**Summary:**
In response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1307, answered on July 28, 2025, the Ministry of Tourism addressed the promotion of green and ecotourism in India. The Ministry promotes ecotourism and sustainable tourism through ongoing initiatives, including the formulation of National Strategies for Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism and the initiation of the Travel for LiFE program. The Travel for LiFE program encourages sustainable tourism practices among tourists and tourism businesses. The Ministry of Tourism provides financial assistance to State Governments, Union Territory Administrations, and Central Agencies for developing tourism-related infrastructure, including the identification of Eco Circuits under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme. Tourist police have been deployed in various forms in Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, and Uttar Pradesh with the efforts of the Ministry of Tourism in conjunction with State Governments and UT Administrations.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Tourism: The Indian government ministry responsible for the formulation and administration of the rules, regulations and laws relating to the development and promotion of tourism in India.
SHRI RAJESH NARANBHAI CHUDASAMA: A Member of Parliament who raised a question in the Lok Sabha regarding the promotion of green and ecotourism.
SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT: The Minister of Tourism who answered the question regarding promotion of green and ecotourism.
Ecotourism: Tourism directed toward exotic, often threatened, natural environments, intended to support conservation efforts and observe wildlife.
Sustainable Tourism: Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.
Travel for LiFE: A programme initiated by the Ministry of Tourism to promote sustainable tourism in the country and to encourage tourists and tourism businesses to adopt sustainable tourism practices.
Swadesh Darshan Scheme: A scheme by the Ministry of Tourism to develop thematic tourism circuits in India in a planned and prioritized manner.
Andhra Pradesh: A state in India that has deployed tourist police.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF TOURISM
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1307
ANSWERED ON 28.07.2025
PROMOTION OF GREEN AND ECO-TOURISM
1307. SHRI RAJESH NARANBHAI CHUDASAMA:
Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government is taking any steps towards promotion of
green and eco-tourism, if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether any assessment of tourist capacity of various tourist places
is being done, if so, the details thereof and if not, whether the
Government plans to put such a system in place; and
(c) whether any monitoring mechanism has been put in place to assess
the inflow of tourists in real time across major tourist places to keep
law and order and infrastructural requirements under control, if so,
the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)
(a) to (c): The Ministry of Tourism promotes India in a holistic manner,
through various initiatives. As part of on-going activities; promotion of
Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism is also taken up. In order to provide
impetus for development of Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism in the
country, Ministry of Tourism formulated National Strategies for Ecotourism
and Sustainable Tourism and initiated Travel for LiFE programme to
promote sustainable tourism in the country and to encourage the tourists
and tourism businesses to adopt sustainable tourism practices.
The Ministry of Tourism provides financial assistance to State
Governments/Union Territory Administrations/Central Agencies for the
development of tourism related infrastructure in the country under its
schemes. The Ministry has identified Eco Circuit as one of the thematic
circuits under its Swadesh Darshan Scheme. With the efforts of Ministry
of Tourism, the State Governments/UT Administrations of Andhra Pradesh,
Delhi, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu
and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim and
Uttar Pradesh have deployed tourist police in one form or the other.
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