HRAEI wants to revive the M!CE segment. But, it struggles to get relaxation on property tax and excise license fees despite making several requests to state governments.
The Hotel & Restaurant Association of Eastern India (HRAEI) has elected a new set of regional presidents for the next year. Sudesh Poddar, a veteran hotelier with business interests in the hospitality industry in Assam and West Bengal, was re-elected as the association’s President at the Managing Committee meeting held after the HRAEI Annual General Meeting in Kolkata.
Speaking about the team’s immediate focus areas, the president says, “The foremost aim is to help the revival of the industry after COVID-19. We are trying to extend the number of hours of service for bars and restaurants, keeping in mind the festive season ahead. Guests are coming back to eat out. We have introduced a mass vaccination drive for hospitality workers in the region. In Kolkata, a large number of our workers are now fully vaccinated. We have collaborated with state governments for the drive.” Poddar adds, “We are also urging the government to resume international and domestic flights to improve hotel occupancy. We have made requests to accommodate more people in banquets and are making efforts to rejuvenate the M!CE segment.”
However, there are certain areas where they have not been able to make any headway. “In spite of several requests to all state governments we have not been able to get any relaxation on property tax and excise license fees. We have sent several letters and delegations to respective departments without any effect. We have also met several ministries and relevant government departments with our requests,” Poddar complains.
HRAEI is conducting several meetings with members through multiple online platforms for the past one year. HRAEI, under the leadership of Poddar, has strived hard towards bringing relief to the industry to the maximum during the devastating epidemic. He made earnest efforts to raise concern over the issues that have been affecting the trade and the industry in the year of crisis with multiple government agencies and individuals.
This apart, he also took the initiative to organise mass vaccination drive for hospitality workers, launch privilege health card with AMRI Hospitals for members of HRAEI and their family members, and facilitated hotels and hospitals to collaborate to meet COVID-19 bed shortage during the second wave of the pandemic. Poddar has been closely associated with HRAEI and FHRAI in different capacities. He has held office as the President of HRAEI for four consecutive years. He is also a member (catering expert) on the Board of Governors of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Kolkata.
Sudesh Poddar
“We have metseveral ministriesand relevantdepartments, butwe have not beenable to resolvethese issues”
QUICK BYTE Poddar’s team is urging the government to resume flights to improve hotel occupancy
