Parliament Question: Developing iconic tourist centres

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.8 ANSWERED ON 29.01.2026 DEVELOPING ICONIC TOURIST CENTRES 8 SHRI MASTHAN RAO YADAV BEEDHA: Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state: (a) the number of proposals received and approved under the scheme Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment for Development of Iconic Tourist Centres to Global Scale, State-wise; (b) the details of funds sanctioned and disbursed for approved tourist centres under the said scheme, indicating Central share and State share separately, location-wise; (c) the details of projects being developed on Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis under the scheme, along with the Central and State share involved in each such project, location wise; and (d) the details of carrying capacity (tourist handling capacity) of tourist centres approved under the scheme, location-wise? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT) (a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House. **********STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 8 ANSWERED ON 29.01.2026 REGARDING DEVELOPING ICONIC TOURIST CENTRES RAISED BY SHRI MASTHAN RAO YADAV BEEDHA (a) to (d): With the aim to develop iconic tourist centres in the country, the Ministry of Tourism issued operational guidelines along with detailed project report template under Special Assistance to the States for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme. Accordingly, 87 projects were received from the States on the online portal and 40 projects were sanctioned under the scheme for ₹3295.76 Crore in the financial year 2024-25 with 100% central funding. Ministry of Tourism does not directly undertake Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects under its current central sector schemes including Swadesh Darshan Scheme, which are 100% funded by the Central Government. However, the Ministry of Tourism as part of Department of Expenditure’s Scheme - SASCI (Special Assistance to State for Capital Investment- Creating Iconic Tourist Centres), evaluated the project proposals submitted by the state governments. As part of this scheme, to encourage private sector participation in the tourism sector, the states were required to share potential PPP projects at selected tourism destinations as part of the evaluation criteria. These projects are envisaged to be implemented and monitored by the respective State Governments. Under SASCI scheme, the Ministry advised the State Governments to calculate the final carrying capacity after assessing the physical carrying capacity and limiting factors as part of its DPR. The details of the projects sanctioned under SASCI scheme in the Financial Year 2024-25 along with details of fund disbursal and estimated carrying capacity details as submitted by the State Governments in their DPR is annexed. Further, Department of Expenditure amended SASCI guidelines for 2025-26 and as per amended guidelines, States which did not avail funds under Part-III of SASCI 2024-25 are eligible to avail Special Assistance of not more than Rs.250 crores for tourism projects under Part-II of SASCI 2025-26. As per amended guidelines, Special Assistance of Rs.250 crores has been released each to Nagaland and Himachal Pradesh for tourism projects under Part-II of SASCI 2025-26, till 28.01.2026. *****ANNEXURE STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.8 ANSWERED ON 29.01.2026 REGARDING DEVELOPING ICONIC TOURIST CENTRES RAISED BY SHRI MASTHAN RAO YADAV BEEDHA The details of the projects sanctioned under SASCI scheme in the Financial Year 2024-25 along with details of fund disbursal and the sanction project-wise estimated carrying capacity details submitted by the State Governments: Sl. State Year of Name of the Project Sanctioned Amount Estimated Tourist No. Sanction Amount Released Carrying Capacity (Rs. In (Rs. In Crore) Crore) 1. A ndhra 2024-25 Enriching the Fort and 77.91 113.75 25,600 tourists/ day Pradesh Gorge Experience in Gandikota 2. A ndhra 2024-25 Akhanda Godavari- 94.44 20,493 tourists/ day Pradesh (Havelok Bridge & Pushkar Ghat) in Raja Mahendravaram 3. A runachal 2024-25 Siang Adventure & Eco- 46.48 30.67 9,519 tourists/ day Pradesh Retreat in Pasighat 4. A ssam 2024-25 Assam State Zoo Cum 97.12 126.64 18,420 tourists/ day Botanical Garden in Guwahati 5. A ssam 2024-25 Beautification of Rang 94.76 6,217 tourists/ day Ghar in Sivasagar 6. B ihar 2024-25 Development of 97.61 97.09 32,000 tourists/ day Matsyagandha Lake in Saharsa 7. B ihar 2024-25 Karamchat Eco-Tourism 49.51 33055 tourists/ day and Adventure Hub in Karamchat 8. C hhattisgarh 2024-25 Development of 95.79 97.45 17,850 tourists/ day Chitrotpala Film City in Raipur 9. C hhattisgarh 2024-25 Development of Tribal & 51.87 6,855 tourists/ day Cultural Convention Centre in Raipur 10. G oa 2024-25 Chhatrapati Shivaji 97.46 124.21 988 tourists/ Maharaj Museum in day Ponda 11. G oa 2024-25 Town square in 90.74 6,636 tourists/ day Porvorim 12. G ujarat 2024-25 Ecotourism Destination 99.50 99.69 5,067 tourists/ at Kerly (Mokarsagar) in day Porbandar 13. G ujarat 2024-25 Tented City and 51.56 6,500 tourists/ Convention Centre in day Dhordo14. J harkhand 2024-25 Eco-Tourism 34.87 23.01 1,800 tourists/ Development of day Tilaiyya” in Koderma 15. K arnataka 2024-25 Ecotourism & Cultural 99.17 131.45 26,946 tourists/ Hub at Roerich and day Devika Rani Estate Tataguni in Bengaluru 16. K arnataka 2024-25 Development of 100.00 Expected footfall SavadattiYallammagudd 7,09,66,546 a in Belgavi annually by 2030 17. K erala 2024-25 Ashtamudi Biodiversity 59.71 102.33 7,737 tourists/ day and Eco-recreational Hub in Kollam 18. K erala 2024-25 Global Gateway to 95.34 30,026 tourists/ Malabar's Cultural day Crucible in Sargaalayaa 19. M adhya 2024-25 Orchha A Medieval 99.92 131.53 3,01,235 Pradesh Splendour in Orchha tourists/day 20. M adhya 2024-25 International Convention 99.38 1,000 visitors/ day Pradesh Centre for MICE in Bhopal 21. M aharashtra 2024-25 INS-Guldar Underwater 46.91 96.39 2,772 diver- visits/ Museum, Artificial Reef, day and submarine Tourism in Sindhudurg 22. M aharashtra 2024-25 Development of RAM- 99.14 Tentatively 15000- KAL PATH in Nashik 18000/ day in non- peak season Tentatively 1,00,000/ day in peak season 23. M anipur 2024-25 Loktak Lake Experience 89.48 59.05 6,000 visitors/ day in Loktak 24. M eghalaya 2024-25 MICE Infrastructure in 99.27 131.03 14,700 tourists/ day Mawkhanu 25. M eghalaya 2024-25 Redevelopment of 99.27 10,000 tourists/ day Umiam Lake in Shillong 26. O disha 2024-25 Development of 99.90 131.92 22,057 tourists/ day Hirakund 27. O disha 2024-25 Development of Satkosia 99.99 19,880 tourists/ day 28. P unjab 2024-25 Development of 53.45 35.27 18,750 tourists/ day Heritage Street as a tribute to Shaheed-e- Azam, Sardar Bhaghat Singh at Khatkar Kalan in SBS Nagar 29. R ajasthan 2024-25 Development at Amber- 49.31 96.30 11,250 tourists/ day Nahargarh and Surrounding Area in Jaipur30. R ajasthan 2024-25 Development at Jal 96.61 7,500 tourists/ day Mahal in Jaipur 31. S ikkim 2024-25 Skywalk, Bhaleydhunga, 97.37 109.26 4,320 tourists/ day Yangang in Namchi 32. S ikkim 2024-25 Border Experience in 68.19 7,200 tourists/ day Nathula 33. T amil Nadu 2024-25 Development of 99.67 112.13 7,500 tourists/ day Nandavanam Heritage Park in Mammallapuram 34. T amil Nadu 2024-25 Eco Park at Race Course 70.23 3,994 tourists /day in Ooty 35. T elangana 2024-25 Ramappa Region 73.74 93.61 i. Year 1 (post- Sustainable Tourism development)- 41, Circuit in Ramappa 304 tourists/ day ii. Year 10 (post- development)- 89,101 tourists/ day 36. T elangana 2024-25 Somasilla Wellness & 68.10 i. Eegalapenta Spiritual Retreat in Arrival Area- 695 Nallamala tourists/ day ii. Eegalapenta River Curise Node- 799 tourists/ day iii. Chenchu Experience Centre- 597 tourists/ day iv. Eagalapenta Promenade- 1,260 tourists/ day v. Somasila Akasa Retreat- 506 tourists/ day 37. T ripura 2024-25 Shakti Peethas Park at 97.70 64.48 5,755 tourists/ day Banduar in Gomati 38. U ttar 2024-25 Development of 74.05 101.83 2,15,960 tourists/ Pradesh Bateshwar in District- day Agra 39. U ttar 2024-25 Integrated Buddhist 80.24 1,00,000 tourists/ Pradesh Tourism Development in day Shrawasti 40. U ttarakhand 2024-25 Iconic City Rishikesh: 100.00 66.00 14,400 tourists/ day Rafting Base Station in Rishikesh Total 3295.76 2,175.09 *****