Ready to consider single-window clearance for hotels: Piyush Goyal

Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce & Industry and Railways, Government of India, said that his department is willing to look at single-window clearances for the hotel industry. He was addressing the hotelier and restaurant community across India via a live webinar conducted by the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI). “Yes, we will look at single-window clearances for licenses and simple online approvals. This can also take care of bureaucracy and corruption,” he said. The minister also responded well to the request for curbing illegal, unlicensed accommodation units in the country, especially those that are listed on OTAs. He said, “We will get this legally examined. There must be an element of registration or licensing that should be brought in for record-keeping purposes. Otherwise there is a risk of health and security. We must examine the legal implications.” The FHRAI team will now draw up specific and substantial ideas and revert to the minister.