Lok Sabha
The Minister of Tourism & Culture, Smt. Ambika Soni told the Lok Sabha today that during the years 2002 and 2003, Government had prepared 20 Year Perspective Plans for the State/UT Governments with the broad objectives of:
i) assessing the existing tourism scenario in the States, like services & infrastructure available, heritage and other socio-cultural assets, natural resources, etc.;
ii) reviewing the status of existing development/investment plans for development of tourism in the States;
iii) evaluating the existing potential tourist destinations on the basis of inventory of attractions, infrastructure available and volume of tourist traffic, etc.;
iv) developing sustainable tourism in a time period of 20 years;
v) giving plans with short term and long term targets, indicating activities to be undertaken by different agencies within a time frame;
vi) indicating the likely investment on infrastructure development under different heads covering the next 20 years; and
vii) preparing an action plan for implementation of identified potential development schemes/ projects, and for development of infrastructure in conformity with policy objectives.
The Minister informed that as development of tourist destinations/circuits is the responsibility of the State/UT Governments, the 20 Year Perspective Plans were forwarded to them for taking up their future tourism projects accordingly. The Ministry of Tourism, however, provides Central Financial Assistance to the States/UTs for development of specific destinations, tourism circuits and organization of festivals based on the discussions organized with all the States and UTs at the beginning of each financial year. During the 10th Five Year Plan, so far more than 900 projects have been approved for the States/UTs and around Rs.1400 crore have been sanctioned.
This information was given by the Minister in reply to a question by Shri Eknath M. Gaikwad, Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh, Shri Vikrambhai Arjanbhai Madam, Shri Dushyant Singh and Smt. Nivedita Mane
AK/JA