Question : Development of Eco-Tourism Around Fresh Water Lakes

(a) whether the Government is formulating any policy/guidelines for the promotion of eco-tourism/green tourism across the country and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Government has signed any Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and technological agreements with other countries to develop mechanisms to promote Green Tourism/Eco-Tourism and if so, the details thereof;
(c) the total budget allocated for the purpose during the last three years, year-wise;
(d) whether the Government has received any complaint regarding misuse of the budget sanctioned for this programme; and
(e) whether the Government proposes to develop eco-tourism around fresh water lakes of the country and if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR TOURISM (INDEPENDENT CHARGE)
(DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a): Ministry of Tourism has launched the Swadesh Darshan scheme in the year 2014-15 for integrated development of theme-based tourist circuits. Eco Circuit is one of the thirteen thematic circuits identified for development under the scheme. The Ministry of Tourism has also evolved Comprehensive Sustainable Tourism Criteria (STCI) for three major segments of the tourism industry, namely accommodation, tour operators, Beaches, Backwaters, Lakes and River sectors which is applicable for the entire country.

(b): The Ministry of Tourism has entered into Agreements/Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Tourism cooperation including promotion of sustainable tourism, with 44 countries. A list is attached at Annexure.

(c): Projects related to Eco-Tourism have been sanctioned under the scheme Product/Infrastructure Development for Destinations and Circuits (PIDDC) till 2013-14 and thereafter under the Swadesh Darshan scheme. The total budget allocated for the schemes during the last three years is as follows:
<pre>
Year (Rs. in Crore)
2013-14 422.27
2014-15 20.00
2015-16 310.00
</pre>
(d): No, Madam.

(e): A Project for Integrated Development of Eco-Tourism, Adventure Sports, Associated Tourism related Infrastructure for Development of Tehri Lake & Surroundings as New Destination-District Tehri has been sanctioned for an amount of Rs.80.37 Crore under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme. As per information received from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, an integrated scheme of National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems (NPCA) has been implemented since February 2013 for conservation and management of identified lakes and wetlands in the country.

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