Panaji, Aug 25 (IANS): With a view to cater to the requirements of tourists before the tourism season gets underway in the coastal state, the Goa Cabinet on Wednesday extended the 'Tourism Shack Policy'.

Addressing a press conference after a Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the Tourism Shack Policy 2019-2022 has been extended to help erect temporary structures, beach shacks, decks, umbrellas and huts for the 2022-23 tourist season.

Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte said that before the tourism season starts, the state will be ready to cater to the requirements of the tourists in terms of the shack policy.

"The shack policy was coming to an end this year. Since the stakeholders could do business only for one year as two years got wasted due to the Covid pandemic, there was demand to extend the shack policy for at least two more years," Khaunte said.

"After discussing (the issue) with the Chief Minister, we decided to extend the policy on the same terms and conditions for one year on compassionate grounds. This will help the stakeholders who had already made investments but could not do business due to Covid," Khaunte said.