Tourism & Travel

28-Dec-2022: President of India lays foundation stone for PRASHAD project in Bhadrachalam and UNESCO World Heritage Site at Rudreshwar Temple (Ramappa), Mulugu in Telangana

The President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu, laid the foundation stone for the project ‘Development of Pilgrimage Facilities at Bhadrachalam Group of Temples’ today at Sri Seetha Ramachandra Swamivari Devasthanam, Bhadrachalam in the Bhadradri Kothagudem District of the state of Telangana. She also laid the foundation stone for another project called ‘Development of Pilgrimage and Heritage Infrastructure of UNESCO World Heritage Site at Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple’ at Mulugu in the state. Both these projects have been approved under the PRASHAD (National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive) Scheme of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

Addressing the gathering, the President noted that the famous temples of Telangana are visited by lakhs of pilgrims and they form the major component of domestic and foreign tourists. She said that tourism increases the livelihood opportunities and income of the people and also strengthens the local economy. The President appreciated the Ministry of Tourism for boosting the spiritual and cultural tourism by developing pilgrimage sites under the 'PRASHAD' scheme. Launched in the year 2014-15, the scheme aims to provide integrated infrastructure development to pilgrimage and heritage tourism destinations in the country.

The temple at Bhadrachalam, Sri Seetha Ramchandra Swamyvari Devasthanam, is said to be more than 350 years old and is closely associated with epic of Ramayana. It is believed that Lord Rama with his wife Goddess Sita and brother Lakshmana spent some part of their 14 years of exile at a village called Parnasala, a part of Dandakaranya forest near Bhadrachalam Temple. The project ‘Development of Pilgrimage Facilities at Bhadrachalam Group of Temples, Telangana’ has been approved by the Ministry of Tourism at an estimated cost of Rs 41.38 Crores. The components sanctioned include infrastructural interventions like Pilgrimage Amenity Centre, Parking Area development, Kalyan Mandapam, Street-scaping, Souvenir shops, Rain and Shade Shelters and Railings, E-Buggies facilities for Senior citizens and Divyaangjans, overall civil infrastructure improvement, Drinking Water and Toilet Facilities, Food Court, Solar Based Lightings, CCTV Surveillance and Digital Interventions.

Noting that tribal people, especially from the Koya community, gather to offer prayers to Sammakka Saralamma jaathra, the President said that such festivals and gatherings strengthen social harmony. “With these activities, our traditions continue to grow from generation to generation. It is imperative to keep our culture, traditions and customs alive”, she said. Appreciating the Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad, Telangana, for organising this Sammelan, she said that the Parishad is constantly striving for the overall development of the forest dwellers. The running of development centers organizing camps in tribal areas to take women forward in the direction of economic empowerment by Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad were commendable, said the President.

The President Smt. Droupadi Murmu, later, virtually inaugurated two Ekalavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) in Komaram Bheem Asifabad and Mahabubabad districts of Telangana. The Eklavya Model Residential School would be in every block with more than 50% tribal population of Scheduled Tribes and at least 20,000 tribal persons. The objective of EMRS is to provide quality upper Primary and Secondary and Senior Secondary level education (Class VI to XII) to Scheduled Tribe (ST) students in remote areas.

The President subsequently travelled to the Ramappa Temple in Mulugu district. The Ramappa temple of Lord Shiva, a perfect example of architectural brilliance, was built in 1213 AD by the Kakatiya rulers and has been inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage list. This heritage temple attracts over 10 Lakh visitors every year and has a high visibility amongst the tourist circuit.

The President Smt. Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the project ‘Development of Pilgrimage and Heritage Infrastructure of UNESCO World Heritage Site at Rudreshwara Temple (Ramappa)’. This scheme which was approved by the Ministry of Tourism headed by Shri G. Kishan Reddy with the estimate of Rs 62 Crores. It aims to make Ramappa Temple, a world class pilgrimage and tourist destination, by providing state-of-the-art facilities for visitors while maintaining essence of heritage and tranquility of the site.

The scheme has approved three sites for interventions namely:

10 Acre of Site (A) with Interpretation Centre, 4-D Movie Hall, Cloak rooms, Waiting halls, First -Aid Room, Food Court, Drinking Water and Toilet Facilities, Bus and Car Parking, Drinking Water and Toilet Facilities, Souvenir shops.
27 Acres of Site (B) with Amphitheatre, Sculpture Park, Flower Garden, Road Developments, Drinking Water and Toilet Facilities, E-Buggies facilities for Senior citizens and Divyangjans .
Ramappa Lakefront Development.

