Ashok and Samrat hotels would not to be disinvested, says minister Mahesh Sharma

Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma today said two ITDC hotels, Ashok and Samrat, would not be disinvested due to security concerns arising out of these being located close to the prime minister's residence i.e. 7, Lok Kalyan Marg.

Speaking at the 112th Annual Session of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry here, Sharma said barring these two, all the other 15 hotels owned by the government run Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) would eventually be disinvested.

The minister added that he had a discussion (when he held the tourism portfolio) with Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the disinvestment of the ITDC hotels and conveyed to the latter that of the 17, he wanted to disinvest eight as they were incurring losses.

"He (Modi) asked me, why eight and not all the 17? I said Hotel Ashok and Hotel Samrat are located near your official residence, so there are security issues. He said the government was not in the business of running businesses. Thus, except these two, the other hotels will be disinvested," Sharma said.