Tourism Ministry Reports Progress on Infrastructure, Promotion and Skill Development Initiatives
The Ministry of Tourism has outlined progress across infrastructure development, destination promotion, and skill-building initiatives, highlighting the completion of 75 projects under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, launched in January 2015 to develop theme-based tourist circuits.
Under the original Swadesh Darshan Scheme, 76 projects were sanctioned with a total outlay of ₹5,290.33 crore, of which 75 projects have been physically completed. The Ministry has since revamped the programme as Swadesh Darshan 2.0, with a focus on sustainable, destination-centric development. Under this updated version, 53 projects have been sanctioned a total of ₹2,208.27 crore in funding.
As part of Swadesh Darshan 2.0, the Ministry introduced Challenge-Based Destination Development (CBDD) to enhance tourist experiences across the value chain. A total of 36 projects amounting to ₹648.11 crore have been approved under four thematic categories: spiritual tourism, culture and heritage, the Vibrant Villages Programme, and ecotourism and Amrit Dharohar sites.
The Union Cabinet has also approved the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan (PM-JUGA), under which the Ministry of Tourism will develop 1,000 tribal homestays. These interventions will be implemented as a sub-scheme of Swadesh Darshan, with guidelines already issued for homestay development.
In addition, 40 projects across 23 states have been sanctioned under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) – Development of Iconic Tourist Centres scheme, with an allocation of ₹3,295.76 crore. The initiative provides long-term, interest-free loans to states to support the comprehensive development and branding of key tourist centres.
The Ministry continues to support pilgrimage tourism through the PRASHAD Scheme, under which 54 projects worth ₹1,726.74 crore have been sanctioned, with 31 completed to date. Financial assistance has also been extended to central agencies, including the Archaeological Survey of India and Indian Railways, for tourism infrastructure, resulting in 39 completed projects under the Assistance to Central Agencies Scheme.
On the promotional front, the Ministry organised Bharat Parv in January 2025 at the Red Fort in Delhi, themed “Dekho Apna Desh,” showcasing tourism offerings from states and union territories. It also hosted the 13th International Tourism Mart in Gangtok, Sikkim, to highlight the tourism potential of the North-Eastern states.
The Ministry has also focused on skill development through initiatives such as Paryatan Mitra and Paryatan Didi, under which around 4,382 tourism service providers have been trained. Additional capacity-building programmes include the Incredible India Tourist Facilitator and Tourist Guide certification courses.
Tourism statistics from the Ministry indicate that India recorded 20.57 million international tourist arrivals in 2024, with foreign exchange earnings from tourism totalling ₹2,93,033 crore. Domestic tourist visits during the year stood at 2,948.19 million.
These initiatives collectively reflect the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to strengthen tourism infrastructure, expand destination development, and support employment and community participation across the sector.
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