JOIN USPrincipal Secretary of Tourism Jyothirmalingam told reporters on Friday that at present there was only one IHM in Bangalore and it was inadequate to meet the demands of the growing hospitality industry and accordingly the State has sent proposals for four more IHMs to be located at Gulbarga, Bellary, Belgaum and Mangalore. It has also been proposed to set up the FCI at Gadag. This FCI will be in addition to the one at Belur in Hassan district, started recently.
Jyothiramalingam said that the IHM and FCI will be fully funded by the Central Government and the State will have to provide five acres of land for each IHM free of cost. For each IHM the Centre would spend around Rs 15 crore and salaries for the staff of the IHM will also be borne by the Central Government. The FCI will get Rs five crore grant from the Centre.
With the tourism industry growing in the State the star hotels were facing acute shortage of skilled and trained manpower. The IHM and FCI courses will have ready to absorb employment opportunities besides indirect employment opportunities, the Principal Secretary added. At the recent global investors meet conducted in Bangalore 36 MoUs have been signed with different companies involving an investment of over Rs 3,000 crore. Most of the proposals will materialise shortly, he added.