Special Focus: Rajasthan Tourism Is Key

June 2014 \ Business & Investment \ Investment In Indian States

Special Focus: Rajasthan Tourism Is Key

Rajasthan is the state that symbolises royalty, gallantry, resplendence, festivals and the barren yet striking Thar Desert. Its culture, festivals, customs and even cuisines are deeply associated with the ancient Indian culture. Its diverse landscape attracts tourists from all over the world. Rajasthan constitutes 23 per cent of the NCR, second largest urban agglomeration in the world. Rajasthan houses 322 industrial areas comprising 4 agro parks, 3EPIPs and SEZs. The EPIP in Jaipur is the largest in North India while IT SEZ in the state capital is the largest in the country. With 252 mines currently in operation, Rajasthan accounts for the entire production of lead and zinc concentrates of India

Key Players
Prominent tourism industry players with strong presence in Rajasthan include:
* The Indian Hotels Company (IHC): IHC is the hospitality arm of the Tata Group, India's largest private sector business group. In Rajasthan, IHC operates six hotels and resorts in Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur and Ranthambore National Park, with over 400 rooms. IHC had a consolidated income of over USD 220 million for the year ending 31 March 2004. The Taj Group has been active in converting former royal palaces in India into world class luxury hotels such as the Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur, the Rambagh Palace in Jaipur and Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur.

PPP Projects Opportunities
The state envisions mega investments in the infrastructure sector for its economic growth. Requirement of funds to meet all the infrastructural needs of the state cannot solely be met by budgetary resources of the government. To attract private investment and to encourage its efficiency, to provide quality infrastructure and services at an optimal cost, an enabling policy and institutional mechanism would be developed.

The focus sectors where PPP may be contemplated include Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution Projects, Roads Bridges and Bypasses, Water Supply Treatment and Distribution, Airports and Heliports, Inland Container Depots and Logistics Hubs, Information Technology, Land Reclamation, Industrial/Knowledge Parks and Townships, urban utility services, Tourism, Education, Healthcare, Convention Centres and Urban Transport Systems.

PDCOR Limited: PDCOR is a dedicated project development company set up in association with IL&FS with a mandate to structure and attracts private sector investment into various infrastructure projects in the State.