Lok Sabha Question No. 2022 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-13
Subject: Promotion of Spiritual Tourism
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: Shyam Yadav Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2022

## ANSWERED ON 13.03.2023

## PROMOTION OF SPIRITUAL TOURISM

## 2022. SHRI SHYAM SINGH YADAV:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) the  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to  promote  spiritual tourism in the country, especially in Uttar Pradesh;
- (b) the  amount  of  Central  funds  allocated  to  carry  out  various spiritual tourism projects in Uttar Pradesh;
- (c) the details of the spiritual tourism projects/ proposals received and sanctioned in Uttar Pradesh; and
- (d) the details of the revenue generated through spiritual tourism during the last five years, year-wise?

## ANSWER

(SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

THE MINISTER OF TOURISM

(a): Ministry of Tourism, inter-alia, promotes the tourist destinations of  India,  including spiritual  tourism  in  Uttar  Pradesh,  in  a  holistic manner.

(b) and (c): Development of tourism is primarily the responsibility of the  concerned  State  Government/  Union  Territory  Administration, however, the Ministry of Tourism provides Financial Assistance to State Governments/Union Territory Administrations/Central Agencies for  development  of  tourism  infrastructure  in  the  country including  Uttar  Pradesh,  under  its  ongoing  schemes  of  'Swadesh Darshan', 'Pilgr image Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive' (PRASHAD) and 'Assistance to Central Agencies'.  Submission  of  proposals  and  sanctioning  of  projects under  the  above  mentioned  schemes  are  a  continuous  process which is done in consultation with the respective State Government/UT  Administration  and  is  subject  to  availability  of funds,  receipt  of  suitable  detailed  project  reports,  adherence  to scheme guidelines, performance of ongoing projects and utilization of funds released earlier etc. This Ministry has sanctioned a total of six projects under PRASHAD scheme, eight projects under Swadesh Darshan  Scheme  and  three  projects  under  Assistance  to  Central Agencies in the state of Uttar Pradesh for development of Tourism infrastructure  and  promotion  of  spiritual  tourism.  Details  of  the projects sanctioned under the above mentioned schemes is given at annexure.

(d): Ministry of Tourism does not maintain data on revenue generated from tourism sector. However, Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEE) for the last five years are as follows:

|   Year |   FEE (In Rs. Crore) |
|--------|----------------------|
|   2018 |               194881 |
|   2019 |               211661 |
|   2020 |                50136 |
|   2021 |                65070 |
|   2022 |               134543 |

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ANNEXURE

STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PARTS (b) & (c) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2022 ANSWERED ON 13.03.2023 REGARDING PROMOTION OF SPIRITUAL TOURISM.

## (a). Sanctioned Project under PRASHAD in the state of Uttar Pradesh

(In Rs. Crore)

| S. No.   | Name of the Project                                                      | Year of Sanction   |   Amount Sanctioned |   Amount Released |
|----------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------|---------------------|-------------------|
| 1        | Development of Mathura- Vrindavan as Mega Tourist Circuit (Ph-II)        | 2014-15            |               10.98 |             10.98 |
| 2        | Construction of Tourist Facilitation Centre at Vrindavan, Distt. Mathura | 2014-15            |                9.36 |              9.36 |
| 3        | Development of Varanasi - Phase - I                                      | 2015-16            |               20.4  |             16.32 |
| 4        | Cruise Tourism in River Ganga, Varanasi                                  | 2017-18            |                9.02 |              9.02 |
| 5        | Development of Varanasi Under Prashad Scheme - Phase II                  | 2017-18            |               44.6  |             31.77 |
| 6        | Development of Infrastructure facilities at Govardhan, Mathura, UP       | 2018-19            |               39.74 |             30.97 |
|          | Total                                                                    |                    |              134.1  |            108.42 |

## (b).  Sanctioned  Project  under  Swadesh  Darshan  in  the  state  of  Uttar Pradesh

(In Rs. Crore)

|   S. No. | Name of the Project                                                                   | Year of Sanction   |   Amount Sanctioned |   Amount released |
|----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------|---------------------|-------------------|
|        1 | Development of Buddhist Circuit in Srawasti, Kushinagar & Kapilwastu                  | 2016-17            |               87.89 |             72.56 |
|        2 | Development of Chitrakoot and Shringverpur under Ramayana Circuit                     | 2016-17            |               69.45 |             64.09 |
|        3 | Development of Spiritual Circuit in Shahjahanpur-Basti- Ahar- Aligarh-Kasganj-Sarosi- | 2016-17            |               71.91 |             68.32 |

|    | Pratapgarh-Unnao-Kaushambi-                                                                                                                                                                                                         | Pratapgarh-Unnao-Kaushambi-   |        |        |
|----|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|--------|--------|
| 4  | Mirzapur-Gorakhpur- Kairana- Domaryaganj- Baghpat- Barabanki- Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh Development of Spiritual Circuit in Bijnor- Meerut- Kanpur- Kanpur Dehat- Banda- Ghazipur- Salempur- Ghosi- Balia- Ambedkar Nagar- Aligarh- | 2016-17                       |  67.51 |  64.14 |
| 5  | Bhadohi in Uttar Pradesh Development of Heritage Circuit in Kalinjar Fort (Banda)- Maghar Dham (Sant Kabir Nagar)- Chauri Chaura, Shaheed Sthal (Fatehpur)- Mauhar Sthal (Ghosi)- Shaheed Smarak (Meerut)                           | 2016-17                       |  33.92 |  32.27 |
| 6  | Development of Ayodhya under Ramayana Circuit                                                                                                                                                                                       | 2017-18                       | 127.21 | 115.46 |
| 7  | Development of Spiritual Circuit in Jewar-Dadri-Sikandrabad- Noida-Khurja-Banda                                                                                                                                                     | 2018-19                       |  12.03 |  11.43 |
| 8  | Development of Spiritual Circuit in Gorakhnath Temple (Gorakhpur), Devipattan Temple (Balrampur) and Vatvashni Temple (Domariyagunj)                                                                                                | 2018-19                       |  18.3  |  16.81 |
|    | Total                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |                               | 488.22 | 445.08 |

## (c). Sanctioned Project under Assistance to Central Agencies scheme for Tourism Infrastructure Development in the state of Uttar Pradesh

(In Rs. Lakh)

|   S. No. | Name of Project                                                                                                                                          | Year    |   Amount sanctioned |   Amount Released |
|----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------|---------------------|-------------------|
|        1 | Illumination of monuments in Varanasi/Sarnath (Dhamekh Stupa in SarnathChaukhandi Stupa in Sarnath, Tomb of Lalkan in Sarnath and Man Mahal in Banaras). | 2014-15 |              512.43 |            381.47 |

| 2   | Illumination of three monuments in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh- 1. Dashashwamedh Ghat to Darbanga Ghat (stretch of 300 m) 2. Tulsi Manas Mandir 3. Sarnath Museum                                                                                                               | 2017-18   |   293.55 |   293.54 |
|-----|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------|----------|----------|
| 3   | CFA for Development of Jetties at nine (09) main points of embarkation/ disembarkation of River Cruise on National Water ways No. 1& 2 (Varanasi & Allahabad-I, Allahabad-II), Bihar (Bhagalpur), West Bengal (Kolkata) & Assam (Neamati, Pandu, Jogighopa & Biswanathghat) | 2019-20   |  2803.05 |   700.76 |
|     | TOTAL                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |           |  3609.03 |  1375.77 |

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