According to a report by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) Nagaland received a total of 25.26 crores under the sanctioned project ‘Development of Pilgrimage Infrastructure in Nagaland’ (2018-2019) under the PRASHAD scheme of the Ministry of Tourism. Another 18.18 crore was sanctioned for the ‘Development of Pilgrimage tourism infrastructure in Zunheboto’ (2022-23). The Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive’ (PRASAD) is a national mission launched by the Ministry of Tourism in the year 2014-15 with the objective of holistic development of identified pilgrimage destinations.
The information was provided by the Union Minister for Culture, Tourism and DoNER Shri G. Kishan Reddy in Lok Sabha on December 14. Further, under the Swadesh Darshan scheme, Nagaland received Rs. 97.36 crore in 2015-16 under Tribal Circuit for the Development of Tribal Circuit Peren- Kohima- Wokha and another 98.14 crore in 2016-17 for the Development of Mokokchung-Tuensang-Mon circuit. The Swadesh Darshan Scheme is a Central Sector scheme launched by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Government of India in 2014-15. This focuses on the integrated development of theme-based tourism circuits in India. Besides Uttar Pradesh, Goa and Meghalaya, Nagaland was one of the states in the country with the highest amount sanctioned under Swadesh Darshan Scheme.
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While the provisions of facilities at various tourist destinations is primarily done by the State Governments/Union Territory Administration, the Ministry of Tourism through its ‘Swadesh Darshan’ and ‘Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive’ (PRASHAD) schemes provides financial assistance to the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations as a continuous process for development of tourism infrastructure in the country. In addition, tourism facilities are also developed under the ‘Assistance to Central Agencies’ scheme of the Ministry of Tourism. The details of the projects sanctioned under these schemes is available on the website of PIB.
According to the PIB, the Ministry has now revamped the Swadesh Darshan scheme as Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (SD2.0) scheme with the objective to develop sustainable and responsible tourism destinations and has identified 55 destinations in the country. The Ministry of Tourism has also issued guidelines for ‘Challenge Based Destination Development’, a sub-scheme under Swadesh Darshan scheme.
The details of Domestic Tourist Visits (DTV) and Foreign Tourist Visits (FTV) during the covid period 2020-2022 (In Lakh) are as under:
