Himachal Pradesh to Shut Down Unauthorized Homestays

Shimla: In a recent meeting chaired by Industries Minister Harshvardhan Chauhan, the Himachal Pradesh government discussed shutting down homestays established under Section 118 permissions. This law was originally intended to offer housing or industry setups, not homestays, to individuals from outside the state.

The sub-committee also debated closing unregistered homestays and bed-and-breakfast units. The next meeting on July 23 will finalize these decisions. To boost state revenue, the committee considered imposing a cess based on homestay facilities and increasing registration and renewal fees, currently set at a nominal ₹100. Over 4,000 homestays are registered with the tourism department, with many more operating without registration.

The meeting included inputs from Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Aniruddh Singh, Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh, and Town and Country Planning Minister Rajesh Dharmani. Tourism and Civil Aviation Director Mansi Sahay Thakur briefed the committee on the proposed 2024 homestay regulations.