Parliament Question: Sustainable Employment through UNESCO World Heritage Sites

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.30 ANSWERED ON 01.12.2025 SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT THROUGH UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES

30. SHRI VISHNU DATT SHARMA:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has taken steps to ensure that UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as Khajuraho generate sustainable employment and inclusive economic development for local communities;

(b) whether any specific livelihood-linked tourism initiatives, skill development programmes or local entrepreneurship support (e.g. craft markets, guided tours, cultural events) have been launched in Khajuraho or surrounding regions;

(c) if so, the details of such initiatives and progress achieved, including number of beneficiaries and training programmes held; and

(d) if not, the reasons therefor and whether the Government is likely to launch such initiatives to align tourism growth with local empowerment? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

(a) to (d): The Ministry of Tourism has put in place the Scheme of "Capacity Building for Service Providers" (CBSP) to provide education, training and certification to the tourism service providers with the objective to make them employable both in urban as well as rural areas including UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as Khajuraho.

The Scheme is implemented through Institutes of Hotel Management and Food Craft Institutes, State/UT/Central Training/ Academic Institutions and specialized academic Training Institutes in the private sector engaged in giving training in the hospitality sector including institutes approved by All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Indian Institute of Tourism & TravelManagement (IITTM) and National Council of Hotel Management & Catering Technology (NCHMCT).

The following major programmes are conducted under CBSP Scheme:

Hunar Se Rozgar Tak: The programme includes a total of eleven short duration courses in hospitality sector.

Skill Testing & Certification: Re-skilling for the existing service providers to test and certify service providers in hospitality trades.

Entrepreneurship Programme: Up-skilling the micro and small business start-ups.

Incredible India Tourist Facilitator Certification Programme: The Incredible India Tourist Facilitator (IITF) Certification Programme is a digital initiative that aims at creating an Online learning platform with an objective of creating a pool of well trained and professional Tourist Facilitators across the country and so far 7014 candidates have completed IITF Basic exam.

Since 2021-22 a total of 666 candidates have been trained in Khajuraho through Food Craft Institute, Khajuraho and a total of 1,56,798 have been trained pan India under various programmes of CBSP. ******