Lok Sabha Question No. 119 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-25
Subject: Development of Tourism at Garhmukteshwar
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: Shri Kanwar Singh Tanwar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.119 ANSWERED ON 25.11.2024

## DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM AT GARHMUKTESHWAR

- 119  SHRI KANWAR SINGH TANWAR:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to boost the tourism sector in the country on the banks of holy river Ganga particularly at Garhmukteshwar during Amrit Kaal;
- (b)
- if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to ensure an increase in domestic as well as foreign tourists visiting India to such holy places;
- (d) the details of funds allocated and utilised for development of tourism for various ghats along River Ganga particularly for Garhmukteshwar, Uttar Pradesh during the last three years, year-wise;
- (e) whether  there  is  a  need  to  improve  railway  network  and  other infrastructures to strengthened tourism sector on various such places; and
- (f) if  so,  the  response  of  the  Government  in  this  regard  and  the  steps taken  or  proposed  to  be  taken  to  improve  the  railway  network  and other infrastructures in such places?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF TOURISM               (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

- (a) to (f): Ministry  of  Tourism  promotes  the  tourism  destinations  of  the country,  including  destinations  on  the  bank  of  holy  Ganga,  in  a  holistic manner  in  the  domestic  and  important  global  markets.  The  following initiatives have been taken by the Ministry to boost the tourism sector in the country  and  promote  travel  within  and  to  the  country,  including  travel  to religious places: -
- Ministry of Tourism promotes India as a holistic destination in various markets  to  increase  India's  share  of  the  global  tourism  market including  spiritual  destinations  of  India.  These  objectives  are  met through  an  integrated  marketing  and  promotional  strategy  and  a synergized  campaign  in  association  with  the  Travel  Trade,  State Governments and Indian Missions overseas. The Government continuously engages with industry experts and other relevant stakeholders and take their suggestions and feedback for promotion of varied tourism products of India.
- Ministry of Tourism has launched the Incredible India Content Hub on the revamped Incredible India digital portal (www.incredibleindia.gov.in).  The  Incredible  India  Content  Hub  is  a comprehensive digital repository of high-quality images, films, brochures  and  newsletters  which  can  be  easily  accessed  by  the industry  stakeholders  (travel  media,  tour  operators,  travel  agents) across  the  globe  required  to  amplify  Incredible  India  in  all  their marketing  and  promotional  efforts.  The  revamped  Incredible  India Digital Portal is aimed to be a tourist centric, one-stop digital solution designed to enhance the travel experience for visitors to India.
- The  Ministry  of  Tourism  under  the  schemes  of  'Swadesh  Darshan', National  Mission  on  Pilgrimage  Rejuvenation  and  Spiritual  Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD)' and 'Assistance to Central Agencies for Tourism Infrastructure Development' provides financial assistance to State Governments/ Union Territory Administrations/ Central Agencies  for  the  development  of  tourism  related  infrastructure  and facilities  at  various  tourism  destinations  in  the  country.  Projects sanctioned  under  these  schemes  also  include  spiritual  destinations and components of development and beautification of Ghats.
- Ministry of Tourism has been providing financial assistance to State Governments/UT  Administrations  for  organising  fairs/festivals  and tourism related events. Some of the events for which assistance has been provided under the scheme include Ganga Mahotsav, Varanasi; Deepotsav, Ayodhya and Sonepur Fair, Bihar.
- Ministry  is  conducting Programmes  under  the  'Capacity  Building  for Service Providers' (CBSP) Scheme to train and upgrade manpower to provide better service standards.
- To enhance the overall experience of tourists by making available a pool of local, trained professionals at tourist sites across the country, Ministry launched the Incredible India Tourist Facilitator (IITF) Certification Programme -a Pan-India online learning program.
- Introduction of e-visa facility is one of the most significant steps taken to  liberalize  and  simplify  the  Indian  Visa  regime.  E-visa  facility  is presently available to nationals of 167 countries for entry through 31 designated  international  airports  and  06  major  seaports.  E-Visa  is presently available under nine sub-categories. Processing of e-visa is totally on the online platform.

