Lok Sabha Question No. 3022 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-20
Subject: Agreement with IRCTC
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: Sudheer Gupta, Bidyut Baran Mahato, Sambhajirao Mane Dhairyasheel, Prataprao  Jadhav, Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Shrirang Appa Barne

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3022 ANSWERED ON 20.03.2023

## AGREEMENT WITH IRCTC

## 3022.SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

SHRI DHAIRYASHEEL SAMBHAJIRAO MANE:

SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV:

SHRI SANJAY SADASHIVRAO MANDLIK:

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Ministry of Tourism has signed an agreement with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to strengthen the hospitality and tourism industry and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the necessary  steps taken/being taken by  the  Government  to encourage  and  promote  strategic  and  technical  cooperation  in  the Indian hospitality and tourism sector;
- (c) the details of areas identified for promotion of the tourism industry in the country;
- (d) whether IRCTC has started/proposes to start a Baba Saheb Ambedkar Yatra tour package under 'Dekho Apna Desh' initiative to cover the places associated with the life of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) the details of places/destinations/routes likely to be covered during the  above  said  journey  along  with  the  facility  provided  by  the Ministry of Tourism in this regard; and
- (f) the  other  necessary  steps  taken  to  strengthen  the  hospitality  and tourism industry in the country?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF TOURISM                                   (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a) to (c): Yes, Sir. The Ministry of Tourism has signed a Memorandum of

Understanding  (MoU)  with  the  Indian  Railways  Catering  and  Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to cooperate for promotion and marketing of Tourism, and considering the need to develop synergy in the efforts for the purpose. The key features of the MoU are provided at Annexure-I.

The Ministry of Tourism promotes India in a holistic manner. As a part of its ongoing activities, it releases global print, electronic and online media campaigns  in important and potential markets overseas under the Incredible  India  brand-line  to  promote  various  tourism  destinations  and products  of  the  country.  Promotions  are  also  undertaken  through  the website and social media accounts of the Ministry.

- (d): IRCTC has launched Baba Saheb Ambedkar Yatra, a special 7 nights and 8 days' tour package under 'Dekho Apna Desh', and the first tour w ill start on 14.04.2023 which will culminate on 21.04.2023. The tour covers Mhow, Nagpur, Sanchi, Varanasi, Sarnath, Bodhgaya, Rajgir, and Nalanda.
- (e): The detailed itinerary is provided in Annexure-II. IRCTC will provide all-inclusive tour package to the tourists involving train journey in AC III tier  coaches,  stay  arrangement  at  destinations,  on-board  and  off  board meals, road transport as well as sight-seeing as per the itinerary for the entire tour duration and travel insurance upto Rs.10 Lakh.
- (f): Ministry  of  Tourism  has  signed  MoUs  with  online  travel  companies namely  EaseMyTrip.com,  Cleartrip  Pvt.  Ltd.,  Yatra  Online  Pvt.  Ltd.,  and MakeMyTrip.com to get a clear picture on the geographical spread of the hospitality sector, its size, structure and existing capacity so as to offer relevant services to the hospitality industry.

Further, the 'Adopt A Heritage: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan', initiative is a  collaborative  effort  by  Ministry  of  Tourism,  Ministry  of  Culture  and Archaeological  Survey  of  India  (ASI),  State  Govt./UT  Administration  for promotion  of  Heritage  Tourism  which  aims  to  encourage  public  sector companies, private sector companies and corporate citizens/NGOs/ individuals  to  take  up  the  responsibility  of  developing  and  upgrading tourist amenities at tourist sites. As announcement made by the Ministry of Finance on 28.06.2021 to provide relief to the tourism sector, Ministry of Tourism has implemented the "Loan Guarantee Scheme for Covid Affected Tourism Service Sector (LGSCATSS)". Under this loan guarantee scheme, loan  upto  Rs.10.00  lakh  will  be  extended  to  each  Tour  Operators/Travel Agents/Tourist Transport Operators approved/recognized by the Ministry of Tourism,  upto  Rs.1.00  lakh  will  be  extended  to  each  Regional  Tourist Guide/Incredible India Tourist  Guide approved/recognized by the Ministry of Tourism and Tourist Guides approved/recognized by the State Govt./UT Administration. The  purpose  of  the  LGSCATSS  of  the  Ministry  of  Tourism  is  to  provide guarantee coverage for the loans provided by the Scheduled Commercial Banks to the above mentioned beneficiaries, to discharge their liabilities and restart their business affected due to Covid-19 pandemic.

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ANNEXURE-I

STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (C) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3022 ANSWERED ON 20.03.2023 REGARDING AGREEMENT WITH IRCTC.

The Key features of the First MoU signed by the Ministry of Tourism with Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd (IRCTC) on 13.09.2021 are as under:

- i. To develop synergy in the efforts to promote domestic tourism.
- ii. Development of new tourism products.
- iii. Jointly promoting in domestic & international markets.
- iv. To  organise  Educational  Tours  for  the  Universities,  Schools  and Colleges with special focus to North Eastern Region and Jammu & Kashmir.

