Staff Reporter / NEW DELHI
Union Minister Tourism G. Kishan Reddy today informed Lok Sabha that Gaya and Nalanda in Bihar have been selected for development under Swadesh Darshan 2.0.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Mr Reddy said, the Ministry has now revamped its Swadesh Darshan scheme as Swadesh Darshan 2.0 with the objective to develop sustainable and responsible tourism destinations, following a tourist and destination-centric approach.
The Minister said, Punaura Dham in Sitamarhi District of Bihar is identified for development under PRASHAD Scheme. This scheme focuses on developing and identifying pilgrimage sites across India for enriching the religious tourism experience.
Swadesh Darshan Scheme is a Central Sector scheme launched in 2014-15 by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture,Government of India for the integrated development of theme-based tourist circuits.
The scheme aims to promote, develop and harness the potential of tourism in India.Under the Swadesh Darshan scheme, the Ministry of Tourism provides Central Financial Assistance – CFA to State Governments, Union Territory Administrations for the infrastructure development of circuits.
This scheme is envisioned to synergise with other schemes like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Skill India, Make in India etc. with the idea of positioning the tourism sector as a major engine for job creation, the driving force for economic growth, building synergy with various sectors to enable tourism to realise its potential.