Lok Sabha Question No. 2440 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-04
Subject: Promotion of Religious and Tea Tourism in Jalpaiguri
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: Dr. Jayanta Kumar Roy

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## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2440 ANSWERED ON 04 . 08 . 2025

## PROMOTION OF RELIGIOUS AND TEA TOURISM IN JALPAIGURI

2440. DR . JAYANTA KUMAR ROY :

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state :

- a whether the Government has sanctioned any projects for Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal under the Swadesh Darshan 2 . 0 or Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual  Heritage  Augmentation  Drive ( PRASHAD ) scheme, particularly for promoting religious and tea tourism; and
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  steps  taken being taken to develop  infrastructure  and  tourist  amenities  in  Lataguri,  Gorumara
- / and other tourist sites in the said district?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF TOURISM

(SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

(a) to (b): Development and promotion of tourist destinations and tourism products  is  primarily  undertaken  by  the  respective  State  Government / Union  Territory ( UT ) Administration . However,  the  Ministry  of  Tourism through its central sector schemes of ' Swadesh Darshan ( SD )' , ' Swadesh Darshan 2 . 0 ( SD2 . 0 )' , ' Challenge Based Destination Development ( CBDD )'  -a  sub -scheme  of  Swadesh  Darshan  and ' Pilgrimage  Rejuvenation  and Spiritual, Heritage  Augmentation  Drive ( PRASHAD )' complements  the efforts of tourism infrastructure  development  by  extending  financial assistance  to  the  State  Governments / UT  Administrations;  subject  to availability  of  funds,  adherence  to  scheme  guidelines,  submission  of Detailed Project Reports ( DPRs ) by the State Government / UT

Administration .

In  addition,  Government  of  India  under  its  initiative  for ' Special Assistance  to  States  for  Capital  Investment ( SASCI )' has  also  provided financial assistance to the States for development of tourism projects . The  details  of  the  projects  sanctioned  along -with  funds  allocated under aforesaid schemes in the state of West Bengal is Annexed . There  is no  project presently enlisted for  consideration  before the Ministry  for sanctioning  in the  district  of  Jalpaiguri . The Ministry of Tourism as part of its ongoing promotional activities regularly  promotes  various  tourist  destinations  and  tourism  products  of the  country  including  West  Bengal in  the  international  and  domestic markets through social media, promotional websites, events etc .

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## ANNEXURE

STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PARTS ( a ) TO ( b ) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO . 2440 ANSWERED ON 04 . 08 . 2025 REGARDING PROMOTION OF  RELIGIOUS  AND  TEA  TOURISM  IN  JALPAIGURI  RAISED  BY  DR . JAYANTA KUMAR ROY

Details of Project sanctioned under Swadesh Darshan Scheme in the State of West Bengal:

(Amount in ₹ Crore)

|   S . No . | Circuit / Sanction Year   | Name of the Project                                                                                                      | Sanctioned Cost   |
|------------|---------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------|
|          1 | Coastal Circuit 2015 - 16 | Development of Beach Circuit : Udaipur - Digha - Shankarpur - Tajpur - Mandarmani - Fraserganj - Bakkhlai - Henry Island | 67 . 99           |

List of projects sanctioned under PRASHAD Scheme in the State of West Bengal:

|   S . No . | Project Name              | Sanction Year   | Sanction Amount ( in ₹ Crores )   |
|------------|---------------------------|-----------------|-----------------------------------|
|          1 | Development of Belur Math | 2016 - 17       | 30 . 03                           |

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