Lok Sabha Question No. 167 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-11-30
Subject: Religious Tourist Circuits
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: RAGHAV LAKHANPAL, R. GOPALAKRISHNAN, A.T. (NANA) PATIL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.167 ANSWERED ON 30.11.2015

## RELIGIOUS TOURIST CIRCUITS

## 167.  SHRI RAGHAV LAKHANPAL:

SHRI R. GOPALAKRISHNAN:

SHRI A.T. NANA PATIL:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has established religion based tourism circuits in various parts of the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise including Uttar Pradesh; and
- (c) the  infrastructure/tourism  facilities  set  up  in  those  religion based  tourism  circuits  and  the  budgetary  allocations  made therefor, circuit-wise and State/UT-wise including Maharashtra?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR TOURISM (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a)&(b): The Ministry of Tourism provides Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to State Governments/Union Territory Administrations,  including  the  places  of  religion  based  tourism circuits  in  various  parts  of  the  country,  for  tourism  projects  in consultation  with  them  subject  to  availability  of  funds,  inter-se priority, liquidation of pending utilization certificates and adherence to the scheme guidelines.

For  development of tourism infrastructure in the country, the Ministry of Tourism has introduced two new schemes in 2014-15 i.e. PRASAD- Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive and  Swadesh  Darshan  -  Integrated  Development  of  Theme-Based

Tourist Circuits. Under PRASAD thirteen cities have been identified for development initially, namely: Amritsar, Ajmer, Dwaraka, Mathura, Varanasi, Gaya, Puri, Amaravati, Kanchipuram, Vellankanni,  Kedarnath,  Kamakhya  and  Patna.  Under  Swadesh Darshan scheme also, twelve thematic circuits have been identified initially, namely: North-East India Circuit, Buddhist Circuit, Himalayan  Circuit,  Coastal  Circuit,  Krishna  Circuit,  Desert  Circuit, Tribal  Circuit,  Eco  Circuit,  Wildlife  Circuit,  Rural  Circuit,  Spiritual Circuit & Ramayana Circuit. (c): The  details  of  the  budgetary  allocations  made  to  various States/Union Territories including Maharashtra till date for religion based tourism circuits/places are annexed. ************

## ANNEXURE

STATEMENT  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (c)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.167 ANSWERED ON 30.11.2015 REGARDING RELIGIOUS TOURIST CIRCUITS.

Details  of  the  projects  sanctioned  under  the  Swadesh  Darshan scheme.

(Rs. in Crore)

| Sr. No         | State          | Name of Theme    | Name of Project           | Sanctioned Amount   |
|----------------|----------------|------------------|---------------------------|---------------------|
| Year- 2014-15  | Year- 2014-15  | Year- 2014-15    | Year- 2014-15             | Year- 2014-15       |
| 1.             | Bihar          | Buddhist Circuit | Cultural Centre, Bodhgaya | 33.17               |
| Year - 2015-16 | Year - 2015-16 | Year - 2015-16   | Year - 2015-16            | Year - 2015-16      |
| Nil            | Nil            | Nil              | Nil                       | Nil                 |

Details of the projects sanctioned under the PRASAD scheme.

(Rs. in Crore)

| Sl. No.        | State          | Name of the project                                                                                          | Name of the project                                                                                          | Sanctioned Amount   |
|----------------|----------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------|
| Year- 2014-15  | Year- 2014-15  | Year- 2014-15                                                                                                | Year- 2014-15                                                                                                | Year- 2014-15       |
| 1.             | Bihar          | Development of basic facilities atVishnupad temple, Gaya, Bihar                                              | Development of basic facilities atVishnupad temple, Gaya, Bihar                                              | 4.29                |
| 2.             | Uttar Pradesh  | Development of Mathura-Vrindavan as Mega Tourist Circuit (Ph-II)                                             | Development of Mathura-Vrindavan as Mega Tourist Circuit (Ph-II)                                             | 14.93               |
| 3.             | Uttar Pradesh  | Construction of Tourist Facilitation Centre at Vrindavan, Distt. Mathura                                     | Construction of Tourist Facilitation Centre at Vrindavan, Distt. Mathura                                     | 9.35                |
| 4.             | Odisha         | Infrastructure Development at Puri, Shree Jagannath Dham- Ramachandi- Prachi River front at Deuli under Mega | Infrastructure Development at Puri, Shree Jagannath Dham- Ramachandi- Prachi River front at Deuli under Mega | 50.00               |
| Year - 2015-16 | Year - 2015-16 | Year - 2015-16                                                                                               | Year - 2015-16                                                                                               | Year - 2015-16      |
| 1.             | Punjab         | Punjab                                                                                                       | Development of Karuna Sagar Valmiki Sthal at Amritsar                                                        | 6.45                |
| 2.             | Rajasthan      | Rajasthan                                                                                                    | Integrated Development of Pushkar/Ajmer                                                                      | 40.44               |

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