Lok Sabha Question No. 195 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-01
Subject: Proposal for Developing Nalanda
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: Shri Rajesh Ranjan, Shri Dinesh Chandra Yadav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. † 195

## ANSWERED ON 01.12.2025

## PROPOSAL FOR DEVELOPING NALANDA

†195. SHRI DINESH CHANDRA YADAV:

SHRI RAJESH RANJAN:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) the present status of the proposal for developing Nalanda as a worldclass tourism Centre as declared under Sl. No. 91 of Budget in July 2024-25; and
- (b) the details of the works undertaken in Nalanda under the scheme along with their timeline and amount spent thereon?

## ANSWER

(SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

THE MINISTER OF TOURISM

- (a) to (b): Development and promotion of tourism destinations and products  is  primarily  undertaken  by  the  concerned  State  Government (SG)/Union  Territory  Administration  (UTA).  A  meeting  on  Union  Budget Announcement 2024-25 regarding development of key pilgrimage sites in Bihar  was  held  with  the  State  Government  of  Bihar  in  July,  2025  during which  SG  of  Bihar  was  requested  to  submit  Destination  Strategy  and Development Plan for Nalanda.

The Ministry of Tourism through its central sector schemes of 'Swadesh Darshan (SD) and Swadesh  Darshan  2.0 (SD2.0)', 'Challenge  Based Destination  Development  (CBDD)',  a  sub-scheme  of  Swadesh  Darshan scheme  and  'Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive  (PRASHAD)'  complements  the  efforts  of  tourism  infrastructure development  in  the  country  by  extending  financial  assistance  to  the SGs/UTAs  in  synergy  with  the  scheme  guidelines,  receipt  of  the  project proposals    from  the  concerned    State    Governments/Union  Territory Administrations, availability of funds etc.

Further,  Government  of  India  under  its  'Special  Assistance  to  States  for Capital  Investment  (SASCI)  -  Development  of  Iconic  Tourist  Centres  to Global Scale' sanctioned 40 projects in 23 States for Rs.3295.76 Crore in the  country  including  Bihar  in  Financial  Year  2024-25,  with  the  primary objective to comprehensively develop iconic tourist centres in the country, branding and marketing them at global scale.

The details of the projects sanctioned under SD, SD2.0, PRASHAD, CBDD and SASCI schemes in the State of Bihar is annexed.

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## ANNEXURE

STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (b) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO . †195 ANSWERED ON 01 . 12 . 2025 REGARDING PROPOSAL FOR DEVELOPING NALANDA RAISED BY SHRI DINESH CHANDRA YADAV AND SHRI RAJESH RANJAN.

- (i) Details of Project sanctioned under Swadesh Darshan Scheme in the State of Bihar:

(Amount in ₹Crore)

|   S . No . | Circuit / Sanction Year    | Name of the Project                                                            |   Sanctioned Cost |
|------------|----------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------|
|          1 | Tirthankar Circuit 2016-17 | Development of Vaishali- Arrah- Masad- Patna- Rajgir- Pawapuri- Champapuri     |             33.96 |
|          2 | Spiritual Circuit 2016-17  | Development of Kanwaria Route: Sultanganj - Dharmshala- Deoghar                |             44.76 |
|          3 | Buddhist Circuit 2016-17   | Development of Buddhist circuit- Construction of Convention Centre at Bodhgaya |             95.18 |
|          4 | Rural Circuit 2017-18      | Development of Bhitiharwa- Chandrahia- Turkaulia                               |             44.27 |
|          5 | Spiritual Circuit 2017-18  | Development of Mandar Hill & Ang Pradesh                                       |             44.55 |

- (ii) Details of Project sanctioned under Swadesh Darshan 2 . 0 Scheme in the State of Bihar:

(Amount in ₹Crore)

|   S . No . | Year of Sanction   | Destination   | Name of the Experience                                                |   Sanctioned Cost |
|------------|--------------------|---------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------|
|          1 | 2024-25            | Bodh Gaya     | Development of the Buddhist Meditation & Experience Centre, Bodh Gaya |            165.44 |

- (iii) Details  of  Project  sanctioned  under  Challenge  Based  Destination Development ( CBDD ) Scheme in the State of Bihar:

(Amount in ₹Crore)

| S . No .   | Year of Sanction   | Name of the Project   | Category   | Sanctioned Cost   |
|------------|--------------------|-----------------------|------------|-------------------|

| 1.   | 2024-25   | Development of Tourist Facilities at Sonepur Mela Ground, Saran   | Culture & Heritage   | 24.29   |
|------|-----------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------|---------|

- (iv) Details of Project sanctioned under Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) Scheme in the State of Bihar:

(Amount in ₹Crore)

|   S . No . | Year of Sanction   | Name of the Project                                  |   Sanctioned Cost |
|------------|--------------------|------------------------------------------------------|-------------------|
|          1 | 2024-25            | Development of Matsyagandha Lake in Saharsa          |             97.61 |
|          2 | 2024-25            | Karamchat Eco-Tourism and Adventure Hub in Karamchat |             49.51 |

- (v) Details  of  Project  sanctioned  under  Pilgrimage  Rejuvenation  and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) Scheme in the State of Bihar:

(Amount in ₹Crore)

|   S. No. | Project Name                                                     | Sanction Year   |   Sanction Amount |
|----------|------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|-------------------|
|        1 | Development at Patna Sahib                                       | 2015-16         |             29.62 |
|        2 | Development of basic facilities at Vishnupad temple, Gaya, Bihar | 2014-15         |              3.63 |
|        3 | Development of Ambika Bhawani Temple, Saran                      | 2024-25         |             13.29 |

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