Details of projects sanctioned for development of Tourism Infrastructure in the State of Uttar Pradesh is at Annexure.

The proposals for projects at identified destinations are formulated by the concerned State Governments/UT Administrations. Reviewing and sanctioning  of  the  projects  is  an  ongoing  process  and  is  done  as  per procedures and requirements stipulated in the scheme guidelines.

Indian Railways have taken various steps to improve the railway network and other infrastructures, which are outlined below:

- i) Railway Infrastructure Projects are taken up on the basis of remunerativeness, last mile connectivity, missing links and alternate routes,  augmentation  of  congested/saturated  lines,  socio-economic considerations, enhancing connectivity to tourist and cultural places etc. depending upon liabilities of ongoing projects, overall availability of  funds  and  competing  demands.  As  on  01.04.2024,  out  of  488 Railway Infrastructure projects (187 New Line, 40 Gauge Conversion and 261 Doubling) of total length 44,488 Km costing approx. Rs.7.44 lakh  crore,  12,045  Km  length  has  been  commissioned  across  Indian Railways  with  an  expenditure  of  Rs.2.92  lakh  crore.  Augmenting railway  infrastructures  across  Indian  Railways  is  an  ongoing  and continuous process.
2. ii) The  Ministry  of  Railways  has  recently  launched  the  Amrit  Bharat Station Scheme  for development  of Railway stations on Indian Railways.  The  Scheme  envisages  development  of  stations  on  a continuous basis with a long-term approach. It involves preparation of Master Plans and their implementation in phases to improve amenities at  stations,  like  improvement  of  station  access,  circulating  areas, waiting  halls,  toilets,  lift/escalators  as  necessary,  platform  surfacing and  cover  over  platform,  cleanliness,  free  Wi-Fi,  kiosks  for  local products  through  schemes  like  'One  Station  One  Product',  better passenger information systems, Executive Lounges, nominated spaces for business meetings, landscaping etc. keeping in view the necessity at each station. So far, 1337 stations have been identified under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme over Indian Railways.
3. iii) Under the National Rail Plan (NRP), around 243 tourist destinations in India were identified. Out of these, 111 places are already connected with the existing rail network, 30 tourist places are within a distance of  10  kms  from  the  nearest  railway  station  and  30  are  within  a distance of 15 kms from the nearest railway station. The remaining 72 locations are primarily wildlife sanctuaries, beaches and areas located in  hilly  and  mountainous  terrain  where  providing  rail  connectivity  is either not advisable or difficult.

Further,  with  a  view  to  provide  enhanced  amenities  and  facilities  for tourists,  projects  for  joint  development  of  tourist  amenities  at  22  railway stations by the Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Tourism were sanctioned on cost sharing basis.

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ANNEXURE

STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (f)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.119 ANSWERED ON 25.11.2024 REGARDING DEVELOPMENT OF  TOURISM  AT  GARHMUKTESHWAR  RAISED  BY  SHRI  KANWAR  SINGH TANWAR

List  of  Projects  sanctioned  under  various  schemes  of  the  Ministry  for development of Tourism Infrastructure in the State of Uttar Pradesh

## Swadesh Darshan Scheme

(₹ in Crore)

