Uttarakhand Tourism Entrepreneur Promotion Scheme

The Tourism Department, Uttarakhand Government, runs the Uttarakhand Tourism Entrepreneur Promotion Scheme. It is intended to strengthen the state's tourism sector by giving local residents and entrepreneurs both encouragement and financial backing. Investments of ₹1 crore to ₹5 crore in specified tourism activities fall within its scope, with the aim of supporting sustainable economic growth and job creation in the region. The scheme offers stamp duty reimbursement, capital grants and interest subsidy reimbursements, which lower financial hurdles and encourage new ventures as well as expansions in the state's tourism landscape.

The scheme pursues several objectives at once. It seeks to help small and medium tourism units come up and grow, so that local investors can make a meaningful contribution to the state's tourism economy. Generating substantial employment, promoting inclusive growth and building a competitive entrepreneurial environment are central concerns. Development of high-quality tourism infrastructure and services across various categories is given priority, so that new facilities meet international standards.

Another objective is to make the investment climate highly favourable for local entrepreneurs by ensuring they can draw the maximum benefit from the financial incentives on offer, which in turn motivates fresh investment and expansion. This inclusive approach is meant to spread economic benefits, employment generation and infrastructure improvements across all regions of Uttarakhand, concentrating resources and support on tourism development as a whole. The scheme is aligned with the Uttarakhand Tourism Policy 2023 and reinforces the state's commitment to tourism-related initiatives that matter for its overall economic development and the well-being of its citizens.

- **Step 1: Register an account:** Start at the Invest Uttarakhand official portal, https://investuttarakhand.uk.gov.in/. Go to the "Login as" section and choose "Create an account" to begin registration. - **Step 2: Select the registration type:** The new registration page (https://investuttarakhand.uk.gov.in/sso/account/register) asks you to pick a registration type. The choices usually offered are "Investor On Behalf of Investor," "Exhibitor," or "Organiser." Pick whichever fits your application best. - **Step 3: Enter investor details:** Fill in the registration form with your PAN Card number, full name, legal entity name, mobile number, complete address (country, state and district included), and email address, taking care that each entry is accurate. You must also set and confirm a secure password for the account. - **Step 4: Log in to the portal:** Once registration is complete, go to the login page on the Invest Uttarakhand official portal and sign in with your registered credentials (IUID/Email and password) to reach your investor dashboard. - **Step 5: Complete enterprise details and the Common Application Form (CAF):** After logging in, you will generally have to choose the applicable business category (a tourism unit, for example) and supply detailed information about your enterprise — particulars of the managing director/partner/CEO, the authorised coordinator, financial indicators, and the overall organisational structure. At this stage, securing "in-principle approval" through the Common Application Form (CAF) is essential, as it is a mandatory requirement under the Uttarakhand Udhyam Ekul Khidki Sugamata aur Anugyapan Adhiniyam, 2012. - **Step 6: Upload supporting documents:** Assemble and upload every document the scheme calls for. This ordinarily covers incorporation documents, land ownership or lease deeds, project proposals, financial projections, and any other permits or certificates that apply. - **Step 7: Submit the application:** Once all fields are filled in correctly and every required document has been uploaded, click "Submit" to finalise the application. - **Application tracking:** You can check the status of your submitted application online at any time through the Invest Uttarakhand official portal, using your login credentials. - **Verification and approval:** Submitted applications are put through a rigorous verification process by various authorities, among them the District Tourism Development Officer, the Nodal Officer at UTDB, and the State Level Authorised Committee. Site inspections of the proposed or existing tourism unit may also form part of the evaluation. - **Issuance of approvals:** After verification and approval are successfully completed, digitally signed certificates or licences relating to the scheme benefits become available for download directly from the website.

Applications submitted via the Invest Uttarakhand Single Window Portal are reviewed at multiple levels. Scrutiny is carried out by the District Tourism Development Officer, a Nodal Officer at the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB), and a State Level Authorised Committee. These authorities check the accuracy of the details provided, confirm that all eligibility criteria are met, and assess how far the project aligns with the scheme's objectives. Physical site inspections may also be carried out to validate the infrastructure, location, and operational readiness of the proposed or existing tourism unit.

Approval is granted on the basis of these evaluations, after which digitally signed certificates or licenses for the benefits are issued.