Gangtok, Aug. 18 -- Concerned citizen Toya Rizal has defended the Sikkim government's proposed integrated Sikkim online tourism permit system, rejecting allegations that the Tourism Department or its permit services have been privatised.World News Digest

In a public statement, Rizal said several individuals had recently made serious allegations against the Tourism Department without presenting supporting documents or factual evidence. He urged the public to understand the proposed system fully before reaching any conclusion.

Rizal clarified that the government had engaged an AI-based software platform on a rental or service basis to operate the digital permit system. He compared the arrangement to renting a house, saying that paying to ...