SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir has received approval for six tourism infrastructure projects worth Rs 524.49 crore under the Centre’s erstwhile Swadesh Darshan scheme, with Rs 457.10 crore released or authorised so far, the Union Ministry of Tourism informed the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
The projects, sanctioned in 2016-17 under the Himalayan circuit, cover key destinations and tourist routes across Jammu, Kashmir and areas linked to Ladakh. The projects include tourism development along the Jammu-Srinagar-Pahalgam-Bhagwati Nagar-Anantnag-Salamabad-Uri-Kargil-Leh route, facilities in Jammu-Rajouri-Shopian-Pulwama, and assets to replace those destroyed in the 2014 floods.
Other sanctioned projects cover tourist facilities at Mantalai and Sudhmahadev, the Anantnag-Pulwama-Kishtwar-Pahalgam-Zanskar Padum-Daksum-Ranjit Sagar Dam circuit, and the Gulmarg-Baramulla-Kupwara-Kargil-Leh route.
The figures were disclosed by Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in reply to Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3016 on projects to boost eco-tourism.
At the national level, the ministry said 76 projects worth Rs 5,295.24 crore had been sanctioned under the Swadesh Darshan scheme, launched in 2014-15 to develop tourism infrastructure under identified thematic circuits, including Himalayan and eco-tourism circuits. Of this, Rs 4,927.36 crore has been released or authorised.
The scheme has since been revamped as Swadesh Darshan 2.0, aimed at developing sustainable and responsible tourism destinations. Under the revamped scheme, 53 projects worth Rs 2,207.08 crore have been sanctioned, with Rs 645.72 crore authorised so far.
The ministry has also sanctioned 37 projects worth Rs 687.99 crore under the Challenge Based Destination Development initiative, a sub-scheme of Swadesh Darshan 2.0. Eco-tourism and Amrit Dharohar sites are among the four categories covered under the initiative.
The Centre said development and promotion of tourist destinations, including eco-tourism and hill destinations, are primarily the responsibility of the respective State Governments and Union Territory administrations. Central financial assistance is provided subject to scheme guidelines, submission of Detailed Project Reports, availability of funds and other government priorities.
The ministry said it has formulated a National Strategy for Eco Tourism and regularly encourages States and Union Territories to undertake carrying-capacity assessments of proposed destinations and involve local communities and stakeholders.
Such measures, it said, are intended to ensure environmental, social and cultural sustainability while generating local employment, increasing tourist footfall and improving tourist satisfaction.
For Jammu and Kashmir, the disclosure assumes significance as the Union Territory remains heavily dependent on its mountain, natural and heritage destinations for tourism activity, while increasing tourist pressure has raised the importance of sustainable infrastructure and carrying-capacity planning.
