Question : Facilities for Tourists

(a) whether the Government has formulated any scheme or has taken any initiatives to provide more facilitation to tourists and to make all tourist centres/places accessible to differently abled persons;

(b) if so, the details of works started for providing adequate security and facilities to tourists visiting temples, monuments and other tourist spots in the country;

(c) the funds allocated and expenditure incurred in this regard during the last three years; and

(d) the details of facilities being provided to tourists visiting temples of Rajasthan especially the Chauth Mata Mandir of district Sawai Madhopur along with the funds allocated by the Government during the last five years?

MINISTER OF STATE, CULTURE AND TOURISM (INDEPENDENT CHARGE)

(DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a)&(b) Though there is no scheme, such tourist facilities are provided regularly as per the availability of resources and requirement of the different sites. Further, amenities like drinking water, toilets are provided at all ticketed and World Heritage Monuments. The Archaeological Survey of India has identified 100 monuments as Adarsh Smarak for upgradation of existing amenities and for providing additional facilities like Wi-Fi, cafeteria, interpretation centre, brail signage, modern toilets etc. on the basis of actual requirement and feasibility on case to case basis. Providing such facilities and upgrading is a regular phenomenon.

(c) So far as allocation of funds is concerned, no specific fund is allotted for the purpose. The expenditure is incurred from regular budget of Archaeological Survey of India. The expenditure incurred under the said budget of conservation & maintenance of centrally protected monuments during the last three years is as under:

Rupees in lakhs
2014-15 23551.95
2015-16 23746.25
2016-17 29899.64

(d) Basic tourist amenities like drinking water, toilets are available at all ticketed monuments. The Chauth Mata Mandir, district Sawai Madhopur (Rajasthan) is not a centrally protected monument under the protection of Archaeological Survey of India, therefore question of release of funds does not arise.