|   S. No. | Circuit / Sanction Year   | Name of the Project                                                                                                                                                    |   Amount Sanctioned |   Amount Released |   Amount Utilised* |
|----------|---------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------|-------------------|--------------------|
|        1 | Buddhist Circuit 2016-17  | Development of Srawasti, Kushinagar, & Kapilwastu                                                                                                                      |               87.89 |             72.56 |              68.43 |
|        2 | Ramayana Circuit 2016-17  | Development of Chitrakoot and Shringverpur                                                                                                                             |               69.45 |             64.09 |              56.03 |
|        3 | Spiritual Circuit 2016-17 | Development of Ahar- Aligarh-Kasganj- Sarosi (Unnao)- Pratapgarh- Kausambi-Mirzapur- Gorakhpur- Domariyaganj-Basti- Barabanki-Azamgarh- Kairana- Baghpat- Shahjahanpur |               71.91 |             69.63 |              69.63 |
|        4 | Spiritual Circuit 2016-17 | Development of Bijnor- Meerut- Kanpur- Kanpur Dehat- Banda- Ghazipur- Salempur- Ghosi- Balia- Ambedkar Nagar- Aligarh- Fatehpur-                                       |               67.51 |             64.14 |              63.62 |

|    |                           | Deoria- Mahoba- Sonbhadra- Chandauli- Mishrikh- Bhadohi                                                                                                              |        |        |        |
|----|---------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|--------|--------|
|  5 | Heritage Circuit 2016-17  | Development of Kalinjar Fort (Banda)- Maghar Dham (Sant Kabir Nagar)- Chauri Chaura, Shaheed Sthal (Fatehpur)- Mahuar shaheed Sthal (Ghosi)- Shaheed Smarak (Meerut) |  36.65 |  32.27 |  36.65 |
|  6 | Ramayana Circuit 2017-18  | Development of Ayodhya                                                                                                                                               | 127.21 | 115.46 | 113.22 |
|  7 | Spiritual Circuit 2018-19 | Development of Jewar-Dadri- Sikandrabad-Noida- Khurja-Banda                                                                                                          |  12.03 |  11.43 |  11.69 |
|  8 | Spiritual Circuit 2018-19 | Development of Gorakhnath Temple (Gorakhpur), Devipattan Temple (Balrampur) and Vatvashni Temple (Domariyagunj)                                                      |  18.3  |  18.12 |  18.12 |

* Includes amount of authorization to CNA through TSA Model I for Central Sector Scheme.

## Swadesh Darshan 2.0 Scheme

|   Sl. No. | Destination   | Name of the Experience                  |   Sanctioned Cost (₹ Cr ore) |
|-----------|---------------|-----------------------------------------|------------------------------|
|         1 | Prayagraj     | Azad Park and Dekho Prayagraj Trail Exp |                        13.02 |
|         2 | Naimisaranya  | Vedic- wellness Experience              |                        15.94 |

## PRASHAD Scheme

(Rs. in Crore)

|   S. No. | Project Name                                                     | Sanction Year   |   Approved Cost |
|----------|------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|        1 | Development of Varanasi - Phase - I                              | 2015-16         |           18.73 |
|        2 | Development of Mathura-Vrindavan as Mega Tourist Circuit (Ph-II) | 2014-15         |           10.98 |
|        3 | Development of River Cruise Tourism at Varanasi                  | 2017-18         |            9.02 |
|        4 | Construction of Tourist Facilitation Centre at Vrindavan         | 2014-15         |            9.36 |
|        5 | Development of Varanasi - Phase II                               | 2017-18         |           44.6  |
|        6 | Development of Infrastructure facilities at Govardhan            | 2018-19         |           37.59 |

## Scheme Assistance to Central Agencies for Tourism Infrastructure Development

(Rs. in Crore)

|   Sl. No | Sanction Date   | Name of Project                                                                                                                                                |   Amount sanctioned |
|----------|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------|
|        1 | 28.02.2015      | Illumination of monuments in Varanasi/Sarnath (Dhamekh Stupa in Sarnath Chaukhandi Stupa in Sarnath, Tomb of Lalkan in Sarnath and Man Mahal in Banaras).      |                5.12 |
|        2 | 21.12.2017      | Illumination of three monuments in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh- 1. Dashashwamedh Ghat to Darbhanga Ghat (stretch of 300 m) 2. Tulsi Manas Mandir 3. Sarnath Museum |                2.93 |

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