Lok Sabha Question No. 2613 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-17
Subject: First Asian Buddhist Summit 2024
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Smt. Anita Subhadarshini

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2613 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17 TH  MARCH, 2025

## FIRST ASIAN BUDDHIST SUMMIT 2024

## 2613 SHRIMATI ANITA SUBHADARSHINI:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is planning to improve Buddhist heritage sites as tourist spots in the light of First Asian Buddhist Summit 2024;
- (b) if so, the name of these sites;
- (c) whether the above summit aims to increase cultural & religious cooperation among Asian Nations;
- (d) if so, the Government is thinking about to organise Subsequent Buddhist summit in future; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

(a) & (b) Ministry of Tourism through its central sector schemes of 'Swadesh Darshan (SD)', and  'Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and  Spiritual,  Heritage  Augmentation  Drive  (PRASHAD)' extends financial assistance to the State Governments/UT Administrations for development of Buddhist Tourism. The 'Buddhist Circuit' has been identified as one of the thematic circuits for development under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme. Details of projects sanctioned under the Buddhist thematic circuit is at Annexure .

The  Archaeological  Survey of India (ASI) under  the Ministry of Culture undertakes conservation  and  preservation  of  protected  monuments  as  well  as  take  action  for  providing public amenities such as toilets, drinking water, parking, pathways, signage, benches, ramps, wheel chairs etc. at various monuments including protected Buddhist Sites, under the Annual Conservation program. Providing public amenities and improving them is a regular activity.

(c),  (d)  &  (e)  Yes,  the  1 st Asian  Buddhist  Summit  (ABS),  was  organized  by  the  Ministry  of Culture  in  collaboration  with  the  International  Buddhist  Confederation  (IBC),  New  Delhi,  a grantee body of this Ministry. The said summit was based on Asian spirit tradition and cultural &  religious  cooperation  among  Asian  Nations.  The  1 st Asian  Buddhist  Summit  witnessed presence of more than 650 delegates including 130 foreign delegates from 26 Asian countries, diplomats from 12 countries and 40 Monks each from Mahayana and Theravada traditions. It has been decided to hold Asian Buddhist Summit in alternate years.

## Details of projects sanctioned under the Buddhist thematic circuit:

|   S. No. | State/UT       | Circuit          | Sanction Year   | Name of the Project                                                                     |   Amount Sanctioned (₹ Cr.) |   Amount Released/ Authorized (₹ Cr.)* |
|----------|----------------|------------------|-----------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|----------------------------------------|
|        1 | Andhra Pradesh | Buddhist Circuit | 2017-18         | Development of Buddhist Circuit: Shalihundam- Bavikonda- Bojjanakonda - Amravati- Anupu |                       35.24 |                                  30.02 |
|        2 | Bihar          | Buddhist Circuit | 2016-17         | Development of Buddhist circuit- Construction of Convention Centre at Bodhgaya          |                       95.18 |                                  95.18 |
|        3 | Gujarat        | Buddhist Circuit | 2017-18         | Development of Junagadh- Gir Somnath- Bharuch- Kutch- Bhavnagar- Rajkot- Mehsana        |                       26.68 |                                  22.28 |
|        4 | Madhya Pradesh | Buddhist Circuit | 2016-17         | Development of Sanchi-Satna-Rewa- Mandsaur-Dhar                                         |                       74.02 |                                  72.75 |
|        5 | Uttar Pradesh  | Buddhist Circuit | 2016-17         | Development of Srawasti, Kushinagar, & Kapilwastu                                       |                       87.89 |                                  72.56 |

Under the PRASHAD Scheme, 'Development of Pilgrimage Facilitation at Four Patron Saints at Yuksom, Sikkim' project was sanctioned for an amount of Rs.33.32 Crore in the year 202021.

Under the Special Assistance to States/Union Territories for Capital Investment ( SASCI ) Scheme of Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, the operational guidelines for Development of Iconic Tourist Centres to Global Scale were issued by the Ministry of Tourism.  In  line with  the guidelines,  on  26.11.2024  Government  of  India  has  approved  a Project 'Integrated Buddhist Tourism Development in Shrawasti' in Uttar Pradesh for a cost of Rs. 80.24 Crore.

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## Annexure