Parliament Question: Development of Ramayana and Buddhist Circuit

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.†2522 ANSWERED ON 15.12.2025 DEVELOPMENT OF RAMAYANA AND BUDDHIST CIRCUIT †2522. SMT. LOVELY ANAND: Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state: (a) the present status of development of Ramayana Circuit and Buddhist Circuit in Bihar under Swadesh Darshan Scheme; (b) whether the Government has any comprehensive plan to develop Sitamarhi, which is located near Sheohar Lok Sabha Constituency and believed to be the birthplace of Mata Sita, as a major pilgrimage site in the Ramayana Circuit; and (c) the details of the amount of funds allocated and utilized during the last three years and the current year for improving tourism facilities and infrastructure in the said circuits? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT) (a) to (c): Development of various tourist destinations and tourism products is primarily undertaken by the concerned State Government (SG)/ Union Territory Administration (UTA). However, in order to complement these efforts of tourism infrastructure development and experiences, the Ministry of Tourism launched its Swadesh Darshan scheme (SDS) in 2014- 15 under identified thematic circuits including Ramayana Circuit and Buddhist Circuit. Accordingly, under SDS, a total of 76 projects were sanctioned in the country including Bihar. One Project namely, “Development of Buddhist circuit- Construction of Convention Centre at Bodhgaya” sanctioned in 2016-17 in Bihar under Swadesh Darshan Scheme is reported as physically complete. Further, no project under Ramayana Circuit in Bihar has been sanctioned under Swadesh Darshan Scheme.Thereafter, Ministry of Tourism has revamped the Swadesh Darshan scheme as Swadesh Darshan 2.0 with the objective to develop sustainable and responsible tourism destinations in the country, adopting a destination and tourist-centric approach in place of the earlier circuit-based framework. The details of the projects sanctioned by Ministry of Tourism in the country under Swadesh Darshan scheme along-with amount of funds allocated and utilized are annexed. *****ANNEXURE STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO .†2522 ANSWERED ON 15.12.2025 REGARDING DEVELOPMENT OF RAMAYANA AND BUDDHIST CIRCUIT RAISED BY SMT. LOVELY ANAND The list of the projects sanctioned under Swadesh Darshan scheme S. State/UT Circuit / Name of the Amount Amount Amount No Sanction Project Sanctioned Released Utilised . Year (₹ Crore) / (₹Crore) Authorised (₹ Crore) 1. Andaman Coastal Development of 27.57 22.13 22.08 & Nicobar Circuit Long Island- Islands 2016-17 Ross Smith Island- Neil Island- Havelock Island- Baratang Island-Port Blair 2. Andhra Coastal Development of 67.83 67.83 67.83 Pradesh Circuit Kakinada - Hope 2014-15 Island - Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary - Passarlapudi - Aduru - S Yanam – Kotipally 