Lok Sabha Question No. 3857 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-16
Subject: Development of Maihar and Chitrakoot Dham
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: Shri Ganesh Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †3857

## ANSWERED ON 16.03.2026

## DEVELOPMENT OF MAIHAR AND CHITRAKOOT DHAM

†3857. SHRI GANESH SINGH:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the plans/schemes  sanctioned or proposed  by the Government  under  the  sustainable  and  destination-centric  vision  of Swadesh Darshan 2.0 to develop Maihar Devi Temple and Chitrakoot Dham in  Satna  district  of  Madhya  Pradesh  as  spiritual  and  cultural  tourism circuits;
- (b) whether the Maihar-Chitrakoot region is being considered to include under the  Spiritual  Tourism  category  of  the  'Challenge  Based  Destination Development (CBDD), sub-scheme to strengthen connectivity, amenities, visitor experience and local employment;
- (c)  whether any new projects are being proposed for infrastructure, crowd management, sanitation and devotee facilities in Maihar and Chitrakoot Dham  within  the  Satna  Lok  Sabha  Constituency  under  the  Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) scheme; and
- (d)
- if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF TOURISM

## ANSWER

(SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

(a) to (d): Development of tourism infrastructure, amenities and experiences at different destinations is primarily done by the concerned State Government (SG)/UT Administration (UTA). However, Ministry of Tourism under its various schemes including 'Swadesh Darshan (SD)', 'Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (SD2.0)' and 'Challenge  Based  Destination  Development  CBDD'  (an  initiative  under Swadesh  Darshan  scheme)  and  'Pilgrimage  Rejuvenation  and  Spiritual Heritage  Augmentation  Drive  (PRASHAD)'  provides  financial  assistance  for development  of  tourism  infrastructure  and  experiences  in  the  country,  on receipt of the project proposals from State Governments/UT Administrations, in synergy with the scheme guidelines, Government directions, availability of funds, inter-se priority etc. In addition, Government of India in 2024-25 under Special assistance to States for capital investment scheme (SASCI)- Development of Iconic Tourist Centres to Global Scale, sanctioned the project ' Orchha A Medieval Splendour ' for ₹99.92 Crore and ' International Convention Centre for MICE in Bhopal ' for ₹99.38 Crore in the State of Madhya Pradesh. While there is no tourism project presently envisaged for sanctioning at Maihar  and  Chitrakoot  under  PRASHAD  scheme,  the  Ministry  has  already sanctioned 1 project at Chitrakoot in Madhya Pradesh under its SD2.0 scheme. Details  of  projects  sanctioned  under  SD,  SD  2.0,  CBDD  and  PRASHAD schemes in the State of Madhya Pradesh including Chitrakoot is annexed.

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## ANNEXURE

STATEMENT IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †3857 ANSWERED ON 16.03.2026 REGARDING DEVELOPMENT OF MAIHAR AND CHITRAKOOT DHAM RAISED BY SHRI GANESH SINGH

Details of projects sanctioned under SD, SD 2.0, CBDD and PRASHAD schemes in the State of Madhya Pradesh:

|   S. No. | Scheme   | Name of the Project                                                                                                                          | Year of Sanction   |   Sanction Amount (₹ In Crore) |
|----------|----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------|--------------------------------|
|        1 | SD1.0    | Development of Wildlife Circuit at Panna- Mukundpur- Sanjay- Dubri- Bandhavgarh- Kanha- Mukki- Pench                                         | 2015-16            |                          92.1  |
|        2 | SD1.0    | Development of Sanchi-Satna-Rewa- Mandsaur-Dhar                                                                                              | 2016-17            |                          74.02 |
|        3 | SD1.0    | Development of Gwalior - Orchha - Khajuraho - Chanderi - Bhimbetka - Mandu                                                                   | 2016-17            |                          89.82 |
|        4 | SD1.0    | Development of Gandhisagar Dam- Mandleshwar Dam- Omkareshwar Dam- Indira Sagar Dam- Tawa Dam- Bargi Dam- Bheda Ghat- Bansagar Dam- Ken River | 2017-18            |                          93.76 |
|        5 | SD2.0    | Spiritual experience at Chitrakoot                                                                                                           | 2023-24            |                          27.22 |
|        6 | SD2.0    | Phoolbagh Experience Zone, Gwalior                                                                                                           | 2023-24            |                          16.74 |
|        7 | SD2.0    | Development of Pitambara Peeth, Datia                                                                                                        | 2025-26            |                          44.24 |
|        8 | CBDD     | Orchha A Medieval Splendour 2.0                                                                                                              | 2024-25            |                          25    |
|        9 | CBDD     | Mandu-A Medieval Wonder                                                                                                                      | 2025-26            |                          24.88 |
|       10 | PRASHAD  | Development of Amarkantak                                                                                                                    | 2020-21            |                          49.99 |
|       11 | PRASHAD  | Development of Omkareshwar                                                                                                                   | 2017-18            |                          43.93 |

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