Lok Sabha Question No. 3127 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-08-06
Subject: Development of Ancient Places of Maharashtra as Tourist Spots
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: BHAVANA GAWALI (PATIL), KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †3127 ANSWERED ON 06.08.2018

## DEVELOPMENT OF ANCIENT PLACES OF MAHARASHTRA AS TOURIST SPOTS

## †3127. SHRIMATI BHAVANA PUNDALIKRAO GAWALI PATIL: SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  develop  the  remote villages,  Small  and  Medium  cities  in  the  country  as  tourist destination and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  develop  the  ancient places  of  Maharashtra  as  tourist  spots  and  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (c) whether a thousands of years old civilization has been unearthed  in  the  country  during  excavation  and  if  so,  the details thereof;
- (d) whether  the  tourists  find  it difficult  to  locate  the  place pertaining  to  Chandavati  due  to  lack  of  knowledge  of  its historical importance and if so, the details thereof along with the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  for  publicity  of  the  said place; and
- (e) the details of steps taken by the centre/State Governments to promote  the  tourism  through  Embassies/Missions  in  other countries?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR TOURISM (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (SHRI K.J. ALPHONS)

(a) and (b): The development and promotion of tourist destinations  is  primarily  the  responsibility  of  the  concerned  State Government/Union  Territory  Administration.  However,  the  Ministry of Tourism provides Central Financial Assistance to State Governments/Union Territory Administrations under the schemes of Swadesh Darshan and National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and  Spiritual,  Heritage  Augmentation  Drive  (PRASHAD)  for  the development of tourism related infrastructure in the country.

Under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, 15 theme based circuits have been identified for development which are North-East Circuit, Buddhist Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Krishna Circuit, Desert  Circuit,  Tribal  Circuit,  Eco  Circuit,  Wildlife  Circuit,  Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, Ramayana Circuit, Heritage Circuit, Tirthankar Circuit and Sufi Circuit.

Under  the  PRASHAD  Scheme,  28  religious  cities/sites  in  21 States  have  been  identified  for  development  which  are  Amaravati and  Srisailam  (Andhra  Pradesh),  Kamakhya  (Assam),  Patna  and Gaya (Bihar), Bamleshwari Devi Temple (Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh),  Dwarka  and  Somnath  (Gujarat),  Gurudwara  Nada Saheb (Panchkula, Haryana), Hazratbal and Katra  (Jammu  & Kashmir),  Deogarh  (Jharkhand),  Chamundeshwari  Devi  (Mysuru, Karnataka),  Guruvayoor  (Kerala),  Maa  Chittpurni  (Una,  Himachal Pradesh), Omkareshwar (Madhya Pradesh), Trimbakeshwar (Maharashtra),  Puri  (Odisha),  Amritsar  (Punjab),  Ajmer  (Rajasthan), Kanchipuram and Vellankani (Tamil Nadu), Tripura Sundari (Tripura), Varanasi  and  Mathura  (Uttar  Pradesh),  Badrinath  and  Kedarnath (Uttarakhand) and Belur (West Bengal).

Details of projects sanctioned under the above schemes in the State of Maharashtra are:

Swadesh Darshan Scheme

(Rs. in Crore)

|   Sl. No. | Name of the Circuit & Year of Sanction   | Name of the Project                                                                                                     |   Amt. Sanctioned |
|-----------|------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------|
|         1 | Coastal Circuit 2015-16                  | Development of Sindhudurg (Mochemad- Vijaydurg - Devgad- Mithbav- Tarkarli-Tondavali- Nivati Fort- Shiroda-Sagareshwar) |             82.17 |
|         2 | Spiritual Circuit 2018-19                | Development of Waki- Adasa- Dhapewada- Paradsingha- Chota Taj Bagh- Telankhandi- Girad                                  |             54.01 |

## PRASHAD Scheme

(Rs. in Crore)

| Sl.   | Name of the Project          | Year of   | Amount     |
|-------|------------------------------|-----------|------------|
| No.   |                              | Sanction  | Sanctioned |
| 1.    | Development of Trimbakeshwar | 2017-18   | 37.81      |

The Archaeological Survey of India is responsible for protection,  conservation  and  maintenance  of  268  monuments, archaeological  sites  and  remains  in  the  State  of  Maharashtra. Providing basic facilities/amenities (e.g. drinking water, toilet blocks, facilities for physically challenged, pathways, cultural notice  boards/signage,  vehicle  parking,  cloak  rooms,  etc.)  to  the tourists  visiting  monuments  and  sites  are  regular  activities  which the  Archaeological  Survey  of  India  undertakes,  as  per  needs  and resources.  Further,  improvement  and  upgradation  of  these  public amenities is a continuous process, where specific monuments are identified for the purpose every year.

