Shimla, Feb. 3 -- Renewal of registration of homestays must not be stalled for want of fire no-objection certificates (NOC), chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Monday. He instructed the tourism department to grant provisional registrations to such establishments, ensuring that business operations and maintenance can proceed without "harassment or unnecessary obstruction". The CM also launched a dedicated homestay registration portal - http://homestay.hp.gov.in - designed to simplify the administrative process for applicants. Highlighting the vast potential of the state's tourism landscape, Sukhu noted that the homestay scheme is a cornerstone of the government's strategy to foster self-employment. The initiative aims to promote rural tourism and draw visitors to the state's untouched, lesser-known destinations. Sukhu has directed the forest department to prepare a comprehensive roadmap to increase forest cover in Himachal Pradesh to 31% by 2030. Presiding over a review meeting of the forest department on Monday, he said the present forest cover in the state stands at 29.5% and needs to be enhanced in a planned and sustainable manner. Global warming issue. has emerged as a major challenge worldwide, he added....