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Patna,(BiharTimes): Bodh Gaya Nagar Panchayat has decided to levy “tourist tax” of one dollar on every foreign tourist visiting Bodh Gaya from October next.
The tax, which can be paid in any foreign currency, would be initially realized by the hotels, guesthouses and monasteries. A receipt would be issued to the visitors by these establishments on behalf of the civic agency.
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It would be in addition to the fund provided by the central and the state governments under various schemes. The state government has provided Rs 30 lakh to the Nagar Panchayat, which looks after the civic affairs of the pilgrim township. The Union government too had provided Rs 18 lakh under the scheme.
The decision to impse one dollar tax was taken after chief minister Nitish Kumar emphasised that the civic bodies should become self-dependant by exploring revenue generation schemes.
Besides, the administration already collects a “service fee” from vehicles ferrying devotees who wish to offer pinddaan.
It needs to be mentioned that the Lodging House Committee (LHC), which realises the service fee, has placed checkposts at entry points into Gaya town where their employees collect the levy from the vehicles––Rs 250 from buses, Rs 100 from mini-buses and Rs 50 from light vehicles.
According to the Vice Chairman of the Bodh Gaya Nagar Panchayat, Dinesh Singh, the amount collected as tourist tax would be utilised for providing better amenities to the foreign tourists.
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