Centre sanctioned Rs 120 crore for Rural Circuit: Union tourism minister

Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy said his ministry has formulated a Draft National Strategy and Roadmap for Rural Tourism, which focuses on developing and promoting local products through tourism. It will result in generation of income and jobs in rural areas and empower local communities, Reddy said in reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

Notably, Rural Circuit is one of the 15 thematic circuits under the ministry’s Swadesh Darshan Scheme, which also includes Buddhist Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Desert Circuit, Krishna Circuit, North East Circuit and Ramayana Circuit, among others. “Recognising the potential of rural tourism in the country, the Ministry of Tourism aims to leverage it to revitalize the rural economy and for giving both domestic and international tourists a glimpse of the rural aspect of the country,” the tourism ministry said in a statement. The projects, proposals for the development of tourism-related infrastructure, including rural tourism, are identified for development under the circuit in consultation with the states and the Union territories, and are sanctioned subject to availability of funds, submission of suitable detailed project reports, adherence to scheme guidelines and utilization of funds released earlier, it added.

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Rs 44.65 crore was sanctioned in 2017-18 for the development of tourism facilities in three Bihar villages – Bhitiharwa, Chandrahia and Turkaulia, while Rs 80 crore was sanctioned for Kerala in 2018-19 for the development of Malanad-Malabar, Reddy said in Parliament. Both these allocations were made under the Rural Circuit.

Besides, an amount of Rs 220.76 crore has been sanctioned to Nagaland for the development of tourist destinations between 2018-21, Reddy stated in reply to another question in the Lok Sabha on Monday. While Molungkimong, Noksen, Aizuto, Kohima and Vankhosung have been covered under the PRASHAD Scheme, Paren-Kohima-Wokha and Mokokchung-Tuensang-Mon are covered as part of the Tribal Circuits, added Reddy, who is also the Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER).