Parliament Question: Bungus Valley as a Project of National Importance

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1581 ANSWERED ON 12.02.2026 BUNGUS VALLEY AS A PROJECT OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE 1581 SHRI CHOWDRY MOHAMMAD RAMZAN: Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state: whether Government proposes to declare Bungus Valley as a project of national importance with special funding, a dedicated Tourism Development Authority and world-class infrastructure to ensure its sustainable development? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT) Ministry of Tourism is not operating any scheme to declare destinations as a project of national importance. While development of tourism including setting up of suitable structures for tourism development is primarily undertaken by the concerned State Government/UT Administration, the Ministry through its various schemes such as ‘Swadesh Darshan’ and ‘Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD)’ complements the efforts of tourism development by providing financial assistance to the State Governments/UT Administrations on receipt of project proposals from them in line with the scheme guidelines, government instructions, availability of funds, inter-se priority etc. In order to encourage sustainable destination development and destination management at local level, the Ministry of Tourism has envisaged the concept of Destination Management Organization (DMO) and has undertaken consultation with the State Government/UT Administrations. The Ministry of Tourism has further advised the State Governments/UT Administrations about the multiple forms of organizations, which may be suitable for different purposes and to identify the organizational structures which might be suitable for their respective DMOs. *****