Lok Sabha Question No. 150 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-01
Subject: Development of Religious Tourism in Rajasthan
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: Shri Hanuman Beniwal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA †

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 150 ANSWERED ON 01.12.2025

## DEVELOPMENT OF RELIGIOUS TOURISM IN RAJASTHAN

## †150. SHRI HANUMAN BENIWAL:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a)   the  details  of  the  current  Schemes  by  the  Government  to  develop religious areas as religious tourism destinations;
- (b)   the details of the amount allocated by the Government to religious sites in Rajasthan, scheme-wise including the name of the works undertaken, since April 1, 2023;
- (c)   whether the Government proposes to allocate a special budget for the development  of  Kharnal,  the  birthplace  of  folk  deity  Tejaji  in  Kharnal village in Nagaur, Rajasthan the center of faith of the Bishnoi community in Mukaam in Bikaner district; and
- (d)   if so, the timeline for the same and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF TOURISM                (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

(a) and (b): The  Ministry  of  Tourism  through  its  ongoing  schemes  of 'Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD)', Swadesh  Darshan  and  Scheme  of  Assistance  to  Central Agencies, complements the efforts of the State Governments/UT Administrations by extending financial assistance to SGs/UTs/Central Agencies for developing tourism related infrastructure in the country.

Under the PRASHAD Scheme, the Ministry of Tourism aims to enhance the spiritual and pilgrimage experience  by holistically developing tourism infrastructure  at  pilgrimage  and  heritage  sites.  Till  date,  the  Ministry  has sanctioned 54 projects in 28 States/UTs with an estimated cost of Rs.1726.74 Crores.

In addition, under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, the Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned  76  projects  under  various  thematic  circuits  including  thematic circuits  such  as  Spiritual  circuits,  Buddhist  Circuits,  Krishna  Circuits, Tirthankar and other circuits.

The Swadesh Darshan scheme has been revamped as ' Swadesh Darshan 2 . 0 ' with the objective to develop sustainable and responsible tourism destinations . Since the inception of scheme, 53 projects have been sanctioned including projects in religious sites by the Ministry .

The Ministry of Tourism has issued guidelines for 'Challenge  Based Destination Development', a sub -scheme under Swadesh Darshan 2.0. Under this sub-scheme, the Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned 36 projects under different categories such as Spiritual Tourism, Culture & Heritage, etc.

Further, the Government of India under the guidelines for Special Assistance to States / Union Territories for Capital Investment SASCI for Development of Iconic Tourist Centres to Global Scale has approved 40 projects across 23 States, including projects at religious destinations .

The Ministry of Tourism under the Scheme of Assistance to Central Agencies for  Tourism  Infrastructure  Development  also  provides  support  to  Central Agencies for tourism infrastructure development which includes infrastructure development at sites of religious significance.

The details of the projects sanctioned by the Ministry of Tourism at Religious places in Rajasthan since April 2023, are given in the Annexure.

(c) and (d): No proposal is under consideration of the Ministry of Tourism for the development of tourist infrastructure around Kharnal, the birthplace of folk deity Tejaji in Kharnal village in Nagaur, Rajasthan.

Receiving proposals from the State Governments/UT Administrations/ Central Agencies for financial assistance for tourism projects is a continuous process. The  proposals  received  are  examined  with  reference  to  the  prescribed guidelines and financial assistance is extended for such projects subject to fulfilment of the stipulated conditions and availability of funds.

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ANNEXURE

STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) AND (b) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. † 150 ANSWERED ON 01.12.2025 REGARDING DEVELOPMENT OF  RELIGIOUS  TOURISM  IN  RAJASTHAN  RAISED  BY  SHRI  HANUMAN BENIWAL.

## Details of the projects sanctioned under SD 2.0 in Rajasthan

|   S. No. | Project Name/ Sanction Date                     | Project components                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |   Amount Sanctioned (₹ in Crore) |   Amount Authorised (₹ in Crore) |
|----------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|        1 | Spiritual Experience, Keshavraipatan (Mar 2024) | i. Parking & Entry Plaza ii. Website Development for online Ticketing iii. Interpretation Centre & Ticketing Area iv. Ghat Development and Aarti platforms v. Signage & Way finding vi. Toilets and Shower Area vii. Bhojnalaya and Tourist Amenities viii. Temple restoration and Bastion wall restoration ix. Temple façade illumination & allied infrastructure x. Boats & Jetty |                            21.65 |                             2.17 |

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| 2.   | Development works at Shri Khatu Shyam Ji   | i. Interpretation Centre (Digital Museum/display)   | 87.87   | 8.79   |
|------|--------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|---------|--------|

|    |                                                      | Nos-5, Street Solar Light: nos- 40) xix. Main Entry Gates (3 Locations)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |       |      |
|----|------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------|------|
|  3 | Development Works at Shri Karni mata mandir, Bikaner | i. Shops & Kiosk (50 no.) ii. Development of Mela ground iii. Covered Temple Pathway (Approx. 500 mtr. Long ) iv. Tourist facilitation centre (includes interpretation centre, Multipurpose hall, cafeteria, Locker room & shoe rack) (01 no.) v. Development of Parking vi. Drinking water stations (04 nos.) vii. Benches (30 nos.) viii. Dustbins (20 nos.) ix. Signages (20 nos.) x. Toilet block (2 no.) xi. Yatri sheds (4 nos.) xii. Development of pathway (north entry) xiii. Open air theatre (OAT) xiv. Approach road (Underpass- Karni Mata) xv. Internal electrical | 22.57 | 2.26 |

|    | xviii.                                            | xvi. External electrical work xvii. CCTV Display Screen                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |       |      |
|----|---------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------|------|
|  4 | Development of Malaseri Dungri, Bhilwara District | (LED 3 nos.) i. Entrance Gate (5 nos) ii. Parking (12000 sqm Cobble stone and CC pavement parking with speed bump and retro-reflective direction signages) iii. Landscaping (approx. 5-hectare plantation, Low Maintenance Plants like Neem corridors etc which also has significance with Bhagwan Devnarayan + Motifs + Cobble pathways) iv. Bhojanshala (for gathering of 500 people at a time) v. Toilet Block (6 Nos) vi. Kitchen for Sawamani (1 Nos) (10 nos Kitchen for Preparing prasad) vii. Sabhasthal Ground (Boundary Wall, Entry-Exist Gate) | 48.73 | 4.87 |

| viii.  Sabhasthal Manch  ix.  Health  Care  (200  sqm small Primary  Healthcare  Centre  on  temple  premise)  x.  Multipurpose  Building  (Meditation  Hall  /  Katha  Pandal  /  Conference  Hall  /  Interpretation  Centre)  xi.  Waiting  Hall  (1  nos)  (two  Floor  Building  for  500  people)  xii.  Open Air Theatre  xiii.  Internal BT Road &  Temple  Connectivity  Road  (12  m  wide  BT  Road top with kerb  stone  along  Pathway  for  internal  campus  connectivity)  xiv.  Boundary Wall (3.9  Km)  (3900  metre  long  2.1  m  high  stone  boundary  wall  with  Khanda  Stone-Ashlar  Masonry.)  xv.  Water Cooler (10  Nos)  xvi.  Benches (75 nos  Stone Benches)  xvii.  Signage  (23  nos  Directional  &  31   |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|       | Signages) xviii. Dustbin (85 nos Stainless Steel Dust Bin) xix. Internal Electrical xx. External Electrical xxi. CCTV Surveillance & Networking   |        |       |
|-------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|-------|
| Total | Total                                                                                                                                             | 180.82 | 18.09 |

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