**Executive Summary**
The Ministry of Tourism addresses the safety and security of tourists, particularly women, acknowledging it as a State subject. While no national policy on women's safety in tourism is proposed, the Ministry works with States and UTs to enhance safety measures. Key initiatives include a multi-lingual tourist helpline, utilization of the Nirbhaya Fund, and the adoption of a Code of Conduct for Safe & Honourable Tourism.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **National Policy:** There is no proposal to formulate a national policy regarding women's safety in tourism.
* **Collaboration with States/UTs:** The Ministry of Tourism collaborates with States and UTs to set up dedicated tourist police for improved safety.
* Several states/UTs have deployed tourist police.
* **Tourist Helpline:** A 24x7 Multi-Lingual Tourist Helpline is available (1800111363 or 1363) in 12 languages to assist tourists.
* **Nirbhaya Fund:** The Government has established the Nirbhaya Fund, managed by the Department of Economic Affairs, to support projects improving women's safety and security.
* States/UTs are encouraged to utilize the 'Safe Tourism Destinations for Women' initiative under the Nirbhaya Fund.
* **Code of Conduct for Safe & Honourable Tourism:** The Ministry and stakeholders have adopted this code, emphasizing respect, dignity, safety, and freedom from exploitation.
* **Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Initiatives:**
* Financial assistance has been provided to States/UTs for setting up Women Help Desks (WHD) in police stations.
* MHA has issued advisories to States/UTs to deal with crime against women and children.
* These advisories include detailed steps/actions to be taken by Police, sensitization of Police Personnel towards women, providing training to the Police in dealing with crime against Women, features of Criminal laws, night patrolling etc.
**Impact Analysis**
**State Governments and Union Territories**
* **Impact:** Responsible for maintaining law and order, protecting citizens, including women and children. Encouraged to utilize Nirbhaya fund for safe tourism projects.
* **Action Required:** Establish dedicated Tourist Police, utilize Nirbhaya Fund, establish Women Help Desks in police stations, and implement MHA advisories.
**Tourists (Especially Women)**
* **Impact:** Enhanced safety and security measures at tourist destinations. Access to a multi-lingual helpline for assistance.
* **Action Required:** Be aware of available safety resources and report incidents to the appropriate authorities.
**Tourism Departments of all States and UTs**
* **Impact:** Required to encourage tourism activities to be undertaken with respect for basic right like dignity, safety and freedom from exploitation of both tourists and local residents in particular, women and children.
* **Action Required:** Adopted ‘Code of Conduct for Safe & Honourable Tourism'
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Tourism: Primary ministry responsible for tourism in India, working with states/UTs to improve tourist safety, particularly for women.
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA): Supporting the efforts of State Governments and UTs by taking various initiatives and measures for safety of women in the country
Nirbhaya Fund: Dedicated non-lapsable corpus fund administered by the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, to be utilized for projects specifically designed to improve the safety and security of women.
Code of Conduct for Safe & Honourable Tourism: A set of guidelines adopted by the Ministry of Tourism and other stakeholders to encourage tourism activities with respect for basic right like dignity, safety and freedom from exploitation.
Women Help Desk (WHD): A facility being set up in each police station of States and UTs with financial assistance from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to make police stations more accessible and friendly to women.
Ministry of Tourism
Safety of Women at Tourist Destinations
प्रव तथ: 11 DEC 2025 2:40PM by PIB Delhi
Safety and Security of tourists is essentially a State subject. There is no proposal in the Ministry of
Tourism to formulate a national policy regarding women safety.
However, the Ministry of Tourism has been continuously taking up the matter with all the State
Governments and Union Territory (UT) Administrations for setting up of dedicated Tourist Police to
strengthen on-ground safety mechanism for tourists. With the efforts of Ministry of Tourism, States/UT’s
viz Telangana, 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.
As a part of the Ministry’s continuous endeavors to make travel for tourists safe and secure, the Ministry
of Tourism has set up a 24x7 Multi-Lingual Tourist Helpline on the toll free number 1800111363 or on a
short code 1363 in 12 Languages including 10 international languages (German, French, Spanish, Italian,
Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic), Hindi and English for domestic and foreign
tourists to provide support service in terms of information relating to travel in India and to offer
appropriate guidance to tourists in distress, while travelling within India.
In addition, it is stated that the Government has set up a dedicated non-lapsable corpus fund - Nirbhaya
Fund, being administered by Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, which can be utilized
for projects specifically designed to improve the safety and security of women.
Ministry of Tourism has been periodically requesting all State Governments and Union Territories for
availing the benefits of the ‘Safe Tourism Destinations for Women’ under Nirbhaya fund which can be
utilized for projects specifically designed to improve the safety and security of women tourists.
The Ministry of Tourism along with all stakeholders, including the Tourism Departments of all States and
UTs, have adopted the ‘Code of Conduct for Safe & Honourable Tourism’ which is a set of guidelines to
encourage tourism activities to be undertaken with respect for basic right like dignity, safety and freedom
from exploitation of both tourists and local residents in particular, women and children.
The Women Safety Division, Ministry of Home Affairs, has conveyed that 'Police' and 'Public Order' are
State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. The responsibility of maintaining
law and order, protection of life and property of the citizens including women and children rest with the
respective State Governments and the State Governments are competent to deal with such offences under
the extant provisions of laws. However, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has been supplementing the
efforts of the State Governments and UTs by taking various initiatives and measures in this regard and
these efforts are summarized as below:
(i) MHA have also provided financial assistance to all States and UTs for setting up Women Help
Desk (WHD) in each police station of States and UTs. As per available information, out of targeted
16469 Police Station, 14658 WHDs have been set up and 13743 WHDs are headed by the WomenPolice officials. Objectives of setting Women Help Desk are making Police Stations more accessible
and friendly to women, Women Help Desk shall be the single point of contact for women, Officials
in Women Help Desk will be adequately trained in sensitively dealing with complaints by women.
(ii) Ministry of Home Affairs has been issuing advisories to States/UTs to deal with crime against
women and children. These Advisories inter-alia includes detailed steps/action to be taken by Police
in preventing crime, investigation and prosecution, measures to prevent crime, registration of FIR,
sensitization of Police Personnel towards women, providing training to the Police in dealing with
crime against Women, features of Criminal laws, night patrolling etc. These advisories are available
on MHA’s website at www.mha.gov.in.
This information was given by Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in
a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
****
Sunil Kumar Tiwari
tourism4pib[at]gmail[dot]com
(रलीज़ आईडी: 2202216) आगंतुक पटल : 325
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