Lok Sabha Question No. 626 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-24
Subject: Tourism Projects Approved in Tamil Nadu and Odisha
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: Dhanush M Kumar, Ganesan Selvam, C.N. Annadurai, Manjulata Mandal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.626

## ANSWERED ON 24.07.2023

## TOURISM PROJECTS APPROVED IN TAMIL NADU AND ODISHA

626.  SHRI DHANUSH M. KUMAR:

SHRIMATI MANJULATA MANDAL:

SHRI SELVAM G.:

SHRI C.N. ANNADURAI:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  the  tourism  projects  approved,  sanctioned  and executed  along  with  the  details of the tourism  projects completed so far and the time by which the remaining projects are likely to be completed in Tamil Nadu during the last five years;
- (b) the  constraints  faced  by  the  Government  while  completing tourism projects in Tamil Nadu and Odisha;
- (c) the  reasons  for  the  delay  in  completion  of  the  pending projects;
- (d) the  details  of  funds  allocated,  released  and  utilized  for  the development of tourism sector in these States;
- (e) the  details  of  employment  potential  created/  proposed  to  be created due to above projects;
- (f) whether it is a fact that the Government has failed to develop tourism in Tamil Nadu and Odisha which have huge potential and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and
- (g) the  corrective  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  develop
- tourism in the States of Tamil Nadu and Odisha?

## ANSWER

(SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

THE MINISTER OF TOURISM

(a) to (d): The details of projects sanctioned, amount released and amount utilized along with their status in the States of Tamil Nadu

- & Odisha under the Swadesh Darshan, PRASHAD and Assistance to Central Agencies Schemes is given at Annexure.
- (e): The projects sanctioned under the above schemes are under various stages of implementation for more footfalls to these tourism destinations/sites and creating more job opportunities for the local communities.
- (f): No, Sir. The data of Domestic Tourist Visits (DTVs) during 2020 to 2022 in Tamil Nadu and Odisha is given below:

(in Lakh)

|   Year |   Tamil Nadu |   Odisha |
|--------|--------------|----------|
|   2020 |      1406.51 |    46.22 |
|   2021 |      1153.37 |    37.42 |
|   2022 |      2185.85 |    78.68 |

- (g): Ministry  of  Tourism  has  taken  several  steps/initiatives  for development  and  promotion  of  tourism  in  the  country  including Tamil Nadu and Odisha as per details given below:
- i. Development  of  tourism  related  infrastructure  through projects sanctioned under the 'Swadesh Darshan', 'National Mission on Pilgrimage Reju venation and Spiritual  Heritage  Augmentation Drive  (PRASHAD)'  and 'Assistance to Central Agencies for Tourism Infrastructure Development' Schemes.
- ii. The  Ministry  of  Tourism  has  revamped  its  Swadesh Darshan  Scheme  as  Swadesh  Darshan  2.0  (SD2.0)  with the  objective  to  develop  sustainable  and  responsible destinations  following  a  tourist  &  destination  centric approach.
- iii. Financial assistance has also been provided to the State Governments/UTs for organizing fairs/festivals & tourism related  events  under  Domestic  Promotion  &  Publicity including Hospitality (DPPH) Scheme.
- iv. Dekho Apna Desh initiative launched with the objective to encourage citizens to travel within the country.
- v. Thematic tourism like wellness tourism, culinary tourism, rural, eco-tourism, etc. amongst other niche subjects are promoted so as to expand the scope of tourism into other sectors as well.
- vi. Providing  facility  of  e-Visa  for  5  sub-categories  i.e.  eTourist  visa,  e-Business  visa,  e-Medical  visa,  e-Medical Attendant visa and e-Conference visa for nationals of 167 countries.
- vii. E-Visa has been further liberalized and the visa fee has been substantially reduced.
- viii. Lowering  of  GST  on  hotels  rooms  with  tariffs  of ₹1,001 to ₹7,500/night  to  12%;  those  above  ₹7,501  to  18%  to increase India's competitiveness as a tourism destination.
- ix. On  the  recommendation  of  the  Ministry  of  Tourism,  59 tourism  routes  have  been  awarded  to  the  identified airlines  by  the  Ministry  of  Civil  Aviation  under  the  RCS UDAN  Scheme,  for  which  Ministry  of  Tourism  extends financial support in form of VGF (Viability Gap Funding). 53 of these routes have been operationalized to improve air connectivity to tourist destinations.
- x. Ministry of Tourism is running Pan-India Incredible India Tourist  Facilitator  (IITF)  Certification  Program,  a  digital initiative that aims at creating an online learning platform  with  the  objective  of  creating  a  pool  of  well trained and professional Tourist Facilitators/Guides across the country and generating employment opportunities at local level.
- xi. Conducting Programmes under the 'Capacity Building for Service Providers' (CBSP) Scheme to train and up -grade manpower to provide better service standards.

