Lok Sabha Question No. 311 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-02-05
Subject: Development of Special Festival Tourism Circuit
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: T.N. Prathapan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.311

## ANSWERED ON 05.02.2024

## DEVELOPMENT OF SPECIAL FESTIVAL TOURISM CIRCUIT

## 311.  SHRI T.N. PRATHAPAN:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government  proposes  to develop a special festival tourism circuit around Thrissur with special reference to the Thrissur Pooram Festival and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has released adequate funds for the development of Guruvayoor temple and the Temple town under PRASHAD scheme and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is aware of the tourism potential of beaches  such  as Snehatheeram  Beach,  Thalikkulam  and Chavakkad Beach in Thrissur Constituency;
- (d) if so, the details of the initiatives taken by the Government for the same; and
- (e) the  details  of  funds  released  and  utilized  for  promotion  of tourism projects supported by the Government in Thrissur?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF TOURISM                        (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

- (a): No intervention has been sanctioned in Thrissur to develop a special festival tourism circuit. However,  under  the  Swadesh Darshan Scheme, the Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned financial assistance  to  the  State  of  Kerala  for  Development  of  Eco  Circuit, Spiritual  Circuit  and  Rural  Circuit  during  2015-16  to  2018-19  the details of which are at annexure.
- (b): The Ministry of Tourism, under the PRASHAD Scheme, sanctioned  a  project  'Development  of  Guruvayur  Temple,  Thrissur' for Rs.45.19 crore in Kerala. The project is now completed and the facilities are open to the public.

(c) & (d): Ministry of Tourism promotes India as a holistic destination to promote various tourism destinations including beaches, products, fairs & festivals etc. of the Country.

The  Ministry  also  provides  Central  Financial  Assistance  to  State Governments/UT Administrations for  organising  fairs,  festivals  and tourism  related  events  under  Domestic  Promotion  &  Publicity including  Hospitality  Scheme  (DPPH)  based  on  proposals  received from the States/Union Territories, subject to adherence to scheme guidelines and availability of funds.

- (e): The  details of funds released under  the  Events  Support scheme of the Ministry of Tourism for Thrissur is as under:

| EVENTS NAME AMOUNT (Rs. in Lakhs)                    |   EVENTS NAME AMOUNT (Rs. in Lakhs) |
|------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
| Global Yoga Fest- 2019 held in Feb 2019 in Thrissur  |                                 7.5 |
| Global Yoga Fest-2020 held in Feb 2020 in Thrissur   |                                 7.5 |
| Global Yoga Fest-2021 held in March 2021 in Thrissur |                                10   |

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## ANNEXURE

STATEMENT  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.311 ANSWERED ON 05.02.2024 REGARDING DEVELOPMENT OF SPECIAL FESTIVAL TOURISM CIRCUIT BY SHRI T.N. PRATHAPAN

## LIST  OF  PROJECTS  SANCTIONED  UNDER  THE  SWADESH  DARSHAN SCHEME IN THE STATE OF KERALA

(₹ in crore)

|   S. No. | State / UT   | Circuit / Sanction Year   | Name of the Project                                                                                                                 |   Amount Sanctioned |   Amount Released |   Amount Utilized | Physical Status (%)   | Implementing Agency                                 |
|----------|--------------|---------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Kerala       | Eco Circuit 2015-16       | Development of Pathanamthit ta- Gavi- Vagamon- Thekkady                                                                             |               64.08 |             64.08 |             64.08 |                       | CompleteDepartment of Tourism, Government of Kerala |
|        2 | Kerala       | Spiritual Circuit 2016-17 | Development of Sabarimala - Erumeli- Pampa- Sannidhanam                                                                             |               47.74 |             28.67 |             34.61 | 95.00                 | Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala         |
|        3 | Kerala       | Spiritual Circuit 2016-17 | Development of Sree Padmanabha Arnamula                                                                                             |               78.08 |             73.77 |             70    | CompleteKerala        | Tourism Development Corporation                     |
|        4 | Kerala       | Rural Circuit 2018-19     | Development of Malanad Malabar Cruise Tourism Project                                                                               |               57.35 |             30.98 |             36.53 | 54.60                 | Kerala Tourism Development Corporation              |
|        5 | Kerala       | Spiritual Circuit 2018-19 | Development of Sivagiri Sree Narayana Guru Ashram- Arruvipuram- Kunnumpara Sree Subrahmania- Chembazhant hi Sree Narayana Gurukulam |               66.42 |             42.01 |             16.19 | 51.74                 | India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC)        |

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