Tourism projects worth Rs 2300 crore sanctioned since Jan 2015

Tourism Ministry has sanctioned projects worth Rs 2,300 crore under its two flagship schemes-- Swadesh Darshan and PRASAD-- since January last year, the government said today.

These projects envisage world class infrastructural development of the sites with special emphasis on tourist facilities, Tourism Ministry said in a release.

"Tourism Ministry, in last 18 months, has sanctioned projects worth Rs 2,333 crore under Swadesh Darshan and PRASAD," it said.

Under national mission PRASAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive), as many as 11 projects worth Rs 284.53 crore have been sanctioned so far, while 25 projects worth Rs 2,048 crore have been approved under Swadesh Darshan scheme, the release said.

Under Swadesh Darshan scheme, theme-based tourism circuits have been identified for infrastructure development across the country, while PRASAD's objective is to augment religious and spiritual tourism in the country.

Yesterday, Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma took a meeting with the mission directors to review the implementation of the schemes.