Union Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat Photo Credit: PTI
A total of 76 projects with an allocation of ₹ 5,287.90 crore have been sanctioned under Swadesh Darshan Yojana, out of which 75 projects have been physically completed, the Union Ministry of Tourism said on Wednesday (December 25, 2024).
The Center had launched the Swadesh Darshan scheme in 2014-15 for the integrated development of theme-based tourism circuits. It was revised as Swadesh Darshan 2.0 to develop sustainable and responsible destinations with a tourist and destination centric approach.
Under Swadesh Darshan 2.0, 34 projects worth Rs 793.20 crore have been approved so far, the ministry said.
As part of efforts to enhance tourism experiences at all points of the tourism value chain, the Ministry has formulated guidelines for ‘Challenge-Based Destination Development’ as a sub-plan of Swadesh Darshan 2.0. Under this plan, proposals have been invited in four thematic categories namely Spiritual Tourism, Culture and Heritage, Vibrant Village Program, Ecotourism and Amrit Heritage Site. So far, the ministry has selected 42 destinations under various tourism themes for development under this plan.
Apart from this, a total of 48 projects are being developed under Prasad Yojana at a cost of Rs 1,646.99 crore, of which 23 have been completed.
The Prasad or ‘Pilgrimage Revival and Spiritual Heritage Enhancement Drive’ scheme provides financial assistance to state governments and Union Territories for development of tourism infrastructure at pre-identified pilgrimage sites.
The government has sanctioned a total of 40 projects in 23 states for an amount of ₹ 3,295.76 crore under Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) as a follow-up to the Budget announcements 2024-25.
These funds are intended to provide long-term interest-free loans to states for a period of 50 years for extensive development of iconic tourist centers in the country and branding and marketing at global level.
India registered 18.89 million International Tourist Arrivals (ITAs) and 9.52 million Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India in 2023. Foreign Exchange Earning (FEE) through tourism in 2023 was ₹ 2,31,927 crore.
published – Dec 25, 2024 07:59 pm IST