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ANNEXURE

STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.626 ANSWERED ON 24.07.2023 REGARDING TOURISM PROJECTS APPROVED IN TAMIL NADU AND ODISHA.

Swadesh Darshan Scheme (Rs. in Crore)

|   Sl. No. | State      | Circuit / Sanction Year   | Name of the Project                                                            |   Amount Sanctioned |   Amount Released |   Amount Utilized | Physical Status (%)   |
|-----------|------------|---------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-----------------------|
|         1 | Tamil Nadu | Coastal Circuit 2016-17   | Development of (Chennai- Mamamallapuram - Rameshwaram - Manpadu - Kanyakumari) |               73.13 |             69.48 |             69.48 | Complete              |
|         2 | Odisha     | Coastal Circuit 2016-17   | Development of Gopalpur, Barkul, Satapada and Tampara                          |               70.82 |             67.28 |             63.25 | 94.72%                |

PRASHAD Scheme (Rs. in Crore)

|   Sl. No. | State      | Project Name                                                                                                           | Sanction Year   |   Approved Cost |   Amount Released | Amount Utilized           | Physical Progress   |
|-----------|------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------|---------------------------|---------------------|
|         1 | Odisha     | Infrastructure Development at Puri, Shree Jagannath Dham - Ramachandi - Prachi River front at Deuli under Mega Circuit | 2014-15         |           50    |             10    | UC is awaite d from State | Foreclosed          |
|         2 | Tamil Nadu | Development of Kanchipuram                                                                                             | 2016-17         |           13.99 |             13.99 | 13.99                     | Complete            |
|         3 | Tamil Nadu | Development of Velankanni                                                                                              | 2016-17         |            4.86 |              4.86 | 4.86                      | Complete            |

## Assistance  to  Central  Agencies  for  Tourism  Infrastructure  Development Scheme

(Rs. in Crore)

| Sl. No.      | State        | Name of Projects                                                                      | Central Agency     | Amount Sanctioned   | Amount Released   | Amount utilized   | Status       |
|--------------|--------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|--------------|
| Year 2012-13 | Year 2012-13 | Year 2012-13                                                                          | Year 2012-13       | Year 2012-13        | Year 2012-13      | Year 2012-13      | Year 2012-13 |
| 1.           | Tamil Nadu   | Cruise Passenger Facilities Centre in the existing Passenger Terminal at Chennai Port | Chennai Port Trust | 17.25               | 17.25             | 17.25             | Complete     |
| Year 2016-17 | Year 2016-17 | Year 2016-17                                                                          | Year 2016-17       | Year 2016-17        | Year 2016-17      | Year 2016-17      | Year 2016-17 |
| 2.           | Odisha       | Joint Development of Puri Railway Station                                             | M/o Railways       | 6.15                | 6.15              | 6.15              | Complete     |
| Year 2017-18 | Year 2017-18 | Year 2017-18                                                                          | Year 2017-18       | Year 2017-18        | Year 2017-18      | Year 2017-18      | Year 2017-18 |
| 3.           | Tamil Nadu   | Joint Development of Rameshwaram Railway Station                                      | M/o Railways       | 4.70                | 3.76              | 2.27              | Ongoing      |
| Year 2018-19 | Year 2018-19 | Year 2018-19                                                                          | Year 2018-19       | Year 2018-19        | Year 2018-19      | Year 2018-19      | Year 2018-19 |
| 4.           | Tamil Nadu   | Joint Development of Madurai Railway Station                                          | M/o Railways       | 4.48                | 3.56              | 2.23              | Ongoing      |

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