1-Apr-2022: 68 destinations/sites have been identified in 30 States/UTs for development under the PRASHAD Scheme

Mapping/Identification of the tourist places/sites for the purpose of development and promotion is an ongoing process and is primarily the responsibility of the concerned State Government/UT Administration. However, the Ministry of Tourism has identified 15 theme-based circuits for development, spanning the entire country, which include the Buddhist Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Desert Circuit, Eco Circuit, Heritage Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Krishna Circuit, North-East Circuit, Ramayana Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, Sufi Circuit, Tirthankara Circuit, Tribal Circuit and Wildlife Circuit. In addition, a total of 68 destinations/sites have also been identified in 30 States/UTs for development under the PRASHAD Scheme.

Further, Ministry of Tourism has also identified the following Niche Products for development and promotion like Cruise, Adventure, Medical, Wellness, Golf, Polo, Meetings Incentives Conferences & Exhibitions (MICE), Eco-tourism, Film Tourism, Sustainable Tourism and Rural Tourism. In addition, the Ministry of Tourism is promoting India as a holistic destination showcasing its various tourism destinations/sites/circuits as well as tourism products through campaigns, website and social media platforms to attract both domestic and international tourists for realising the potential of tourist places in the country.

19-Dec-2022: Gaya and Nalanda have been selected for development under Swadesh Darshan 2.0

Ministry of Tourism (MoT) under its Schemes of Swadesh Darshan, Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) and Assistance to Central Agencies provides assistance to the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations/Central Agencies for development of Tourism infrastructure in the country. The projects for development under the schemes are identified in consultation with the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations/Central Agencies and are sanctioned subject to availability of funds, submission of suitable detailed project reports, adherence to scheme guidelines and utilization of funds released earlier etc.

The Ministry has now revamped its Swadesh Darshan scheme as Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (SD2.0) with the objective to develop sustainable and responsible tourism destinations, following a tourist & destination centric approach. Gaya and Nalanda have been selected for development under SD2.0 whereas Punaura Dham in Sitamarhi District of Bihar is a site identified for development under PRASHAD Scheme of MoT.

13-Dec-2022: Union Tourism Minister Shri G. Kishan Reddy dedicates 4 projects to the nation in Puducherry sanctioned under the Swadesh Darshan scheme

The Union Minister for Tourism, Culture, and Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER) Shri G Kishan Reddy, dedicated several tourism projects during his visit to Puducherry on 13th December 2022. The projects were sanctioned by the Ministry of Tourism under the SWADESH DARSHAN scheme. The projects that were inaugurated included the renovation of Aayi Mandapam and dynamic lighting at Bharathi Park at a cost of Rs. 1.33 Crore, the Development of Pilgrim Facilities and Ghat along the sacred river at Sri Gangai Varagha Natheeswarar Temple at Thirukanchi at a cost of Rs. 5.82 Crore, development of Spiritual Park at Thirunallar Karaikal at a cost of Rs 7.40 Crore and the Development of Eden Beach at Chinna Veerampattinam at a cost of Rs 3.51 Crore.

The Union Minister also inaugurated the Puducherry Shopping Festival 2022 logo which aims to promote business tourism and trade, particularly by creating unique shopping experiences for the tourists visiting Puducherry.

While addressing the officials of the tourism department of the Pondicherry Union Territory he said, “Puducherry is a vibrant destination in India that attracts tourists from all over the world. It is my pleasure to dedicate 4 projects that were sanctioned under SWADESH Darshan of the Ministry of Tourism to the nation”.

The Union Minister further added, “India for thousands of years has always been known for its spiritual wealth, cultural heritage, and diversity. Over the last 8 years, India is being known for world-class amenities, excellent infrastructure and facilities, and ease of living through technology and digitization. Now India is not just a place to see and visit but a destination to experience and be transformed for life.”

The Ministry of Tourism under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme has sanctioned a total of Rs. 148.31 Crore for 3 projects in Puducherry. These include:

The Name of the Project	Amount Sanctioned
Development of Spiritual Tourism Pondicherry at Thirukanchi- Karaikal- Yanam	Rs 34.96 Crore
Development of Franco Tamil Village at Karaikal, Mahe, and Yanam	Rs. 54.91 Crore.
Development of Dubrayapet, Arikamedu, Veerampatinam, Kalapet, Puducherry, and Yanam.	Rs. 58.44 Crore.

