Parliament Question: Institutional Framework for Coastal and Cruise Tourism

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.31 ANSWERED ON 21.07.2025 INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR COASTAL AND CRUISE TOURISM 31. SHRI SRIBHARAT MATHUKUMILLI: Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has developed or notified a comprehensive national policy for coastal tourism development and if so, the key objectives and components of such a policy; (b) the current status of the proposed National Cruise Tourism Policy and National Cruise Tourism Board along with the manner in which these policy and board align with the existing Cruise Shipping Policy (2008), Sagarmala Programme and Swadesh Darshan scheme; (c) whether the Government is coordinating with coastal States and Union Territories to create region-specific coastal tourism master plans or integrated tourism nodes and if so, the details thereof; (d) whether the Government has any proposals to support district-level or regional initiatives such as pooled investments, Blue Flag certification expansion or sustainable infrastructure development under the blue economy framework; and (e) if so, the details thereof? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT) (a) to (e): Development and promotion of tourist destinations and products, including cruise tourism is undertaken by the respective State Government/Union Territory (UT) Administration. The Ministry of Tourism complements the efforts of States/UTs through various schemes and initiatives. Various schemes, programs, and initiatives of the Ministry have been actively addressing issues related to the tourism promotion and development, including coastal tourism. The focus of the Ministry is to strengthen and effectively implement these ongoing initiatives and monitor the evolving needs of the tourism sector, while remaining open tofurther enhancements in alignment with national priorities and stakeholders inputs. A separate policy for development of coastal tourism is not envisaged at this point in time. However, Ministry of Tourism provides Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to the Central Government Agencies for development of tourism including Cruise Tourism and Cruising along rivers, on receipt of complete proposals under the Scheme of ‘Assistance to Central Agencies for Tourism Infrastructure Development’. In addition, Ministry of Tourism has identified Coastal Circuit as one of the fifteen thematic circuits for development under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme. The list of projects sanctioned under these schemes in various states is given in Annexure. The Swadesh Darshan Scheme of the Ministry has been revamped as Swadesh Darshan 2.0 with the objective to develop sustainable and responsible tourism destinations following a tourist & destination centric approach. Cruise Bharat Mission (CBM) has been launched by Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways in September, 2024 with the aim to provide whole of government approach by involving various Central and State Government agencies. CBM provides for a framework for inter-ministerial approach for crafting interventions along policy, regulatory, and other aspects governing cruise sector and enable responsible involvement of all regulatory agencies, such as Customs, Immigration, CISF, State Tourism Departments, State Maritime Agencies, District Administrations, and local police. *******ANNEXURE STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.31 ANSWERED ON 21.07.2025 REGARDING INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR COASTAL AND CRUISE TOURISM RAISED SHRI SRIBHARAT MATHUKUMILLI List of Projects sanctioned for infrastructure development at Ports and Waterways under the scheme of Assistance to Central Agencies (Rs. in Lakh) S. States/ UTs Year Name of Projects Implementing Amount No. Agency sanctioned 1 Tamil 2012-13 Cruise Passenger Chennai Port 1724.66 Nadu Facilities Centre in Trust the existing Passenger Terminal at Chennai Port. 2 Goa 2014-15 Cruise Terminal M ormugao 879.04 Building at Port trust Mormugao Port Trust 3 Kerala 2016-17 Development of a Cochin Port 901.00 Walkway/Promenad Trust e on Willingdon Island, Cochin, Kerala 4 Kerala 2016-17 Central Financial Cochin Port 2141.00 Assistance for Trust upgrading of Births & Backup area of Ernakulam Wharf 5 Maharashtra 2016-17 Central Financial Mumbai Port 1500.00 Assistance to trust Mumbai Port Trust for Development of Kanoji Angre Lighthouse as a tourist Destination 6 Maharashtra 2017-18 Up-gradation Mumbai Port 1250.00 /modernization to Trust International Cruise terminal at Indira Dock, Mumbai.7 Goa 2018-19 Improvement of Mormugao 1316.40 immigration facility Port trust and deepening of existing cruise berth at Mormougao 8 Kerala 2018-19 Developing Cochin Port 120.79 infrastructure at Trust Cochin Port Cruise Terminal. 9 Kerala 2018-19 Creation of Cochin Port 466.47 additional tourism Trust facilities at the Cochin Port Trust Walkway 10 Andhra 2018-19 Construction of Visakhapatn 3850.00 Pradesh Cruise-cum-Coastal am Port Trust Cargo Terminal at Channel berth area in Outer Harbour of Visakhapatnam Port 11 Kerala 2019-20 CFA for Cochin Port 1029.70 Development of Trust Additional infrastructure in the new Cochin Port Trust Terminal 12. Goa 2021-22 Creation of Mormugao 5000.00 facilities for Port Trust International and Domestic Cruise Vessels at Mormugao Port, Goa by Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) 13. Maharashtra 2021-22 Upgradation/Modern Mumbai Port 3750.00 isation to Trust International Cruise Terminal at Indira Dock, Mumbai Port Trust Total 23929.06List of Projects sanctioned for Coastal Circuit and Cruise Project under Swadesh Darshan Scheme (Amount in ₹ crore) S. Name of Year Project Name Amount No. State Sanctioned 1. Andhra 2014-15 Development of Circuit at 67.83 Pradesh Kakinada - Hope Island - Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary - Passarlapudi - Aduru - S Yanam - Kotipally 2. Andhra 2015-16 Development of Nellore, 49.55 Pradesh Pulikat Lake, Ubblamadugu water falls, Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary, Mypadu Beach, Ramatheertham 3. Puducherry 2015-16 Development of Dubrayapet, 58.44 Arikamedu China Veerampattinam, Chunnabmar, Nallavadu, Manapet, Kalapet, French Quarter, Tamil Quarter and Yanam 4. West Bengal 2015-16 Development of Beach Circuit: 67.99 Udaipur- Digha- Shankarpur- Tajpur- Mandarmani- Fraserganj- Bakkhlai-Henry Island 5. Maharashtra 2015-16 Development of Sindhudurg 19.06 Coastal Circuit (Shiroda Beach, Sagareshwar, Tarkarli, Vijaydurg (Beach & Creek), Devgad (Fort & Beach), Mitbhav, Tondavali, Mocehmad and Nivati Fort). 6. Goa 2016-17 Development of Sinquerim- 97.65 Baga, Anjuna-Vagator, Morjim- Keri, Aguada Fort and Aguada Jail. 7. Odisha 2016-17 Development of Gopalpur, 70.82 Barkul, Satapada and Tampara. 8. Andaman & 2016-17 Development of Long Island- 27.57 Nicobar Ross Smith Island- Neil Island- Islands Havelock Island- Baratang Island-Port Blair. 9. Tamil Nadu 2016-17 Development of Chennai- 73.13 Mamamallapuram–Rameshwaram– Kulasekaranpattinam– Kanyakumari 10. Goa 2017-18 Development of Rua De 99.35 Orum Creek – Don Paula –Colva - Benaulim 11. Kerala 2018-19 Development of Malanad 57.35 Malabar Cruise Tourism Project Total 688.74 **********