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New Delhi, December 1 (IANS): Looking to promote tribal homestays, the Ministry of Tourism has approved projects amounting to Rs 17.52 crore under a scheme, said Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Monday.
He said the Ministry under Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan (PMJUGA), a sub-scheme of the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, provides funding support for the development and renovation of Tribal Homestays and village community requirements.
The scheme envisages developing homestays in tribal areas to promote responsible tourism and enhance livelihood opportunities for tribal communities, he said in a reply in Lok Sabha.
The scheme focuses on providing financial assistance of up to Rs 5 lakh for village community requirements, up to Rs 5 lakh for the construction of two new rooms for each household, and up to Rs 3 lakh for the renovation of existing rooms for each household.
Projects amounting to Rs 17.52 crore have been approved under the scheme. However, no funds have been released thus far, he said.
In reply to another question, Shekhawat said that the Ministry entered into a non-commercial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with an Entertainment Services company with the aim of promoting Indian tourism destinations globally through cinematic storytelling.
The MoU includes the promotion of natural landscape, cultural and heritage sites of the country, including the state of Gujarat.
He said that the Ministry launched the Incredible India 2.0 campaign with a paradigm shift from general promotions to thematic offerings in major source and potential countries, with a focus on attracting more international tourists to India.
The Ministry of Tourism promotes India as a holistic tourism destination, including sustainability, responsible tourism practices, he said.
The Ministry also promotes Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism destinations through various media, including social media, websites and participation in fairs and exhibitions, he said.
In another reply, he said under the ‘Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) – Development of Iconic Tourist Centres to Global Scale’ the Central government sanctioned 40 projects in 23 States for Rs 3,295.76 crore in the country including Bihar in Financial Year 2024-25, with the primary objective to comprehensively develop iconic tourist centres in the country, branding and marketing them at global scale.
