Rs 800-crore boost to 8 lesser-known tourist sites in 6 Northeastern states

The approved projects include border experience at Nathula in Sikkim (`97.37 crore), 51 shakti peethas park at Gomti in Tripura (`97.7 crore), Loktak lake experience in Manipur (`89.48 crore), Umiam Lake in Shillong (`99.27 crore), Assam state zoo in Guwahati (`97.12 crore) and Siang Eco-retreat in Arunachal’s Pasighat (`46.48 crore).

These are part of the 40 projects — worth over `3,295 crore, spanning 23 states — approved by the Centre with an aim to promote a more balanced distribution of tourists across the country, Union Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said.

According to the directives of the DoE, the Ministry of Tourism has issued operational guidelines for Special Assistance to States/ UTs 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 proposals for projects which are iconic in nature and can create impactful destinations. By the last date of submission, October 15, 2024, a total of 87 project proposals were received costing more than `8,000 crore, the officials said.

Thereafter, the Ministry of Tourism shortlisted 40 projects across 23 states for `3,295.76 crore which have now been sanctioned. Other selected destinations include Matsyagandha Lake, Saharsa (Bihar), proposed Town Square, Porvorim (Goa), Orchha (MP), 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 and branding and marketing them on a global scale, Shekhawat told reporters on the sidelines of the just concluded 12th International Tourism Mart in Kaziranga.

“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. It is also encouraging state governments to explore public-private investment opportunities. The land for the projects will be provided by the states concerned.

Along China border

Meanwhile, speaking at the ITM, Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu said the state has seen a 205% growth in tourist footfall over the last decade. “There has been an increase in tourist numbers in villages bordering Tibet, for which the state government, the Centre and the Army are working together,” he said.