Lok Sabha Question No. 3192 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-05
Subject: Development of Cities as World Class Tourist Destinations
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: V. PANNEER SELVAM, HARI OM PANDEY, (SMT.) RATNA DE(NAG), CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3192 ANSWERED ON 05.12.2016

## DEVELOPMENT OF CITIES AS WORLD CLASS TOURIST DESTINATIONS

3192. SHRI V. PANNEERSELVAM: SHRI HARI OM PANDAY: DR. RATNA DE (NAG):

SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has recently identified and included some cities of historical importance from various States of the country to develop as world class tourist destinations;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise including Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal;
- (c) the funds allocated and expenditure incurred by the Government  in  this  regard  during  the  last  three  years,  yearwise; and
- (d) the time by which the said places are likely to be developed as world class destinations?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR TOURISM (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a) to (d):   For development of tourism infrastructure in the country the Ministry of Tourism has launched two plan schemes in 2014-15 viz.  PRASAD-  Pilgrimage  Rejuvenation  and  Spiritual  Augmentation Drive  and  Swadesh  Darshan  -  Integrated  Development  of  ThemeBased Tourist Circuits.

Under PRASAD scheme, 23 sites of religious significance have been identified for development in India namely Amaravati (Andhra

Pradesh),  Amritsar  (Punjab),  Ajmer  (Rajasthan),  Ayodhya  (Uttar Pradesh),   Dwarka  (Gujarat),   Deoghar  (Jharkhand),  Belur  (West Bengal),  Gaya  (Bihar),  Guruvayoor  (Kerala),  Hazratbal  (Jammu  & Kashmir), Kamakhya (Assam), Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu), Kedarnath  (Uttarakhand),  Mathura  (Uttar  Pradesh),  Patna  (Bihar), Puri (Odisha), Srisailam (Andhra Pradesh), Somnath (Gujarat), Tirupati  (Andhra  Pradesh),  Trimbakeshwar  (Maharashtra),  Ujjain (Madhya  Pradesh),  Varanasi  (Uttar  Pradesh)  and  Vellankani  (Tamil Nadu).

Under  Swadesh  Darshan  scheme  thirteen  thematic  circuits have  been  identified  for  development  namely;  North-East  India Circuit, Buddhist Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Krishna Circuit,  Desert  Circuit,  Tribal  Circuit,  Eco  Circuit,  Wildlife  Circuit, Rural Circuit,  Spiritual  Circuit,  Ramayana  Circuit  and  Heritage Circuit.

The details of funds allocated and expenditure incurred under both the Schemes since its launch are as under:

Swadesh Darhan Scheme: (Rs. in Crore)

|   Sr. No. | Year    |   Budget allocated | Expenditure incurred   |
|-----------|---------|--------------------|------------------------|
|         1 | 2014-15 |              20    | 20.00                  |
|         2 | 2015-16 |             310    | 309.55                 |
|         3 | 2016-17 |             706.35 | 691.97(*)              |

PRASAD Scheme: (Rs. in Crore)

|   Sr. No. | Year    |   Budget allocated | Expenditure incurred   |
|-----------|---------|--------------------|------------------------|
|         1 | 2014-15 |               15.6 | 15.60                  |
|         2 | 2015-16 |               40   | 40.00                  |
|         3 | 2016-17 |              100   | 46.24(*)               |

(*)As on 25.11.2016.

The completion time for the projects sanctioned under above schemes varies from 18 to 36 months.

*******