The Union Minister Shri G Kishan Reddy said, “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, the Tourism and Hospitality sector has received constant support and guidance. During our G-20 presidency, we have the opportunity to introduce the dignitaries and visitors of the G-20 countries to India’s philosophy of “Athithi Devo Bhava” - where the guest is treated as divine”. The Ministry of Tourism is working towards promoting tourism in Puducherry and in this regard the Union Minister of Tourism, Shri G Kishan Reddy said, “based on the successful completion of the works by the UT administration, Puducherry and Karaikal have been selected for further development under Swadesh Darshan 2.0. We have also identified Puducherry and Karaikal under the PRASHAD scheme to develop iconic spiritual spaces.

8-Aug-2022: Ministry of Tourism under its Swadesh Darshan Scheme (SDS) has sanctioned 10 projects under the theme of Coastal Circuit

The Ministry of Tourism under its ‘Swadesh Darshan’ scheme provides financial assistance to State Governments/Union Territory (UT) Administrations/Central Agencies etc. for development of tourism infrastructure in the country. The projects under this scheme are sanctioned subject to availability of funds, submission of suitable Detailed Project Reports (DPR), adherence to scheme guidelines and utilization of funds released earlier etc. The Ministry of Tourism under its Swadesh Darshan Scheme (SDS) has sanctioned 10 projects under the theme of Coastal Circuit.

The Ministry of Tourism has now revamped its Swadesh Darshan scheme as Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (SD2.0) in order to develop sustainable and responsible destination centric approach with the following objectives:

To enhance the contribution of tourism to the local economies.
To create jobs including self-employment for local communities.
To enhance the skills of local youth in tourism and hospitality.
To increase private sector investment in tourism and hospitality.
To preserve and enhance the local cultural and natural resources.

In order to harness the potential of Cruise Tourism in the country, a Task Force has been constituted with Secretary (Tourism) as the Chairman and Secretary (Shipping) as the Co-chairman. The Task Force consists of representatives from the ports, Ministries of Health, Home Affairs, External Affairs, Customs, CISF, Coastal States, etc. The 13th meeting of the Task Force on Cruise Tourism was held on 27.04.2022.

The first Incredible India International Cruise Conference was held on 14th to 15th May, 2022 in Mumbai. It was the first cruise conference to bring all stakeholders together. Further, the Ministry of Tourism undertakes various promotional activities in the international and domestic markets to promote tourism products of the country including Coastal Tourism in a holistic manner. This includes release of media campaigns under ‘Incredible India’ brand-line, promotional events, social media promotions etc. The Ministry of Tourism is promoting Coastal Tourism through its website www.incredibleindia.org.

4-Aug-2022: Ministry of Tourism under its Swadesh Darshan Scheme has sanctioned 76 projects for Rs. 5399.15 crores for development of tourism infrastructure in the country

The Ministry of Tourism under its Swadesh Darshan Scheme (SDS) has sanctioned 76 projects for Rs. 5399.15 crores for development of tourism infrastructure in the country. These sanctioned projects include Tribal and Rural tourism projects.

The Ministry of Tourism has now revamped its Swadesh Darshan scheme as Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (SD2.0) in order to develop sustainable and responsible tourism destinations in the country with tourist and destination centric approach. The guidelines for Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme has been issued to all the States/Union Territory Administrations including Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu however no destination for development has been identified under Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme. The Ministry of Tourism has already sanctioned 2 projects in Maharashtra and 1 project in Tamil Nadu under Swadesh Darshan scheme.

As per the information given by the States Governments/Union Territory Administrations, out of the total 76 sanctioned projects, 50 projects are now physically complete. The Ministry of Tourism is not maintaining the data in respect of the total number of tourists participating in each circuit.

4-Apr-2022: Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned 10 projects under Heritage Circuit theme

The Ministry of Tourism undertakes various promotional activities in the international and domestic markets to promote tourism destinations and products of the country in a holistic manner. This includes release of media campaigns under ‘Incredible India’ brand-line, promotional events, social media promotions etc. The Ministry of Tourism is promoting Barpeta through its website www.incredibleindia.org.

Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned 10 projects under Heritage Circuit theme of the Swadesh Darshan scheme which includes the project ‘Development of Tezpur – Majuli – Sibsagar’ sanctioned for Rs. 90.98 cr. under Heritage circuit theme in the State of Assam. The Ministry of Tourism has now revamped its Swadesh Darshan scheme in order to develop sustainable and responsible destinations with tourist & destination centric approach.

