Lok Sabha Question No. 825 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-21
Subject: Establishment of New Tourist Centres
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: SANJAY JAISWAL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.†825 ANSWERED ON 21.11.2016

## ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW TOURIST CENTRES

†825. DR. SANJAY JAISWAL:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- whether the Government proposes to explore the possibilities of establishing new tourist centres in the country, specially in
- (a) Bihar;
- (b)
- if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the time by which the said centres are likely to be developed?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (c): For development of tourism infrastructure in the country including  Bihar,  the  Ministry  of  Tourism  has  launched  two  new schemes in 2014-15 viz. Swadesh Darshan - Integrated Development of Theme-Based Tourist Circuits and PRASAD-Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive.

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.

Under PRASAD scheme, 23 sites of religious significance have been identified for development 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).

The details of projects sanctioned in Bihar since 2014-15 are as under:

Swadesh Darshan Scheme: (Rs. in crore)

| Sl. No.   | Name of the Circuit   | Name of the Project/Year of sanction                                                                                         |   Amt. Sanctioned |
|-----------|-----------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------|
| 1         | Buddhist Circuit      | Construction of Cultural Centre adjacent to Maya Sarovar on the western side at Bodhgaya, Bihar (2014- 15)                   |             33.17 |
| 2         | Spiritual Circuit     | Development of Jain Circuit: Vaishali- Arrah-Masad-Patna-Rajgir-Pawapuri- Champapuri as Spiritual Circuit in Bihar (2016-17) |             52.39 |
| 3         | Spiritual Circuit     | Integrated Development of Kanwaria Route: Sultanganj - Dharmshala- Deoghar under Spiritual circuit in Bihar (2016-17)        |             52.35 |
|           |                       | Total                                                                                                                        |            137.91 |

PRASAD Scheme:

(Rs. in Crore)

| Sl. No.   | Name of the project                                                        |   Amt. Sanctioned |
|-----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------|
| 1         | Development of basic facilities at Vishnupad temple, Gaya, Bihar (2014-15) |              4.27 |
| 2         | Development at Patna Sahib (2015-16)                                       |             41.54 |
|           | Total                                                                      |             45.81 |

The  completion  time  of  above  projects  varies  from  18  to  36 months.

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