The government has recommended tax concessions for star-hotels entertaining tourists in the national capital.

Union Tourism and Culture Minister Ambika Soni told the Rajya Sabha the recommendations include providing new three and four star hotels to be commissioned before 2010 with "infrastructure status".

The Ministry, she said, has recently launched a voluntary "incredible India bed and breakfast scheme" for homeowners who can offer a minimum of one or a maximum of five rooms of prescribed specifications for tourist accommodation.

The Tourism Ministry has so far received 13 applications in this regard, she added. Also, the government has increased Central assistance as part of its product, infrastructure development for destinations and circuits scheme.

Under the revised scheme, the existing upper limit of Rs 8 crore has been increased to Rs 50 crore for development of identified major tourist circuits and that of Rs 5 crore increased to Rs 25 crore for development of major tourist destinations across India, she said.

The government is constantly upgrading security arrangements at museums under ASI control with an increase in budgetary provisions in this regard.

Protected monuments and site museums under the ASI and museums under the Culture Ministry and its autonomous bodies have adopted measures such as close-circuit cameras and deployment of CISF and SIS guards for protection, Soni said in a separate reply.