21-Mar-2022: All the three projects sanctioned for Gujarat by Ministry of Tourism under ‘Swadesh Darshan’ scheme are physically complete

Ministry of Tourism under its ‘Swadesh Darshan’ scheme has sanctioned three projects in Gujarat. All the three projects sanctioned under Swadesh Darshan scheme in the State of Gujarat are physically complete. Details given below:

Sr. No.	Name of Circuit	Year of Sanction	Name of the Project	Sanctioned Amt. in ₹ crore	Released amount ₹ in Cr. (till date)
1	Heritage Circuit	2016-17	Development of Ahmedabad- Rajkot- Porbandar –Bardoli- Dandi	58.42	56.21
2	Heritage Circuit	2016-17	Development of Vadnagar-Modhera	91.11	87.25
3	Buddhist Circuit	2017-18	Development of Junagadh- Gir Somnath- Bharuch-Kutch- Bhavnagar- Rajkot- Mehsana	26.68	22.28

14-Mar-2022: Ministry of Tourism under Swadesh Darshan scheme has sanctioned 76 projects under 13 thematic circuits including ‘Buddhist theme’

Development of Tourism is primarily the responsibility of the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations. However, the Ministry of Tourism under its Swadesh Darshan scheme since its inception has sanctioned 76 projects under 13thematic circuits including ‘Buddhist theme’ for development of tourism infrastructure in the country. The projects under the scheme were identified for development in consultation with the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations and sanctioned subject to availability of funds, submission of suitable detailed project reports, adherence to scheme guidelines and utilization of funds released earlier etc.

10-Feb-2022: Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned 6 projects under Eco Theme in ‘Swadesh Darshan’ scheme

The Ministry of Tourism has identified Eco Circuit as one of the fifteen thematic circuits for development under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme to promote eco-tourism in the country. The Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned 06 projects under Eco Theme in ‘Swadesh Darshan’.

The Ministry has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Responsible Tourism Society of India (RTSOI) on 27th September, 2021 with the purpose to undertake measures to actively promote and support ‘sustainability initiatives’ in the tourism sector of each other and work in a collaborative manner wherever possible.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has informed that they have issued guidelines for sustainable ecotourism in forest and wildlife areas -2021. The guidelines provide for preparation of ecotourism plan which includes the carrying capacity analysis-based description of the eco- tourism site. The guidelines also provide for regular monitoring of the ecotourism sites by the respective States/Union Territories.

3-Feb-2022: Punaura Dham included under PRASHAD Scheme

As per the request received from the State Government of Bihar, Ministry of Tourism has included Punaura Dham in the Ramayana circuit of Swadesh Darshan Scheme. The destination of Punaura Dham has been recently included under PRASHAD Scheme of the Ministry of Tourism.

Details of the projects approved under Swadesh Darshan Scheme for the State of Bihar is given below:

Development of Thirthankar Circuit in Vaishali- Arrah- Masad- Patna- Rajgir- Pawapuri- Champapuri under Jain theme, approved in the year 2016-17 at the cost of Rs. 37.20 Cr. A amount of Rs. 26.11 Cr. has been released till date.
Integrated Development of Spiritual Circuit at Sultanganj – Dharmshala - Deoghar under Spiritual theme, approved in the year 2016-17 at the cost of Rs. 44.76 Cr. A amount of Rs. 42.52 Cr. has been released till date.
Development of Buddhist circuit - Construction of Convention Centre at Bodhgaya approved in the year 2016-17 at the cost of Rs. 98.73 Cr. A amount of Rs. 93.22 Cr. has been released till date.
Development of Gandhi Circuit: Bhitiharwa - Chandrahia - Turkaulia under Rural theme approved in the year 2017-18 at the cost of Rs. 44.65 Cr. An amount of Rs. 35.72 Cr. has been released till date.
Development of Pilgrimage Circuit in Mandar Hill & Ang Pradesh under Spiritual theme approved in the year 2017-18 at the cost of Rs. 47.53 crore. A amount of Rs. 38.02 Cr. has been released till date.

7-Jan-2022: Rs. 500 cr. allocated for state of Uttar Pradesh under SWADESH DARSHAN scheme towards strengthening Tourism infrastructure

Union Minister of Tourism, Culture and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Shri G. Kishan Reddy along with Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Shri Yogi Adityanath and Minister of State for Tourism and Defence Shri Ajay Bhatt inaugurated various components developed at the Govardhan Bus Stand under the project “Development of Govardhan, Mathura” under PRASHAD Scheme of the Ministry of Tourism today virtually.

