospitality education.

"It is in this larger context that the MoU between the NCHMCT and CBSE becomes immensely important. It is expected that by the year 2022, we will have about 5 million educated persons with tourism specific skills. This number will constitute direct employment in the Industry. The MoU, therefore, is an instrument that will significantly contribute to the realization of inclusive growth," she said.

The minister further added that currently there are 33 Institutes of Hotel Management (IHMs) and 5 Food Craft Institutes (FCIs) sponsored by the Union Ministry of Tourism. The Indian Institute of Tourism & Travel Management (IITTM) at Gwalior and its centres at Delhi, Bhubaneswar, Goa and Nellore impart MBA level education specific to tourism.

She informed that the tourism ministry has sanctioned 12 new State IHMs and 11 new FCIs. In the remaining period of 11th Plan, it is intended to sanction 5 more State IHMs and 14 FCIs. These institutes will have a collective capacity to train over 27000 persons annually.

"Union Ministry of Tourism has launched a flagship programme for young citizens under the 'Hunar Se Rozgar' Scheme. The programme with a pro-poor focus envisages engaging young persons constructively by giving them employable skills. The scheme offers 6 to 8 weeks training in Food & Beverages Services and Culinary Skills. The trainees are also paid a stipend of Rs.1500/- and Rs.2000/- in addition to a set of elegantly designed uniforms. This programme, launched in August 2009, has already trained over 5500 persons by 31st March 2010," Kumari Selja said.

She stated that buoyed by the exuberant response, Hunar Se Rozgar programme has now been extended through the state governments. State governments can empanel institutes, both government and private, having necessary infrastructure and facilities, as the implementing agencies.

The Union Government has also encouraged industry stakeholders to conduct this programme through their own resources. She said that she would also like to expand the reach of hospitality education by involving the State Education Boards, and sought the active support of the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development in this regard.

Talking about the large numbers of unskilled and semi-skilled persons who have joined the industry, the minister said, "Obviously, such an influx in the Industry is demand-driven. It is in recognition of this fact that the ministry has launched another significant programme for imparting job training and certifying them through a system of IHMs. It aims to formally hone the skills of such people through hands on training."

She further added that this not only aids in their career progression, but also helps the ministry to recognize these certifications while classifying the hotels. This programme launched concurrently with the Hunar Se Rozgar Scheme has certified skills acquired by over 5000 persons as on 31st March 2010.

The MoU that was signed between NCHMCT and CBSE is a modest beginning to an initiative that will eventually grow into a comprehensive strategy for vocational education in the country. Under the MoU, 25 chosen schools will impart hospitality education as a full-fledged vocational stream at the plus-two level.

According to Kumari Selja, these institutes will hand-hold and guide the schools for at least 4-5 years in which time it is envisaged that this new vocational stream will become an acceptable and self-sustaining model and that the council has already designed the course curriculum for the 11th standard and that for the 12th standard will soon be ready.

Talking about the defacement and poor maintenance of heritage sites and places of tourist interest, Kumari Selja said that it is essential to sensitize the young minds about the importance of maintaining public hygiene and cleanliness, especially at the country's heritage sites and places of tourist interest. This sensitization must eventually become attitudinal and this process must begin at a very young age as a part of the formal school curriculum.

She urged upon the Minister for Human Resource Development, Kapil Sibal, to consider incorporating a chapter to this effect in the curriculum for middle school, adding that this will go a long way in shaping our national character as well.