Lok Sabha Question No. 3870 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-24
Subject: Promotion of Religious Tourism
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: Shri Biplab Kumar Deb

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO . †3870 ANSWERED ON 24.03.2025

## PROMOTION OF RELIGIOUS TOURISM

## †38 70. SHRI BIPLAB KUMAR DEB:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state :

- (a) the  details  of  the  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to  promote religious tourism;
- (b) the progress made in various religious tourist places in this regard; and
- (c) the number of religious places in the State of Tripura included under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme (SDS)?

## ANSWER

(

THE MINISTER OF TOURISM

SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT )

- (a): Development  and  promotion  of  tourist  destinations  and  products, including religious tourism is undertaken by the respective State Government/Union Territory (UT) Administration. The Ministry complements the  efforts  of  States/UTs  by  developing  and  promoting  various  tourism products  of the country, including religious  tourism through  various schemes and initiatives.
- (b): The  Ministry  of  Tourism  under  the  'Pilgrimage  Rejuvenation  and Spiritual,  Heritage  Augmentation  Drive'  (PRASHAD)  provides  financial assistance to the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations for development of tourism infrastructure at identified pilgrimage destinations. Under the scheme, the Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned 48 projects  in  27  States/UTs     with     estimated      cost    of     Rs.  1620.21 crore. The details of the projects sanctioned under the PRASHAD Scheme is given in the Annexure.

(c): Under  the  Swadesh  Darshan  Scheme,  the  Ministry  of  Tourism  has sanctioned two projects under the NorthEast Circuit namely 'Development of  Agartala  -  Sipahijala  -  Melaghar  -  Udaipur  -  Amarpur-  TirthamukhMandirghat -DumboorNarikelKunjaGandachara -Ambassa' and 'Development of SurmaCherra -UnakotiJampui HillsGunabati -Bhunaneshwari- Neermahal- Boxanagar- Chottakhola- PilakAvangchaarra'. In addition, the Ministry of Tourism under its revamped scheme of Swadesh Darshan 2.0, has identified two destinations in the State of Tripura namely Agartala and Unakoti.

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## ANNEXURE

STATEMENT  IN REPLY TO PART  (b)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †3870 ANSWERED ON 24.03.2025 REGARDING PROMOTION OF RELIGIOUS TOURISM RAISED BY SHRI BIPLAB KUMAR DEB

List of projects sanctioned under PRASHAD Scheme (as on 10.03.2025)

(Rs. Crore)

| State/UT          |   S. No. | Project Name                                                                                             | Sanction Year   |   Approved Cost | Amount Released   | Physical Progress %   | Financial Progress %   |
|-------------------|----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------|-----------------------|------------------------|
| Andhra Pradesh    |        1 | Development of Pilgrim Amenities at Amaravati                                                            | 2015-16         |           27.77 | 27.77             | 100%                  | 100%                   |
|                   |        2 | Development of Srisailam Temple                                                                          | 2017-18         |           43.08 | 43.08             | 100%                  | 100%                   |
|                   |        3 | Development of Pilgrimage Amenities at Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narsimha Swami Vari Devasthanam at Simhachalam | 2022-23         |           54.04 | 13.69             | 59%                   | 25%                    |
|                   |        4 | Development of Pilgrimage Tourism Infrastructure in Annavaram Temple Town                                | 2024-25         |           25.33 | -                 | 0%                    | 0%                     |
| Arunachal Pradesh |        5 | Development of Parshuram Kund                                                                            | 2020-21         |           37.88 | 31.02             | 92%                   | 82%                    |
| Assam             |        6 | Development of Pilgrimage amenities at Kamakhya Temple                                                   | 2015-16         |           29.8  | 29.80             | 100%                  | 100%                   |