The Union Minister Sri G. Kishan Reddy said that under the leadership of Prime minister India has achieved the historic feat of administering 150 crore vaccinations. The Minister also reminded the stakeholders that Covid has not yet ended, and requested all to follow all necessary protocols and precautions to stay safe and healthy. “When we remove the soul from our body, there is nothing remaining, similarly the spiritual heritage and culture of our country needs to be protected for the nation to thrive and Hon’ble Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi has been leading from the front on this.” The Prime Minister is focused on enhancing pilgrim accessibility and their experience through connectivity, infrastructure and better facilities, the Minister added. He said that for realizing the Prime Minister’s vision, the Ministry is working tirelessly towards improving the overall facilities and tourism infrastructure. The PRASHAD scheme is being implemented to improve the Tourism infrastructure like facilitation centers for tourists such as Information and Interpretation Centers, ATM and Money exchange facilities, Eco-friendly buses, lighting, parking, toilets, cloak rooms, first aid centers, rain shelters and internet connectivity at the Tourist locations.

Noting the projects implemented in the state, the Minister Sri Kishan Reddy said “So far under the PRASHAD Scheme, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand together have close to 25% of the total allocation of approximately Rs. 1200 crores towards pilgrimage, spiritual and heritage rejuvenation”. “Moreover, Rs. 500 crores has been allocated for the state of Uttar Pradesh alone through the SWADESH DARSHAN scheme towards strengthening Tourism infrastructure within the state of Uttar Pradesh through various spiritual circuits such as the Ramayana and Buddha circuits”, the Minister added.

The Union Minister also highlighted the various programmes being conducted as a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, as India celebrates its 75th year of independence. He requested for maximum people participation for the programmes that were being conceived keeping in mind our rich cultural heritage such as the Rangoli making competition and also programmes that were designed to invoke patriotic fervor among the masses such as the competition that requires composing patriotic songs. The Minister also congratulated the individuals and officials behind the successful completion of the project.

The occasion was graced by the august presence of Shri Dr. Neelkanth Tiwari, Minister of State (IC) for Tourism, Culture, Religious Affairs, Protocol(MOS) , Smt. Hema Malini, Member of Parliament , Lok Sabha, Mathura Region , Shri Arvind Singh (I.A.S), Secretary (Tourism), Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and Shri Mukesh Meshram (I.A.S) Principal Secretary(Tourism) , Uttar Pradesh.

The project for “Development of Govardhan Mathura” under the PRASHAD scheme was approved by the Ministry of Tourism with the cost of INR 39.73 Cr. in January 2019. The components viz. ‘Multi-Level Car Stand Block, Cloak Room & Toilets, Boundary wall and Surface development at Govardhan Bus Stand’ has been successfully completed with the cost of INR 15.82 Cr.

Other components sanctioned under the project include development of Mansi Ganga, Chandra Sarovar, Govardhan Parikrama and interventions at Kusum Sarovar. The illumination of the Kusum Sarovar is already completed and dedicated to the nation in February 2021. The work for all other components is in advanced stages of completion.

The components developed under the project have resulted in facilitation of pilgrims and enhancement of the pilgrimage experience. The interventions implemented have resulted in regulation of pedestrian traffic on the Govardhan Parikrama Path.

The ‘National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive’ (PRASHAD) is a Central Sector Scheme with complete financial assistance by the Government of India. The scheme has been launched under the leadership of Prime Minister by the Ministry of Tourism in the year 2014-15 with the vision of focused infrastructure development to harness pilgrimage and heritage tourism destinations for its direct and multiplier effect upon employment generation and economic development. The scheme aims at infrastructure development to envisage world class infrastructural development of the sites with special emphasis on Tourist Facilities including Tourist Facilitation Centres, way-side amenities Parking, Public convenience, Illumination and Sound and Light Shows.

In addition to the above-mentioned project at Govardhan, 5 more projects. have been sanctioned in the state of Uttar Pradesh under PRASHAD scheme of Ministry of Tourism. The total outlay of the projects sanctioned under the PRASHAD scheme for Uttar Pradesh is INR 139.75 Cr. The sanctioned projects include Development of Mathura Vrindavan as Mega Tourist Destination, Construction of Tourist Facilitation Center at Mathura, Development of Varanasi and Development of Cruise Tourism in River Ganga. Majority of components implemented under these projects have already been completed and dedicated to nation.

The Union Minister praised the state government for the optimum use of the funds released by the Government of India for creating the facilities of international standards. He further assured the state government for every cooperation and support required from the Ministry of Tourism in the sector.