Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Tourism addressed a question regarding the promotion of tourism at Buddhist sites. The Ministry promotes tourism through various initiatives and engages with neighboring countries to promote cross-border tourism. Connectivity to Buddhist sites has been improved, and projects have been sanctioned under various schemes to develop tourism infrastructure.
Key Points / Main Content:
Tourism Promotion Initiatives:
* The Ministry of Tourism promotes Buddhist sites through events, exhibitions, familiarization tours, social media, and financial assistance to States/UTs for festivals.
Tourist Footfall in Siddharthnagar District:
* Details of domestic (DTVs) and foreign (FTVs) tourist visits to Siddharthnagar district over the past five years (2020-2024) are provided.
Cross-Border Tourism:
* The Ministry engages with Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka to promote tourism, including Buddhist tourism.
* Lumbini (Nepal) is connected to Siddharthnagar (India) via NH233.
Connectivity Improvements:
* Kushinagar International Airport enhances air connectivity for international pilgrims.
* National Highways connect Bodh Gaya, Vaishali, Rajgir, and Nalanda.
* The Ministry of Railways operates theme-based tourist circuit trains covering key Buddhist sites.
Infrastructure Development:
* Projects have been sanctioned under schemes like Swadesh Darshan, PRASHAD, Assistance to Central Agencies, CBDD, and SASCI to develop tourism infrastructure at Buddhist sites.
* A table provides details of specific projects sanctioned under these schemes, including state/UT, scheme name, project name, amount sanctioned, and sanction year.
Impact Analysis:
State Governments/Union Territories:
* Impact: Receive assistance for organizing fairs and festivals and benefit from tourism infrastructure development projects.
* Action Required: Utilize sanctioned funds for projects and implement promotional strategies.
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)/Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH):
* Impact: Responsible for maintaining and developing road connectivity to Buddhist heritage sites.
* Action Required: Continue to improve and maintain the network of National Highways connecting Buddhist sites.
Ministry of Railways:
* Impact: Operates tourist circuit trains covering Buddhist sites.
* Action Required: Continue to operate and improve the theme-based tourist circuit trains.
Tourism Industry Stakeholders:
* Impact: Benefit from increased tourist footfall and improved infrastructure at Buddhist sites.
* Action Required: Develop and offer tourism products and services that cater to Buddhist pilgrims and tourists.
Local Communities:
* Impact: Experience socio-economic benefits from increased tourism activities.
* Action Required: Participate in tourism-related activities and maintain the cultural heritage of the sites.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Tourism: The Indian government ministry responsible for the promotion of tourism.
SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL: A member of Lok Sabha who raised questions about tourism promotion at Buddhist sites.
SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT: The Minister of Tourism who answered the questions raised in Lok Sabha.
Bodhgaya: A significant Buddhist site located in Bihar, India, where Buddha attained enlightenment.
Sarnath: A Buddhist site in Uttar Pradesh, India, where Buddha gave his first sermon.
Vaishali: An ancient city and Buddhist site in Bihar, India, associated with Buddha's last sermon.
Shravasti: An ancient city and Buddhist site in Uttar Pradesh, India, where Buddha spent many rainy seasons.
Lumbini: The birthplace of Buddha, located in Nepal, and a significant Buddhist pilgrimage site.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF TOURISM
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. *313
ANSWERED ON 11.08.2025
PROMOTION OF TOURISM AT BUDDHIST SITES
*313. SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL:
Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has taken any steps to promote
domestic and international tourism in Buddhist cultural and
historical sites like Piprahwa in Siddharthnagar district, if so,
the details thereof;
(b) the details of the total number of domestic and international
tourists visited Siddharthnagar district during the last five
years and the current year;
(c) whether the Government has taken any steps to promote
cross-border tourism between the Buddhist cultural and
heritage sites like Lumbini in Nepal and Siddharthnagar in
India;
(d) whether the Government has taken any steps to connect
Buddhist cultural and heritage sites like Sarnath, Bodhgaya,
Vaishali and Shravasti; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)
(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
*******STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO.*313 ANSWERED ON 11.08.2025
REGARDING PROMOTION OF TOURISM AT BUDDHIST SITES RAISED
BY SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL
(a): The Ministry of Tourism regularly promotes diverse tourist
destinations and experiences of India including Buddhist sites of
Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Vaishali and Shravasti through various
initiatives including promotional events, participation in travel
exhibitions and fairs in domestic and international markets,
familiarization tours, influencers programmes, assistance to State
Governments/Union Territories for organizing fairs and festivals,
website, amplification through social media handles etc.
(b): The details of tourist footfall in Siddharthnagar district during
the last five years are as follows:
Year DTVs FTVs Total
2024 100595 17546 118141
2023 392516 11797 404313
2022 222289 109 222398
2021 370975 90 371065
2020 505801 4924 510725
Total 15,92,176 34,466 16,26,642
*DTVs - Domestic Tourist Visits / FTVs – Foreign Tourist Visits
(c) to (e): The Ministry of Tourism regularly engages with
neighbouring countries such as Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka underthe framework of international tourism cooperation, with a focus on
promoting tourism including Buddhist tourism.