3. Andhra Coastal Development of 49.55 49.55 49.55 Pradesh Circuit Nellore - Pulikat 2015-16 Lake - Ubblamadugu Water Falls – Nelapattu- Kothakoduru- Mypadu - Ramateertham – Iskapalli 4. Andhra Buddhis Development of 35.24 30.02 30.02 Pradesh t Circuit Buddhist 2017-18 Circuit:Shalihundam- Bavikonda- Bojjanakonda - Amravati- Anupu 5. Arunachal North- Development of 49.77 47.28 47.28 Pradesh East Bhalukpong- Circuit Bomdila and 2014-15 Tawang 6. Arunachal North- Development of 96.72 91.88 91.88 Pradesh East Nafra- Seppa- Circuit Pappu, Pasa, 2015-16 Pakke Valleys- Sangdupota- New Sagalee- Ziro- Yomcha 7. Assam Wildlife Development of 94.68 94.68 94.68 Circuit Manas– 2015-16 Probitora– Nameri– Kaziranga– Dibru– Saikhowa 8. Assam Heritag Development of 90.98 90.97 90.97 e Tezpur – Majuli – Circuit Sibsagar 2016-17 9. Bihar Tirthank Development of 33.96 30.04 29.36 ar Vaishali- Arrah- Circuit Masad- Patna- 2016-17 Rajgir- Pawapuri- Champapuri 10. Bih ar Spiritual Development of 44.76 42.52 42.17 Circuit Kanwaria 2016-17 Route: Sultanganj – Dharmshala- Deoghar 11. Bih ar Buddhist Development of 95.18 95.18 95.18 Circuit Buddhist circuit- 2016-17 Construction of ConventionCentre at Bodhgaya 12. Bih ar Rural Development of 44.27 40.31 40.31 Circuit Bhitiharwa- 2017-18 Chandrahia- Turkaulia 13. Bih ar Spiritual Development of 44.55 42.32 42.32 Circuit Mandar Hill & 2017-18 Ang Pradesh 14. Ch hattisga Tribal Development of 96.10 94.23 94.23 rh Circuit Jashpur- 2015-16 Kunkuri- Mainpat- Kamleshpur - Maheshpur - Kurdar - Sarodhadadar- Gangrel- Kondagaon– Nathiyanawaga on- Jagdalpur- Chitrakoot- Tirthgarh 15. Go a Coastal Development of 97.65 97.65 97.50 Circuit Sinquerim-Baga, 2016-17 Anjuna-Vagator, Morjim-Keri, Aguada Fort and Aguada Jail 16. Go a Coastal Development of 99.35 99.35 97.74 Circuit Coastal Circuit 2017-18 II: Rua De Orum Creek - Dona Paula -Colva - Benaulim 17. Gu jarat Heritage Development of 59.17 56.21 55.52 Circuit Ahmedabad- 2016-17 Rajkot- Porbandar – Bardoli- Dandi18. Gu jarat Heritage Development of 91.12 87.25 85.63 Circuit Vadnagar- 2016-17 Modhera 19. Gu jarat Buddhist Development of 26.68 22.28 19.96 Circuit Junagadh- Gir 2017-18 Somnath- Bharuch-Kutch- Bhavnagar- Rajkot- Mehsana 20. Ha ryana Krishna Development of 77.39 76.74 76.74 Circuit Tourism 2016-17 Infrastructures at places related to Mahabharata in Kurukshetra 21. Him achal Himalay Development of 68.34 64.55 62.57 Pradesh an Himalayan Circuit Circuit: 2016-17 Kiarighat, Shimla, Hatkoti, Manali, Kangra, Dharamshala, Bir, Palampur, Chamba 22. Ja mmu & Himalay Development of 77.33 67.37 59.30 Kashmir an Jammu- Circuit Srinagar- 2016-17 Pahalgam- Bhagwati Nagar- Anantnag- Salamabad Uri- Kargil-Leh 23. Ja mmu & Himalay Development of 81.60 67.35 59.41 Kashmir an Tourist Circuit Facilities at 2016-17 Jammu-Rajouri- Shopian- Pulwama.24. Ja mmu & Himalay Development of 90.43 74.7 67.07 Kashmir an Tourist Circuit Facilities - 