Lok Sabha Question No. 1369 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-25
Subject: Development of Eco-Tourism Around Fresh Water Lakes
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: George Baker, RITI PATHAK, POONAM  MAHAJAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1369 ANSWERED ON 25.07.2016

## DEVELOPMENT OF ECO-TOURISM AROUND FRESH WATER LAKES

## 1369. SHRI GEORGE BAKER:

SHRIMATI RITI PATHAK:

SHRIMATI POONAM MAHAJAN:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  formulating  any  policy/guidelines for  the  promotion  of  eco-tourism/green  tourism  across  the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  signed  any  Memorandum  of Understanding (MoU) and technological agreements with other countries to develop mechanisms to promote Green Tourism/Eco-Tourism and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the total budget allocated for the purpose during the last three years, year-wise;
- (d) whether the Government has received any complaint regarding misuse of the budget sanctioned for this programme; and
- (e) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  develop  eco-tourism around fresh water lakes of the country and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a): Ministry of Tourism has launched the  Swadesh  Darshan scheme  in  the  year  2014-15  for  integrated  development  of  themebased  tourist  circuits.  Eco  Circuit  is  one  of  the  thirteen  thematic circuits  identified  for  development under the scheme. The Ministry of  Tourism  has  also  evolved  Comprehensive  Sustainable  Tourism Criteria  (STCI)  for  three  major  segments  of  the  tourism  industry, namely  accommodation,  tour  operators, Beaches, Backwaters, Lakes and River sectors which is applicable for the entire country.

(b): The Ministry of Tourism has entered into Agreements/Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Tourism cooperation  including  promotion  of  sustainable  tourism,  with  44 countries. A list is attached at Annexure.

(c): Projects  related  to  Eco-Tourism  have  been  sanctioned  under the  scheme  Product/Infrastructure  Development  for  Destinations and Circuits (PIDDC) till 2013-14 and thereafter under the Swadesh Darshan scheme.  The total budget allocated for the schemes during the last three years is as follows:

| Year    |   (Rs. in Crore) |
|---------|------------------|
| 2013-14 |           422.27 |
| 2014-15 |            20    |
| 2015-16 |           310    |

- (d): No, Madam.

(e): A Project for Integrated Development of Eco-Tourism, Adventure  Sports,  Associated  Tourism  related  Infrastructure  for Development  of  Tehri  Lake  &  Surroundings  as  New  DestinationDistrict Tehri has been sanctioned for an amount of Rs.80.37 Crore under  the Swadesh  Darshan Scheme.  As  per  information  received from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, an integrated scheme of National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems  (NPCA)  has  been  implemented  since  February  2013  for conservation and management of identified lakes and wetlands in the country.

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## ANNEXURE

STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PART (b)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1369 ANSWERED ON 25.07.2016 REGARDING DEVELOPMENT OF ECO-TOURISM ACROSS FRESH WATER LAKES.

Agreements/Protocols/Memorandum  of  Understanding  Signed  with foreign countries by the Ministry of Tourism.

|   Sl. No | Name of the country with whom MoU/ Agreement/Protocols signed   | Date of signature   |
|----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------|
|        1 | Iraq (Protocol)                                                 | 25.10.1986          |
|        2 | Portugal (Agreement)                                            | 29.07.1991          |
|        3 | Syria (Agreement)                                               | 08.10.1991          |
|        4 | Hungary (Agreement)                                             | 16.10.1992          |
|        5 | Belarus (Agreement)                                             | 14.05.1993          |
|        6 | Israel (Agreement)                                              | 18.05.1993          |
|        7 | Singapore (Agreement)                                           | 24.01.1994          |
|        8 | Russia (Agreement)                                              | 30.06.1994          |
|        9 | Turkey (Agreement)                                              | 31.01.1995          |
|       10 | Iran (MoU)                                                      | 18.04.1995          |
|       11 | Mexico (Agreement)                                              | 28.03.1996          |
|       12 | Seychelles (Agreement)                                          | 03.10.1996          |
|       13 | Cyprus (Agreement)                                              | 07.11.1996          |
|       14 | Greece (Agreement)                                              | 13.01.1998          |
|       15 | Mongolia (Agreement)                                            | 01.12.1998          |
|       16 | Morocco (Agreement)                                             | 13.02.1999          |
|       17 | Indonesia (MOU)                                                 | 08.02.2000          |
|       18 | Italy (Agreement)                                               | 26.06.2000          |
|       19 | Tunisia (Agreement)                                             | 08.12.2000          |
|       20 | Sri Lanka (MOU)                                                 | 23.01.2004          |
|       21 | Brazil (Agreement)                                              | 25.01.2004          |
|       22 | Serbia (MOU)                                                    | 02.11.2004          |
|       23 | Afghanistan (Agreement)                                         | 06.12.2005          |
|       24 | Jordan (Agreement)                                              | 01.12.2006          |
|       25 | IBSA Tripartite Agreement                                       | 15.10.2008          |
|       26 | Spain (MOU)                                                     | 22.04.2009          |
|       27 | Poland (Agreement)                                              | 25.04.2009          |
|       28 | Malaysia (MOU)                                                  | 27.10.2010          |
|       29 | ASEAN (MOU)                                                     | 12.01.2012          |

|   30. | Mauritius (MOU)        | 12.03.2013                                |
|-------|------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|    31 | Japan (Memorandum)     | 22.01.2014                                |
|    32 | Australia MoU          | 18.11.2014                                |
|    33 | Nepal (MoU)            | 25.11.2014                                |
|    34 | France (LoI)           | 09.04.2015                                |
|    35 | China (Agreement)      | 15.05.2015                                |
|    36 | Tanzania (MoU)         | 19.06.2015                                |
|    37 | Uzbekistan (Agreement) | 06.07.2015                                |
|    38 | Turkmenistan (MoU)     | 11.07.2015                                |
|    39 | Egypt (MoU)            | 24.08.2015                                |
|    40 | U.A.E.                 | 03.09.2015                                |
|    41 | Cambodia (MoU)         | 16.09.2015                                |
|    42 | Maldives (MoU)         | 10.04.2016                                |
|    43 | Qatar (MoU)            | 05.06.2016                                |
|    44 | South Africa (MoU)     | 08.07.2016 (Cabinet approval to be taken) |

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