The Government has taken significant steps to improve
connectivity across Buddhist cultural and heritage sites in the
country including Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. The international airport
at Kushinagar has enhanced direct air connectivity for international
pilgrims. Lumbini in Nepal is connected to Siddharthnagar in India
through NH-233. The Buddhist heritage and pilgrimage sites such as
Bodh-Gaya, Vaishali, Rajgir, Nalanda etc are well-connected through
a network of National Highways developed by the National
Highways Authority of India (NHAI) /Ministry of Road Transport and
Highways (MoRTH).
The Ministry of Railways also operates theme based tourist
circuit trains covering Bodhgaya, Rajgir, Nalanda, Sarnath,
Kushinagar, Lumbini and Sharavasti.
Additionally, the Ministry of Tourism under its Schemes of
Swadesh Darshan, Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage
Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD), Assistance to Central Agencies,
Challenge Based Destination Development (CBDD) and Special
Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) has sanctioned
several projects to develop tourism infrastructure and amenities, in
the country including at Buddhist tourism sites. The details of the
projects sanctioned under these schemes for promotion of tourism
at Buddhist sites are at Annexure.
*****ANNEXURE
STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PARTS (c) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO.*313 ANSWERED ON 11.08.2025
REGARDING PROMOTION OF TOURISM AT BUDDHIST SITES RAISED
BY SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL
Details of the Projects sanctioned under the schemes of Swadesh
Darshan, Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage
Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD), Assistance to Central Agencies,
Challenge Based Destination Development (CBDD), and Special
Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) for promotion of
tourism at Buddhist sites
S. State/UT Name of the Name of the Amount
No. Scheme / Project Sanctioned
Sanction Year (₹ in Crore)
1 Andhra Swadesh Development of 35.24
Pradesh Darshan (SD) / Buddhist Circuit:
2017-18 Shalihundam-
Bavikonda-
Bojjanakonda -
Amravati- Anupu
2 PRASHAD / Mahachaitya 0.60
2015-16 Stupa & ASI
Museum
(Under
“Development of
Amaravati Town,
Guntur District as
a Tourist
Destination”)
3 PRASHAD / Dhyana Buddha 0.70
2015-16 Site Development
(Under
“Development of
Amaravati Town,
Guntur District as
a Tourist
Destination”)
4 Challenge Enriching 25.00
Based Buddhist HeritageDestination and Cultural
Development / Experiences at
2024-25 Nagarjuna Sagar
5 Bihar Swadesh Development of 95.18
Darshan / Buddhist Circuit-
2016-17 Construction of
Convention
Centre at
Bodhgaya
6 Swadesh Development of 165.44
Darshan 2.0 / Buddhist Circuit-
2024-25 Construction of
Convention
Centre at
Bodhgaya
7 Chhattisgarh PRASHAD / Development of 5.55
2020-21 Prayagiri
(Under
“Development of
Maa Bamleshwari
Devi Temple,
Rajnandgaon,
Dongargarh,
Chhattisgarh”)
8 Gujarat Swadesh Development of 26.68
Darshan / Junagadh- Gir
2017-18 Somnath-
Bharuch-Kutch-
Bhavnagar-
Rajkot- Mehsana
9 Madhya Swadesh Development of 74.02
Pradesh Darshan / Sanchi-Satna-
2016-17 Rewa-Mandsaur-
Dhar
10 Sikkim PRASHAD / Development of 33.32
2020-21 Pilgrimage
Facilitation at
Four Patron
Saints at Yuksom,
Sikkim
11 Uttar Swadesh Development of 87.89Pradesh Darshan / Srawasti,
2016-17 Kushinagar, &
Kapilwastu
12 PRASHAD / Sound and Light 7.34
2015-16 Show, Dhamek
Stupa
(Under
“Development of
Varanasi-Phase-I”)
13 PRASHAD Buddha Theme 2.20
/2015-16 Park, Sarnath
(Under
“Development of
Varanasi-Phase-I”)
14 Assistance to Illumination of 5.12
Central monuments in
Agencies / Varanasi/Sarnath
2014-15 Dhamekh Stupa in
Sarnath,
Chaukhandi Stupa
in Sarnath, Tomb
of Lal khan
(Rajghat) in
Sarnath and Man
Mahal in Banaras)
15 Assistance to Illumination of 2.93
Central three monuments
Agencies / in Varanasi, Uttar
2017-18 Pradesh
16 Special ‘Integrated 80.24
Assistance to Buddhist Tourism
States for Development in
Capital Shrawasti
Investment/
2024-25
17 Telangana Challenge Digital Experience 24.85
Based Centre at
Destination Buddhavanam in
Development / Nalgonda,’
2024-25
*****