The  second  Memorandum  of  Understanding  (MoU)  with  IRCTC  on  10th November 2021 with the following objectives:-

- a. The primary objective of this MoU is to provide extensive visibility to accommodation units which have self-certified themselves on System  for Assessment, Awareness  &  Training for Hospitality Industry (SAATHI) on IRCTC's platform.
- b. Those  who  are  on  IRCTC  platform  and  have  not  yet  registered  on National  Integrated  Database  of  Hospitality  Industry  (NlDHl)  and thereby  on  SAATHI  will  be  encouraged  to  do  so  in  a  time  bound manner.
- c. To gather more information on accommodation units in order to gain actionable  insights  &  designing  evidence  based  &  targeted  policy measures.
- d. To promote safe, honourable and sustainable tourism.
- e. To encourage local tourism industry with appropriate safeguards for curbing  spread  of  COVID-I9,  provide  marketing  support  to  connect, contact, encourage and register units to register on NIDHI and follow SAATHI.
6. *******

ANNEXURE-II

STATEMENT  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (e)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3022 ANSWERED ON 20.03.2023 REGARDING AGREEMENT WITH IRCTC

Detail Itinerary for Baba Saheb Ambedkar Yatra

| Day              | Destination               | Particulars                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|------------------|---------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Day 1 (14.04.23) | Delhi (DSJ)               | i. Board on special train at Delhi Safdarjung Railway Station ii. Departure of train to Mhow at 1600 hours. iii. Dinner and overnight train journey                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| Day 1 (14.04.23) | Mathura (MTJ)             | Arrival at Mathura at 1800 hours. Tourist boarding halt. Departure at 1805 hours.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| Day 1 (14.04.23) | Agra Cantt. (AGC)         | Arrival Agra Cantt at 1850 hours. Tourist boarding halt. Departure at 1855 hours.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| Day 2 (15.04.23) | Dr. Ambedkar Nagar (Mhow) | i. Breakfast on-board and arrival at Mhow Railway Station at 0800 hours ii. Proceed to hotels for wash and change. iii.Visit birthplace of Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar (Bhim Janam Bhoomi) iv.Post lunch proceed to Railway Station and board the train. v.Departure of train at 1900 hours for Nagpur. Dinner & overnight train journey. |
| Day 3 (16.04.23) | Nagpur                    | i. Breakfast on board ii. Arrival at Nagpur Railway Station at 0800 hours and proceed to hotels for wash and change. iii. Post lunch proceed to visit Diksha Bhoomi Nagar. iv. Return to Nagpur Railway Station & board the train.                                                                                                  |
| Day 4 (17.04.23) | Sanchi                    | i. Breakfast on-board. ii. Arrival at Sanchi Railway Station at 0600 hours and proceed to hotels for wash and change. iii.Visit Stupa and other Buddhist sites at Sanchi. iv. Return to Sanchi Railway Station & board the train. v. Departure of train at 1400 hours for Varanasi.                                                 |

|                  |                      | vi. Lunch and dinner onboard. Overnight train journey.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|------------------|----------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Day 5 (18.04.23) | Varanasi (Sarnath)   | i. Breakfast on-board. ii. Arrival at Varanasi Railway Station at 0700 hours and proceed to hotels for wash and change. iii. Visit Sarnath. iv. Post lunch visit Kashi Vishvanath Temple. v. Return to Varanasi Railway Station & board the train. vi. Departure of train at 2200 hours for Gaya. vii. Dinner on-board& overnight train journey. |
| Day 6 (19.04.23) | Gaya (Bodhgaya)      | i. Breakfast on-board. ii. Arrival at Gaya Railway Station at 0600 hours & proceed to hotel for check-in at Bodhgaya. iii. Post lunch visit various Buddhist sites including Mahabodhi Temple. iv. Dinner and overnight stay at Bodhgaya.                                                                                                        |
| Day 7 (20.04.23) | Gaya-Rajgir- Nalanda | i. Post breakfast check-out & proceed to Rajgir by road. ii. Arrive at Rajgir & visit various Buddhist sites. iii. Post-lunch visit Nalanda ruins. iv. Proceed to Gaya Railway Station & board the train. v. Departure of train at 2100 hours from Delhi. vi. Dinner onboard and overnight train journey.                                        |
| Day 8 (21.04.23) | Agra Cantt (AGC)     | Arrival at Agra Cantt at 0600 hours. Tourist boarding halt. Departure at 0605 hours.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| Day 8 (21.04.23) | Mathura (MTJ)        | Arrival at Mathura at 0655 hours. Tourist boarding halt. Departure at 0700 hours.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| Day 8 (21.04.23) | Delhi (DSJ)          | i. Breakfast on board. ii. Arrival at Delhi Safdarjung Station at 1000 hours.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |

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