(a) the details of funds released by the Government for the development of tourism in the country during the last three years, State/UT-wise; and
(b) the funds allocated to the State of Maharashtra for the development of tourism during the said period along with the details of amount utilized therefrom, year-wise?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR TOURISM (INDEPENDENT CHARGE)
(SHRI K.J. ALPHONS)
(a) and (b): Ministry of Tourism provides Central Financial Assistance to State Governments/Union Territory Administrations including Maharashtra under the schemes of Swadesh Darshan and National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) for the development of tourism related infrastructure in the country.
Under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, 15 theme based circuits have been identified for development which are Buddhist Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Desert Circuit, Eco Circuit, Heritage Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Krishna Circuit, North-East Circuit, Ramayana Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, Sufi Circuit, Tirthankar Circuit, Tribal Circuit and Wildlife Circuit.
Under the PRASHAD Scheme, 41 religious cities/sites in 25 States have been identified for development which are Amaravati and Srisailam (Andhra Pradesh), Kamakhya (Assam), Parasuram Kund (Lohit District, Arunachal Pradesh), Patna and Gaya (Bihar), Balmeshwari Devi Temple (Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh), Dwarka and Somnath (Gujarat), Gurudwara Nada Saheb (Panchkula, Haryana), Maa Chintpurni (Una, Himachal Pradesh), Hazratbal and Katra (Jammu & Kashmir), Deogarh and Parasnath (Jharkhand), Chamundeshwari Devi (Mysuru, Karnataka), Guruvayoor, St. Thomas International Shrine (Malayattoor) and Cheraman Juma Mosque (Thrissur, Kerala), Omkareshwar and Amarkantak (Madhya Pradesh), Babedpara, West Jaintia Hills and Sohra (Meghalaya), Aizwal (Mizoram), Kohima and Mokokchung Districts (Nagaland), Trimbakeshwar (Maharashtra), Puri (Odisha), Amritsar (Punjab), Ajmer (Rajasthan), Kanchipuram and Vellankani (Tamil Nadu), Tripura Sundari (Tripura), Varanasi, and Mathura (Uttar Pradesh), Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri (Uttarakhand) and Belur (West Bengal).
The number of projects and amount sanctioned under Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD Schemes to State Governments/UT Administrations including Maharashtra is given at Annexure.
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