Question : Promotion of Tourism in various famous Spots of Madhya Pradesh

(a) whether there is a huge potential of promoting tourism in tourist spots of Madhya Pradesh viz. Khajuraho, Orchha, Mandu, Pachmarhi and nearby areas of Shivpuri district keeping in view the historical sites of the said district;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the names of the other places selected for the purpose of development and promoting tourism along with the places stated above;
(c) the steps taken by the Government in this regard along with the reaction of the Government thereto;
(d) the details of the facilities provided to the tourists to reach the above stated historical sites so as to set up tourism infrastructure in those areas; and
(e) whether any steps are being taken in the current year to increase the tourism capacity of India in other countries?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR TOURISM (INDEPENDENT CHARGE)
(SHRI PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL)

(a) to (e): The Ministry of Tourism, under its different Schemes, has taken various initiatives for the development and promotion of tourism in the State of Madhya Pradesh.

Under its schemes of Swadesh Darshan, PRASHAD and Assistance to Central Agencies, the Ministry provides Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to State Governments/Union Territory (UT) Administrations/Central Agencies for development of thematic tourist circuits in the country, for holistic development of identified pilgrimage and heritage destinations and for the development of infrastructure. The projects under these schemes are identified for development in consultation with the State Governments/UT Administrations and are sanctioned subject to availability of funds, submission of suitable detailed project reports, adherence to scheme guidelines and utilization of funds released earlier. The Ministry of Tourism also provides CFA to States / UTs for organizing Fairs, Festivals and Tourism related Events which have the potential for promoting Tourism.

Details of projects sanctioned under the above schemes in the State of Madhya Pradesh are at Annexure.

Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh is also one of the sites identified by the Ministry of Tourism for development as an Iconic Tourist Site.
To ensure better connectivity to the tourist sites, Ministry provides financial assistance for developing Last Mile Connectivity, Helipads, Jetties, Wayside Amenities, Cruises, Parking, Battery operated vehicles etc.

As part of its on-going activities, the Ministry annually releases print, electronic, online and outdoor media campaigns in the international and domestic markets, to promote various tourism destinations and products of the country, including those in the State of Madhya Pradesh. Promotions are also undertaken through the Social Media accounts and website of the Ministry. In addition, the Indiatourism Offices in India and overseas disseminate information and undertake various promotional activities with the objective of showcasing the varied tourist destinations and products of the country.

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