2016-17 Construction of Assets in lieu of those Destroyed in Floods in 2014 under PM Development Package 25. Ja mmu & Himalay Development of 91.99 91.93 91.93 Kashmir an Tourist facilities Circuit at Mantalai and 2016-17 Sudhmahadev 26. Ja mmu & Himalay Development of 86.39 69.95 63.25 Kashmir an Tourist facilities Circuit at Anantnag- 2016-17 Pulwama- Kishtwar- Pahalgam- Zanskar Padum - Daksum - Ranjit Sagar Dam 27. Ja mmu & Himalay Development of 91.84 85.80 84.93 Kashmir an Tourist Circuit Facilities at 2016-17 Gulmarg- Baramulla- Kupwara- Kargil - Leh 28. Jh arkhan Eco Development of 30.44 30.44 28.04 d Circuit Eco Tourism 2018-19 circuit: Dalma- Betla National park- Mirchaiya- Netarhat 29. Ke rala Eco Development of 64.08 64.08 64.08 Circuit Pathanamthitta- 2015-16 Gavi- Vagamon- Thekkady30. Ke rala Spiritual Development of 46.54 33.39 36.27 Circuit Sabarimala - 2016-17 Erumeli-Pampa- Sannidhanam 31. Ke rala Spiritual Development of 78.08 73.77 68.98 Circuit Sree 2016-17 Padmanabha Arnamula 32. Ke rala Rural Development of 57.35 45.88 36.34 Circuit Malanad 2018-19 Malabar Cruise Tourism Project 33. Ke rala Spiritual Development 66.42 42.01 34.21 Circuit Sivagiri Sree 2018-19 Narayana Guru Ashram- Arruvipuram- Kunnumpara Sree Subrahmania- Chembazhanthi Sree Narayana Gurukulam 34. Ma dhya Wildlife Development of 92.10 86.31 86.31 Pradesh Circuit Wildlife Circuit 2015-16 at Panna- Mukundpur- Sanjay- Dubri- Bandhavgarh- Kanha- Mukki- Pench 35. Ma dhya Buddhist Development of 74.02 72.75 72.75 Pradesh Circuit Sanchi-Satna- 2016-17 Rewa- Mandsaur-Dhar 36. Ma dhya Heritage Development of 89.82 89.49 89.49 Pradesh Circuit Gwalior – 2016-17 Orchha – Khajuraho – Chanderi – Bhimbetka – Mandu37. Ma dhya Eco Development of 93.76 93.59 93.59 Pradesh Circuit Gandhisagar 2017-18 Dam- Mandleshwar Dam- Omkareshwar Dam- Indira Sagar Dam- Tawa Dam- Bargi Dam- Bheda Ghat- Bansagar Dam- Ken River 38. Ma harasht Coastal Development of 19.06 18.10 17.61 ra Circuit Sindhudurg 2015-16 Coastal Circuit - Sagareshwar, Tarkarli, Vijaydurg (Beach & Creek), Mitbhav 39. Ma harasht Spiritual Development of 45.47 43.19 38.84 ra Circuit Waki- Adasa- 2018-19 Dhapewada- Paradsingha- Telankhandi- Girad 40. Ma nipur North- Development of 72.23 61.32 61.25 East Tourist Circuit Circuit in Manipur: 2015-16 Imphal- Khongjom 41. Ma nipur Spiritual Development of 45.34 45.33 43.04 Circuit Shri Govindajee 2016-17 Temple, Shri Bijoy Govindajee Temple – Shri Gopinath Temple – Shri BungshibodonTemple – Shri Kaina Temple 42. Me ghalaya North- Development of 99.13 99.11 99.11 East Umium (Lake Circuit View), U Lum 2016-17 Sohpetbneng- Mawdiangdiang – Orchid Lake Resort 43. Me ghalaya North- Development of 84.97 84.96 84.96 East West Khasi Hills Circuit (Nongkhlaw- 2018-19 KremTirot – Khudoi&Kohma ng Falls – KhriRiver- Mawthadraisha n, Shillong), Jaintia Hills (Krang Suri Falls- Shyrmang- Iooksi), Garo Hills (Nokrek Reserve, Katta Beel, Siju Caves) 44. Miz oram North- Development of 92.26 92.26 92.26 East Thenzawl& Circuit South Zote, 2015-16 District Serchhip and Reiek. 