| State/UT          |   S. No. | Project Name                                                       | Sanction Year   |   Approved Cost | Amount Released   | Physical Progress %   | Financial Progress %   |
|-------------------|----------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------|-----------------------|------------------------|
|                   |        7 | Development at Patna Sahib                                         | 2015-16         |           29.62 | 29.62             | 100%                  | 100%                   |
| Bihar             |        8 | Development of basic facilities at Vishnupad temple                | 2014-15         |            3.63 | 3.63              | 100%                  | 100%                   |
| Chhattisgarh      |        9 | Development of Pilgrimage amenities at Maa Bamleshwari Devi Temple | 2020-21         |           48.44 | 40.19             | 90%                   | 83%                    |
| Goa               |       10 | Development of Bom Jesus Basilica                                  | 2024-25         |           16.46 | -                 | 0%                    | 0%                     |
|                   |       11 | Development of Dwarka                                              | 2016-17         |           10.46 | 10.46             | 100%                  | 100%                   |
|                   |       12 | Development of Pilgrimage Amenities at Somnath                     | 2016-17         |           45.36 | 45.36             | 100%                  | 100%                   |
| Gujarat           |       13 | Development of Promenade at Somnath                                | 2018-19         |           47.12 | 47.12             | 100%                  | 100%                   |
|                   |       14 | Development of Pilgrimage Facilities at Ambaji Temple              | 2022-23         |           50    | 10.54             | 35%                   | 21%                    |
| Haryana           |       15 | Development of Mata Mansa Devi Temple and Nada Saheb Gurudwara     | 2019-20         |           48.53 | 34.68             | 74%                   | 71%                    |
| Jammu and Kashmir |       16 | Development at Hazratbal Shrine                                    | 2016-17         |           40.46 | 34.30             | 100%                  | 85%                    |
| Jharkhand         |       17 | Development of Baba                                                | 2018-19         |           36.79 | 34.95             | 100%                  | 89%                    |

| State/UT    | S. No.   | Project Name                                                                                                               | Sanction Year   | Approved Cost   | Amount Released   | Physical Progress %   | Financial Progress %   |
|-------------|----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------|-----------------------|------------------------|
|             |          | Baidya Nath Dham                                                                                                           |                 |                 |                   |                       |                        |
| Karnataka   | 18.      | Development of Pilgrimage Amenities at Sri Chamundesh wari Devi Temple                                                     | 2023-24         | 45.71           | 0.00              | 0%                    | 0%                     |
| Kerala      | 19.      | Development at Guruvayur Temple                                                                                            | 2016-17         | 45.19           | 45.19             | 100%                  | 100%                   |
| Madhya      | 20.      | Development of Amarkantak                                                                                                  | 2020-21         | 49.99           | 34.73             | 89%                   | 69%                    |
| Pradesh     | 21.      | Development of Omkareshwar                                                                                                 | 2017-18         | 43.93           | 43.93             | 100%                  | 100%                   |
| Maharashtra | 22.      | Development of Trimbakeshw ar                                                                                              | 2017-18         | 45.41           | 29.93             | 93%                   | 66%                    |
| Meghalaya   | 23.      | Development of Pilgrimage Facilitation at Nongswalia Church, Nartiang Shakti Peeth, Aitnar Pool and Charantala Kali Temple | 2020-21         | 29.29           | 27.78             | 100%                  | 95%                    |
| Mizoram     | 24.      | Development of Infrastructure for Pilgrimage and Heritage Tourism at Chite Vang, Zuangtai, Reiek and                       | 2022-23         | 44.89           | 13.18             | 29%                   | 29%                    |

