India extends visa-on-arrival facility to 180 countries; Sri Lanka not on list
India will extend visa-on arrival to tourists of all nations barring eight, including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Iran, as it looks to boost tourism, Planning Minister Rajeev Shukla said on Wednesday.
“We have decided to extend the visa-on-arrival facility to tourists from 180 nations. It will take 5-6 months for the respective departments to put the required infrastructure in place. We hope to implement this from the next tourist session beginning October,” he said in New Delhi.
India currently offers visa-on-arrival to tourists from 11 countries like Finland, the Philippines, Singapore and Japan.
This facility is now being extended to 180 countries. The only exception to this rule will be nationals from Pakistan, Sudan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Sri Lanka and Somalia, he said without giving reasons.
Following a high-level meeting with representatives from various ministries, he said the electronic visa would be valid for 30 days from the date of the tourist’s arrival in India.
The move, aimed at boosting country’s tourism sector, would not need Cabinet’s nod, Shukla said, adding that Home Ministry would notify the same at an appropriate time.
“The facility will provide a major boost to the country’s tourism sector. This is historic,” Shukla said.
A separate website would be set up for extending the facility to foreigners intending to visit India as tourists. To get visa, they would need to apply in the designated website along the required fees. They would be granted an electronic version of the visa within three days.
“Visa-on-arrival can be availed in all 26 major domestic airports from where international flights ply,” he said. The facility, however, will not be extended to nationals from Pakistan, Sudan,
Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Sri Lanka and Somalia, he said without giving any specific reason.
India offers tourist visa on arrival to around a dozen countries now. Today’s meeting, at the behest of Planning Commission, was called to iron out the objections raised by the Home Ministry for extending the facility to nationals of 40 more countries including the US, the UK and Germany. Home Ministry nod was a prerequisite for extending the facility, IBN live reports.
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For India, Sri Lanka is a ‘paraya’ country. India also knows what ever the situation SL pilgrims/devotees will continue to visit India.
It is because, the stupid in SL being taught worshipping piles of bricks, cement and clay centuries old will makes everything fine! By the way I am born as a Buddhist, and happy and proud to say I do not have a religion any more.
Agree with Blogger 2, Indra. In addition to worshipping bricks, cement and clay centuries old, we are taught to worship white clothed politicians of many varieties.
I was born and bred in a Buddhist family where I was taught the difference between religions and philosophies and that Buddhism is a philosophy.
I was never required to and never will “worship” symbols.
Not everyone can understand the deep concepts behind the bricks, cement and clay objects that are used as tools to focus the mind for a cleaner cause. They only are able to see the bricks, cement and clay. I don’t think anyone is asking for anything from a lump of clay, instead they try to remember someone with gratitude by looking at the clay statue (at least in Buddhism), it helps them as a “tool”, not any different to looking at a photograph.
We humans don’t do everything as per exact logic, doesn’t have to be anyway. As an example, humans are the only living being who cover their bodies with cloths when logically and scientifically there is no need for that. Nature has done it’s job properly but we have evolved ourselves out of that. Similar to some who laugh at clay and bricks, animals may be laughing at humans.
A challenging conversation going on; I am delighted.
I am a Buddhist too being born in a Buddhist family and having been taught Buddhism, not at school but under the tutelage of ripe old Monk.
There is no concept of “worship” in Buddhism (which is a philosophy, or a way of life); but there is a concept of “veneration” (the Teacher student relationship).
The worshiping and offering flowers to clay/brick monuments is perhaps due to the need to inculcate a sense of the philosophy amongst the masses. I understand that.
There is certainly there is no deep or shallow concept behind piles of cement, clay or statues, but another one of the same or the empty . In order to focus one’s mind you do not have to go abroad looking for an object. It it is a must to find such, there are plenty in SL. Like many things like human rights, democracy, these days, the way Buddhism exist now is best described as an industry.
To put things in a nut shell, the human race now un arguably extremely more intelligent than those lived 2500 years ago. Then my question is why one single monk in SL or elsewhere cannot achieve let alone nirvana, a ‘sovan’ or ‘anagami’ status? Just don’t give me the bullxxxx answer that is because ‘they do not want others to know they have achieved it’.
By the way, there is logic behind why humans cover their bodies. Humans have evolved to maintain a constant body temperature, to maintain what is called ‘homeostasis’ that allows us to do things independent of environmental changes in temperature. That is why humans can live in so many places on earth. Humans do not have a thick coat of blubber, hair or feathers like the other animals who maintain homeostasis. Therefore they need to cover the bodies to control the heat loss. Of course, there is the upbringing too. We have been brought up being taught that we should cover ourselves for the reason of decorum and mentally conditioned. That is why we feel so humiliated and helpless when undressed by force.
Hi guys (Indra & Lahiru), Everyone understands what is behind bricks and clay statues. Bid religious constructions such as Temples, Kovils, Churches, Mosques and glorifying it. I am Buddhist too. But we are deviating from the issue here. The issue here is SL has been denied VISA upon arrival by India. Why India treating SL like this?
It is not India treating us like anything. It is congress party giving into TN demands to have votes in the general election.
India is pinching too hard and watching to see us twist and shout ‘ooi’.We should be made of sterner stuff.As for Indra’s on 8, it is like excusing the right hand that slapped you saying the left hand or the rest of the body had nothing to do with it.India is doing it and India will take the responsibility.