40 tourism projects get nod to boost lesser-known destinations in India

New Delhi: Forty projects worth over Rs 3,295 crore and spanning 23 states have received a nod from the Centre for developing lesser-known destinations into iconic sites and promoting a more balanced distribution of tourists across the country.

According to the directives of the Department of Expenditure, the Ministry of Tourism issued operational guidelines for Special Assistance to States/Union Territories for Capital Investment (SASCI) for the development of iconic tourist centres, officials said.

The Ministry of Tourism circulated the SASCI guidelines to the state governments with a request to formulate and submit the project proposals to the ministry, which are iconic in nature and can create impactful destinations, they said.

By the last date of submission, October 15, 2024, a total of 87 project proposals were received costing more than Rs 8,000 crore, a senior official in the ministry said.

Thereafter, the Ministry of Tourism in line with the guidelines and as per the procedure or criteria, shortlisted 40 projects across 23 states for Rs 3295.76 crore which have now been sanctioned by the Department of Expenditure, the official said.

Some of the selected destinations include Rang Ghar, Sivasagar (Assam), Matsyagandha Lake, Saharsa (Bihar), proposed Town Square, Porvorim (Goa), and Orchha (Madhya Pradesh), among others.

The aim of this scheme is to infuse long-term interest-free loans for 50 years to states for comprehensively developing iconic tourist centres in the country, and branding and marketing them at a global scale, the ministry said.

By infusing capital investment in the form of projects, the scheme further envisages the growth of the local economy and the creation of employment opportunities through sustainable tourism projects.

"This initiative aims to ease pressure on the high-traffic sites and promote a more balanced distribution of tourists across the country. By focusing on lesser-known destinations, the ministry hopes to enhance the overall tourism experience, boost local economies, and ensure sustainable growth in the sector through a strategic approach to new project selection," the ministry said.

The states have been given a timeline of two years for completing the projects, whereas the funds will be released before March 2026, it added.