| State/UT   | S. No.   | Project Name                                                                                       | Sanction Year   | Approved Cost   | Amount Released   | Physical Progress %   | Financial Progress %   |
|------------|----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------|-----------------------|------------------------|
|            |          | Aizawl                                                                                             |                 |                 |                   |                       |                        |
| Nagaland   | 25.      | Development of Pilgrimage Infrastructure at Molungkimong , Noksen Church, Aizuto, Wokha and Kohima | 2018-19         | 25.20           | 23.56             | 100%                  | 93%                    |
|            | 26.      | Development of Pilgrimage Tourism Infrastructure at Zunheboto                                      | 2022-23         | 18.18           | 15.45             | 72%                   | 85%                    |
| Odisha     | 27.      | Infrastructure Development at Puri                                                                 | 2014-15         | 50.00           | 10.00             | -                     | 20%                    |
| Punjab     | 28.      | Development of Karuna Sagar Valmiki Sthal at Amritsar                                              | 2015-16         | 6.40            | 6.40              | 100%                  | 100%                   |
|            | 29.      | Development of Chamkaur Sahib                                                                      | 2021-22         | 31.57           | 17.49             | 79%                   | 55%                    |
| Rajasthan  | 30.      | Integrated Development of Pushkar/Ajmer                                                            | 2015-16         | 32.64           | 26.11             | 100%                  | 80%                    |
|            | 31.      | Development at Shri Karni Mata Temple, Bikaner                                                     | 2024-25         | 22.58           | -                 | 0%                    | 0%                     |
| Sikkim     | 32.      | Development of Pilgrimage Facilitation at Four Patron Saints,                                      | 2020-21         | 33.32           | 28.31             | 87%                   | 85%                    |
| Tamil Nadu | 33.      | Development of                                                                                     | 2016-17         | 13.99           | 13.99             | 100%                  | 100%                   |

| State/UT      |   S. No. | Project Name                                                                                  | Sanction Year   |   Approved Cost |   Amount Released | Physical Progress %   | Financial Progress %   |
|---------------|----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------|-----------------------|------------------------|
|               |       34 | Kanchipuram Development of Velankanni                                                         | 2016-17         |            4.86 |              4.86 | 100%                  | 100%                   |
|               |       35 | Development of Jogulamba Devi Temple                                                          | 2020-21         |           38.9  |             33.07 | 72%                   | 85%                    |
| Telangana     |       36 | Development of Pilgrimage and Heritage Tourism Infrastructure at Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple | 2022-23         |           62    |             32.73 | 37%                   | 53%                    |
|               |       37 | Development of Pilgrimage Infrastructure at Bhadrachalam                                      | 2022-23         |           41.38 |              8.43 | 29%                   | 20%                    |
| Tripura       |       38 | Development of Tripura Sundari Temple                                                         | 2020-21         |           34.43 |             28.01 | 79%                   | 81%                    |
|               |       39 | Development of Varanasi - Phase - I                                                           | 2015-16         |           18.73 |             18.73 | 100%                  | 100%                   |
|               |       40 | Development of Mathura- Vrindavan as Mega Tourist Circuit (Ph-II)                             | 2014-15         |           10.98 |             10.98 | 100%                  | 100%                   |
| Uttar Pradesh |       41 | Development of River Cruise Tourism at Varanasi                                               | 2017-18         |            9.02 |              9.02 | 100%                  | 100%                   |
|               |       42 | Construction of Tourist Facilitation Centre at Vrindavan                                      | 2014-15         |            9.36 |              9.36 | 100%                  | 100%                   |

| State/UT    |   S. No. | Project Name                                                                        | Sanction Year   |   Approved Cost |   Amount Released | Physical Progress %   | Financial Progress %   |
|-------------|----------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------|-----------------------|------------------------|
|             |       43 | Development of Varanasi - Phase II                                                  | 2017-18         |           44.6  |             31.77 | 100%                  | 71%                    |
|             |       44 | Development of Infrastructure facilities at Govardhan                               | 2018-19         |           37.59 |             30.97 | 100%                  | 78%                    |
|             |       45 | Integrated Development of Kedarnath                                                 | 2015-16         |           34.77 |             34.77 | 100%                  | 100%                   |
| Uttarakhand |       46 | Development of Infrastructure for Pilgrimage Facilitation in Badrinath Ji Dham      | 2018-19         |           56.15 |             38.38 | 85%                   | 68%                    |
|             |       47 | Augmentation of Pilgrimage Infrastructure Facilities at Gangotri and Yamunotri Dham | 2021-22         |           54.36 |             10.22 | 100%                  | 18%                    |
| West Bengal |       48 | Development of Belur Math                                                           | 2016-17         |           30.03 |             23.39 | 100%                  | 78%                    |

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