Lok Sabha Question No. 226 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-21
Subject: Promotion of Homestays in Rajasthan
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: Shri Rahul Kaswan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.226 ANSWERED ON 21.07.2025

## PROMOTION OF HOMESTAYS IN RAJASTHAN

## 226. SHRI RAHUL KASWAN:

## Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  promoting  homestays  or  heritage-based rural  accommodations to attract domestic and international tourists, and if so, the number of registered homestays supported in Rajasthan;
- whether any incentives or training programmes have been introduced by the Government to encourage homestay operators in semi-arid and
- (b) desert-prone areas and if so, the detail thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is collaborating with the State Government to boost eco-tourism and cultural tourism in Rajasthan; and
- (d) if so, the outcomes of such collaborations and plans for 2025 -26?

## ANSWER

(SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

THE MINISTER OF TOURISM

- (a): Yes. Ministry of Tourism through its Regional Tourism offices conducts various workshops/seminars for promoting homestays or heritagebased rural accommodations to attract domestic and international tourists. The  same  is  also  promoted  through  social  media  handles  of  Ministry  of Tourism. As per the NIDHI+ portal of the Ministry of Tourism, the number of homestays registered in Rajasthan is 72.
- (b): Yes. The Government of India has announced collateral free institutional credit of Mudra Loans for Homestays in the Budget Announcement for 2025-26 to encourage setting up of homestays across the country, including semi-arid and desert prone areas.

Further, the Government approved the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan for improving the socio-economic condition of tribal communities, and development of 1000 homestays is a part of the scheme. The States/UTs can  avail  assistance  of  a  maximum  of  Rs.5  Crore  for  5-10  homestays  per village  in  a  village  cluster  of  5-6  villages,  subject  to  eligibility  as  per  the

Guidelines issued. The Ministry of Tourism has put in place the Scheme of 'Capacity Building for Service Providers' (CBSP) provides education, training and certification to the tourism service providers and hospitality sector including homestay owners, to upgrade manpower at every strata of tourism industry in order to capitalize  the  vast  tourism  potential  of  the  country  to  the  fullest,  and provide professional expertise to the local populace as well as create fresh opportunities in the tourism sector both in urban as well as rural areas. (c) and (d): Yes. The 'National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual,  Augmentation Drive' (PRASAD)  was  launched  by  the  Ministry  of Tourism  as  a  Central  Sector  Scheme  with  the  objective  of  integrated development of identified pilgrimage destinations. An amount of Rs. 32.64 Crore has been sanctioned for the Integrated Development of Pushkar/Ajmer under the PRASHAD scheme. Similarly, the Ministry has sanctioned a total number of 76 projects under different  thematic  circuits,  in  the  country  under  Swadesh  Darshan  and  52 projects  under  the  Swadesh  Darshan  2.0  scheme.  The  list  of  sanctioned projects in Rajasthan under Swadesh Darshan and Swadesh Darshan 2.0 is placed at Table 1 and Table 2 of ANNEXURE. The  Ministry  of  Tourism,  in  line  with  the  directions  of  Department  of Expenditure,  had  issued  Operational  Guidelines  and  template  for  Detailed Project  Report  for  Special  assistance  to  States  for  capital  investment (SASCI)- Development of Iconic Tourist Centres to Global Scale to the State Governments.  Government  of  India  sanctioned  40  projects  amounting  to ₹3295.76 Crore. The list of sanctioned projects in Rajasthan under SASCI is placed at Table 3 of ANNEXURE.

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ANNEXURE

STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PARTS (c) AND (d) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.226 ANSWERED ON 21.07.2025 PROMOTION OF HOMESTAYS IN RAJASTHAN RAISED BY SHRI RAHUL KASWAN.

Table 1: The list of the projects in the State of Rajasthan sanctioned under Swadesh Darshan scheme as on 24.06.2025 is as under:-

|   Sl. No. | Circuit / Sanction Year   | Name of the Project                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |   Amount Sanctioned in ₹ Cr ore |   Amount Released /Authorised in ₹ Cr ore |   Amount Utilised in ₹ Cr ore |
|-----------|---------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|         1 | Desert Circuit 2015-16    | Development of Sambhar Lake Town and Other Destinations                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |                           50.01 |                                     50.01 |                         55.89 |
|         2 | Krishna Circuit 2016-17   | Development of Govind Dev ji temple (Jaipur), Khatu Shyam Ji (Sikar) and Nathdwara (Rajsamand)                                                                                                                                                                                    |                           75.8  |                                     73.85 |                         77.49 |
|         3 | Spiritual Circuit 2016-17 | Development of Spiritual Circuit - 'Development of Churu (Salasar Balaji)-Jaipur (Shri Samodke Balaji, Ghatke Balaji, Bandheke Balaji)- Viratnagar (Bijak, Jainnasiya, Ambika Temple)- Bharatpur (Kaman Region)- Dholpur (Muchkund) - Mehndipur Balaji- Chittorgarh (Sanwaliyaji) |                           87.05 |                                     75.03 |                         75.03 |

| 4.   | Heritage Circuit   | Development                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 70.61   | 66.99   | 67.04   |
|------|--------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------|---------|---------|
|      | 2017-18            | of Heritage Circuit Development of Rajsamand (Kumbhalgarh Fort) - Jaipur (Facade Illumination in Jaipur and Nahargarh Fort) - Jhalawar (Gagron Fort) - Chittorgarh (Chittorgarh Fort) - Jaisalmer (Jaisalmer Fort) - Hanumangarh (Gogamedi) - Udaipur (Pratap Gaurav Kendra) - Dholpur (Bagh-I-Nilofor and Purani Chawani) - Nagaur (Meera Bai Smarak, Merta) - Tonk (Sunehri Kothi) |         |         |         |

Table 2: The list of the projects in the State of Rajasthan sanctioned under Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme as on 24.06.2025 is as under:-

|   Sl. No. | Year of Sanction   | Destination                            | Name of the Experience                                  |   Sanctioned Cost ( ₹ Crore) |
|-----------|--------------------|----------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------|
|         1 | 2023-24            | Bundi                                  | Spiritual Experience, Keshavraipatan                    |                        21.65 |
|         2 | 2024-25            | Sikar                                  | Development works at Shri Khatu Shyam Ji Temple (Sikar) |                        87.87 |
|         3 | 2024-25            | Karni Mata temple, Bikaner dist.       | Development Works at Shri Karni mata mandir, Bikaner    |                        22.57 |
|         4 | 2024-25            | Malaseri Dungari (District - Bhilwara) | Development of Malaseri Dungri, Bhilwara District       |                        48.73 |

Table 3: The list of the projects in the State of Rajasthan sanctioned under SASCI scheme as on 24.06.2025 is as under:-

|   Sl. No. | Year of Sanction   | Name of the Project                                           |   Sanctioned Cost (₹ Cr ore) |
|-----------|--------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------|
|         1 | 2024-25            | Development at Amber-Nahargarh and Surrounding Area in Jaipur |                        49.31 |
|         2 | 2024-25            | Development at Jalmahal in Jaipur                             |                        96.61 |

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