COVID-19: Good News as Top Country Announces Plans to Resume Tourist Visas after more than a Year
- In an effort to boost the economy, India said there are ongoing plans to resume the issuance of the tourist visas
- The visa was suspended in 2020 when the first lockdown was announced amid the ravaging effects of the COVID-19 pandemic
- India is currently winning the war over the terrible scourge as a large number of people have been vaccinated
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India has revealed plans to resume issuing tourist visas despite obstacles arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Asian country made this known through its Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). According to a government official, efforts are ongoing to resume the process as "things have been formalised."
This, it was gathered, is part of the efforts to boost the economy as cases of COVID-19 are reducing in the country amid intensified efforts from the government.
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Process suspended more than a year ago
The tourist visa was suspended in March 2020, which is the first day the lockdown announced by the government took effect, Khaleej Times reports.
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Later, several categories of visas like business, employment and others were exempted but tourist visas remained suspended.
Before the suspension of tourist visas, around 7-8 lakh tourists used to come to India every month.
India considering exporting COVID-19 vaccine to Africa
Meanwhile, India said it is considering exporting COVID-19 vaccines to other countries with a keen focus on Africa as the continent continues to face the tough reality of the deadly pandemic.
The Asian country, which is the biggest maker of vaccines overall in the world, had in April 2021 suspended the vaccine export in a move that the government said would allow adult Indians to get vaccinated as the infection figures exploded.
According to Worldometers, India sits behind the United States on the log of countries battling COVID-19 with 33,563,421 cases and 446,080 deaths as of Thursday, September 23.
India overtakes US in total vaccine doses given despite casualties
In a related development, in what appears as a step towards the right direction in combating the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic, India has overtaken the United States in the log of countries administering vaccine doses.
The Asian nation is one of the countries most affected by the pandemic that is still buffeting over 200 countries and territories in the world.
the Indian government is setting the wheel on the fast lane in ensuring that everyone is safe through vaccination.
Source: Legit.ng
