Lok Sabha Question No. 4279 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-27
Subject: Development of Tourist Infrastructure on Identified Tourist Circuits
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: Jaisiddeshwar Shivacharya Mahaswamiji

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4279 ANSWERED ON 27.03.2023

## DEVELOPMENT OF TOURIST INFRASTRUCTURE ON IDENTIFIED TOURIST CIRCUITS

## 4279. SHRI G.M. SIDDESHWAR:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  currently  running  schemes  to  provide funding  for  religious  tourism  and  whether  the  outlay  has  been shared with the State Governments;
- (b) the  status  of  24  projects  across  15  States  approved  under  the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spirituality Augmentation Drive (PRASAD);
- (c) whether  the  work  for  developing  tourist  infrastructure  on  the  15 tourist  circuits  identified  under  the  Swadesh  Darshan Scheme has been completed and the total outlay thereof; and
- (d) the estimate of jobs generated by such investments in the tourism sector in the country during the last five years?

## ANSWER

(SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

THE MINISTER OF TOURISM

(a): Development  of  tourism is primarily the responsibility of the concerned State Government/Union Territory Administration (UTA), however, the Ministry of Tourism provides Financial Assistance to State Governments/UTAs/Central Agencies for development of tourism infrastructure  including  religious  sites  in  the  country  under  its  ongoing Schemes  of  Swadesh  Darshan,  Pilgrimage  Rejuvenation  and  Spiritual, Heritage  Augmentation  Drive  (PRASHAD)  and  Assistance  to  Central Agencies. Submission of proposals and sanctioning of projects under the above  mentioned  schemes  is  a  continuous  process  which  is  done  in consultation  with  the  respective  State  Government/UTA/Central  Agency 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.

(b): Under the PRASHAD Scheme, Ministry of Tourism has approved 45 projects  covering  25  States/UTs  in  the  country,  out  of  which  physical execution of 21 projects are over. (c): Under  Swadesh  Darshan  Scheme,  a  total  number  of  76  projects under  14  thematic  circuits,  have  been  sanctioned  in  the  country  for  a revised  sanction  amount  of  Rs.5292.57  Crore  out  of  which  physical execution of 59 projects are over. (d): Project-wise employment generated through tourism is not maintained  by  Ministry  of  Tourism.  However,  as  per  estimation  in accordance with 3 rd  Tourism Satellite Account (TSA), the contribution of tourism in total employment of the country for the last five years  is as given below:

|                                                    |   2016-17 |   2017-18 |   2018-19 |   2019-20 |   2020-21 |
|----------------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Share in jobs (in %)                               |     12.2  |     14.78 |     14.87 |     13.5  |     12.91 |
| Direct (%)                                         |      5.32 |      6.44 |      6.48 |      5.89 |      5.63 |
| Indirect (%)                                       |      6.88 |      8.33 |      8.38 |      7.61 |      7.28 |
| Direct + Indirect jobs due to tourism (in million) |     75.34 |     72.69 |     75.85 |     69.44 |     68.07 |

Source:  The  above  estimates  have  been  updated  using  3rd  TSA  & National Account Statistics 2022.

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