45. Miz oram Eco Development of 66.37 53.09 53.09 Circuit Eco-Adventure 2016-17 Circuit Aizawl - Rawpuichhip – Khawhphawp – Lengpui – Chatlang- Sakawrhmuituai tlang - Muthee – Beratlawng -Tuirial Airfield – Hmuifang 46. Na galand Tribal Development of 97.36 97.36 92.49 Circuit Tribal Circuit 2015-16 Peren- Kohima- Wokha 47. Na galand Tribal Development of 98.14 98.14 98.14 Circuit Mokokchung- 2016-17 Tuensang-Mon 48. Od isha Coastal Development of 70.82 67.28 59.47 Circuit Gopalpur, 2016-17 Barkul, Satapada and Tampara 49. Pu ducherry Coastal Development of 58.44 58.44 58.44 Circuit Dubrayapet – 2015-16 Arikamedu – Veerampattina m – Chunnambar - Nallavadu /Narambai - Manapet- Kalapet - Puducherry - Yanam 50. Pu ducherry Heritage Development of 49.44 45.70 45.50 Circuit Franco- Tamil 2017-18 Village, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam 51. Pu ducherry Spiritual Development of 34.96 31.40 31.40 Circuit Spiritual Circuit 2017-18 in Puducherry 52. Pu njab Heritage Development of 85.32 81.05 81.05 Circuit Anandpur Sahib 2018-19 - Fatehgarh Sahib - Chamkaur Sahib - Ferozpur - Khatkar Kalan – Kalanour - Patiala53. Ra jasthan Desert Development of 50.01 50.01 50.01 Circuit Sambhar Lake 2015-16 Town and Other Destinations 54. Ra jasthan Krishna Development of 75.80 73.85 73.85 Circuit Govind Dev ji 2016-17 temple (Jaipur), Khatu Shyam Ji (Sikar) and Nathdwara (Rajsamand) 55. Ra jasthan Spiritual Development of 87.05 75.03 75.03 Circuit Spiritual 2016-17 Circuit– 'Development of Churu (Salasar Balaji)-Jaipur (Shri Samodke Balaji, Ghatke Balaji, Bandheke Balaji)- Viratnagar (Bijak, Jainnasiya, Ambika Temple)- Bharatpur (Kaman Region)- Dholpur (Muchkund) - Mehndipur Balaji- Chittorgarh (Sanwaliyaji) 56. Ra jasthan Heritage Development of 70.61 66.99 66.99 Circuit Heritage Circuit 2017-18 Development of Rajsamand (Kumbhalgarh Fort) - Jaipur (FacadeIllumination in Jaipur and Nahargarh Fort) -Jhalawar (Gagron Fort) - Chittorgarh (Chittorgarh Fort) – Jaisalmer (Jaisalmer Fort) - Hanumangarh (Gogamedi) - Udaipur (Pratap Gaurav Kendra) - Dholpur (Bagh- I-Nilofor and Purani Chawani) - Nagaur (Meera Bai Smarak, Merta) - Tonk (Sunehri Kothi) 57. Sik kim North- Development of 98.05 97.41 97.41 East Tourist Circuit Circuit linking Rangpo 2015-16 (entry) – Rorathang- Aritar- Phadamchen- Nathang- Sherathang- Tsongmo- Gangtok- Phodong- Mangan- Lachung- Yumthang- Lachen- Thangu- Gurudongmer- Mangan- Gangtok- TuminLingee- Singtam (exit)58. Sik kim North- Development of 95.32 95.32 95.32 East Tourist Circuit Circuit Linking 2016-17 Singtam– Maka- Temi- BermoikTokel- Phongia- Namchi – Jorthang- Okharey- Sombaria- Daramdin- Jorethang- Melli (Exit) 59. Ta mil Coastal Development of 73.13 71.03 71.03 Nadu Circuit (Chennai- 2016-17 Mamamallapura m – Rameshwaram – Manpadu – Kanyakumari) 60. Te langana Eco Development of 91.62 91.25 91.25 Circuit Eco Tourism 2015-16 Circuit in Mahaboobnagar district 61. Te langana Tribal Development of 79.87 79.87 79.87 Circuit Mulugu- 2016-17 Laknavaram- Medavaram- Tadvai- Damaravi- Mallur- Bogatha Waterfalls 62. Te langana Heritage Development of 96.90 70.61 70.61 Circuit Qutub Shahi 2017-18 Heritage Park- Paigah Tombs- Hayat Bakshi Mosque- Raymond's Tomb63. Tri pura North- Development of 82.85 77.76 77.76 East Agartala - Circuit Sipahijala - 2015-16 Melaghar - Udaipur - Amarpur- Tirthamukh- Mandirghat– Dumboor- NarikelKunja- Gandachara– Ambassa 64. Tri pura North- Development of 44.83 35.25 32.21 East Surma Cherra- Circuit Unakoti- Jampui 2018-19 Hills- Gunabati - Bhunaneshwari- Neermahal- Boxanagar- Chottakhola- Pilak- Avangchaarra 65. Utt ar Buddhist Development of 87.89 72.56 68.43 Pradesh Circuit Srawasti, 2016-17 Kushinagar, &Kapilwastu 66. Utt ar Ramaya Development of 69.45 64.09 56.03 Pradesh na Chitrakoot and Circuit Shringverpur 2016-17 67. Utt ar Spiritual Development of 71.91 69.63 69.63 Pradesh Circuit Ahar-Aligarh- 2016-17 Kasganj-Sarosi (Unnao)- Pratapgarh- Kausambi- Mirzapur- Gorakhpur- Domariyaganj- Basti- Barabanki- Azamgarh-Kairana- Baghpat- Shahjahanpur 68. Utt ar Spiritual Development of 67.51 64.14 63.62 Pradesh Circuit Bijnor- Meerut- 2016-17 Kanpur- Kanpur Dehat- Banda- Ghazipur- Salempur- Ghosi- Balia- Ambedkar Nagar- Aligarh- Fatehpur- Deoria- Mahoba- Sonbhadra- Chandauli- Mishrikh- Bhadohi 69. Utt ar Heritage Development of 36.65 36.65 36.65 Pradesh Circuit Kalinjar Fort 2016-17 (Banda)- Maghar Dham (Sant Kabir Nagar)- Chauri Chaura, Shaheed Sthal (Fatehpur)- Mahuar shaheed Sthal (Ghosi)- Shaheed Smarak (Meerut) 70. Utt ar Ramaya Development of 127.21 115.46 113.2 Pradesh na Ayodhya 2 Circuit 2017-18 71. Utt ar Spiritual Development of 12.03 11.43 11.69 Pradesh Circuit Jewar-Dadri- 2018-19 Sikandrabad- Noida-Khurja- Banda72. Utt ar Spiritual Development of 18.30 18.12 18.12 Pradesh Circuit Gorakhnath 2018-19 Temple (Gorakhpur), Devipattan Temple (Balrampur) and Vatvashni Temple (Domariyagunj) 73. Utt arakha Eco Integrated 69.17 69.17 69.17 nd Circuit Development of 2015-16 Eco-Tourism, Adventure Sports, and Associated Tourism Related Infrastructure for Development of Tehri Lake & Surroundings as New Destination- District Tehri 74. Utt arakha Heritage Integrated 76.32 68.91 68.91 nd Circuit Development of 2016-17 Heritage Circuit in Kumaon Region - Katarmal - Jogeshwar- Baijnath- Devidhura 75. We st Coastal Development of 67.99 65.07 65.07 Bengal Circuit Beach Circuit: 2015-16 Udaipur- Digha- Shankarpur- Tajpur- Mandarmani- Fraserganj- Bakkhlai- Henry Island76. - Wayside Development of 17.50 16.63 15.83 Circuit Wayside 2018-19 Amenities in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar at Varanasi-Gaya; Kushinagar- Gaya- Kushinagar in collaboration with MoRTH Total 5290.33 4964.75 4863.83 *****