Besides, Archaeological Survey of India has identified following  monuments  as  Adarsh  Smarak  with  the  aim  to  provide basic  tourist  amenities  such  as  Wi-Fi,  rest  rooms,  drinking  water, benches, souvenir shops, interpretation centres, cafeterias:

1. Elephenta Caves, Gharapuri, Mumbai
2. Daultabad Fort, Aurangabad
3. Aga Khan Palace, Pune
4. Ajanta caves, Ajanta
5. Tomb of Rabia-Duarani (Bibi-Ka-Maqbara), Aurangabad
6. Ellora Caves, Ellora
7. Buddhist Caves, Kanheri

(c): There  are  many  archaeological  excavations  conducted  and thousands of years old civilization unearthed by the Archaeological Survey  of  India  however  excavations  conducted  during  the  last three field seasons are placed at Annexure.

(d) and (e): Ministry  of  Tourism  promotes  India  as  a  holistic destination covering its various tourism destinations and products across different States/Union Territories in the country.

The  Ministry  of  Tourism,  through  its  India  Tourism  Offices Overseas  endeavours  to  position  India  as  a  preferred  tourism destination  in  the  tourism  generating  markets  to  promote  various tourism  products  and  destinations  in  the  country  for  increasing India's share in the global tourism market. These objectives are met through  an  integrated  marketing  and  promotional  strategy  and  a synergized  campaign  in  association  with  the  Travel  Trade,  State Governments and Indian Missions abroad. Indiatourism  Offices  overseas  undertake  various  promotional activities in collaboration with the Indian Missions abroad such as cultural festivals/India  evenings,  Know  India  Seminars,  Road  Shows,  Joint Promotions,  inviting  tour  operators,  media  personalities,  opinion makers etc. to visit the country under the Hospitality Programme of organizing and supporting Indian Food Festivals, this Ministry.

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## ANNEXURE

STATEMENT IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (c)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.†3127 ANSWERED ON 06.08.2018 REGARDING DEVELOPMENT OF ANCIENT PLACES OF MAHARASHTRA  AS TOURIST SPOTS.

| Sl. No.   | Name of Site                                                                                                                                                                          |
|-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2015-16   | 2015-16                                                                                                                                                                               |
| 1.        | 4 MSR, Locality Binjore, District Ganganagar, Rajasthan                                                                                                                               |
| 2.        | Rukministhan, South-West of Ancient Nalanda University, District Nalanda, Bihar                                                                                                       |
| 3.        | Archaeological mound Suabarei, PS-Pipili, Distt. Puri, Odisha                                                                                                                         |
| 4.        | Vadnagar, District Mehsana (Gujarat)                                                                                                                                                  |
| 5.        | Keeladi, Taluk-Tirupuvanam, District Sivaganga, Tamil Nadu                                                                                                                            |
| 6.        | Un-protected area of Vangchhia, District Champhai, Mizoram                                                                                                                            |
|           | 2016-17                                                                                                                                                                               |
| 7.        | Binjore (4 MSR), District Ganganagar, Rajasthan                                                                                                                                       |
| 8.        | Urain (Uren), Locality Block Surajgarha (Suryagarha), District Lakshisarai, Bihar                                                                                                     |
| 9.        | Keeladi Taluk - Tirupuvanam, District Sivaganga, Tamil Nadu                                                                                                                           |
| 10.       | Vadnagar, (Kapurji no Tekro, Gaon Tall locality-II, Pithori Dzarwaja & another other probable locality), District Mehsana, Gujarat                                                    |
|           | 2017-18                                                                                                                                                                               |
| 11.       | Rithi Rajana, Near Gumgaon, Taluka Saoner, District Nagpur, Maharashtra                                                                                                               |
| 12.       | Urain (Uren), Locality Block Surajgarha (Suryagarha), District Lakhisarai, Bihar                                                                                                      |
| 13.       | Archaeological Mound Bharati Huda, Village Jalarpur, Tehsil Niali, District Cuttack, Odisha                                                                                           |
| 14.       | Kodumanal, Taluk Perunthurai, District Erode, Tamil Nadu                                                                                                                              |
| 15.       | Purana Qila, Central District, New Delhi                                                                                                                                              |
| 16.       | Pre-Historic Site - Janampet, District Badradri Kothagudem, Telangana                                                                                                                 |
| 17.       | Vadnagar, Disrtrict Mehsana, Gujarat                                                                                                                                                  |
| 18.       | Excavation at Barnawa, including exploration and small scale excavation/trial digging and sampling of nearby areas in surroundings of Hindon and Krishni Rivers in Baghpat, Locality- |

|    | Barnawa and surrounding areas, Tehsil Binauli, Barot, District Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh                                                      |
|----|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 19 | Excavation at Vangchia, District Champhai, Mizoram and Exploration with trial trench excavation in and around Champhai district of Mizoram |
| 20 | Raigad Fort, Raigad, District Raigad, Maharashtra                                                                                          |

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