**Executive Summary**
The Ministry of Tourism document outlines tourism promotion initiatives in Kerala, primarily funded through central sector schemes such as Swadesh Darshan, Swadesh Darshan 2.0, and Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment. The Swadesh Darshan scheme is approved until March 2026. It details projects sanctioned under various schemes including Swadesh Darshan (SD), SD2.0, Challenge Based Destination Development (CBDD), PRASHAD and SASCI.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Overview of Tourism Promotion**
* Tourism development is primarily managed by State Governments (SGs) and Union Territory Administrations (UTAs).
* Ministry of Tourism complements these efforts with financial aid via central sector schemes.
* **Schemes in Operation**
* Key schemes include:
* Swadesh Darshan (SD)
* Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (SD2.0)
* Challenge Based Destination Development (CBDD)
* Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD)
* Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI)
* Swadesh Darshan Scheme is approved until March 2026.
* **Sanctioned Projects in Kerala**
* Details of projects sanctioned under SD, SD2.0, CBDD, PRASHAD and SASCI schemes in the state of Kerala are provided in an annexure.
* The annexure lists specific projects, circuits/destinations, sanction years, and amounts sanctioned in Crores.
* **Swadesh Darshan (SD)**: Includes projects like Pathanamthitta-Gavi-Vagamon-Thekkady Eco Circuit (sanctioned 2015-16), Sabarimala Erumeli-Pampa-Sannidhanam Spiritual Circuit (sanctioned 2016-17) and others
* **SD2.0**: Includes projects like Alappuzha: A Global Water Wonderland (sanctioned 2024-25), Enhancement of Tourist Experience at Malampuzha Garden and Leisure Park (sanctioned 2024-25)
* **CBDD**: Includes projects like Varkala-Dakshin Kashi (sanctioned 2024-25) and Thalassery: The Spiritual Nexus (sanctioned 2024-25)
* **SASCI**: Includes projects like Ashtamudi Biodiversity and Eco-recreational Hub in Kollam (sanctioned 2024-25) and Global Gateway to Malabar's Sargaalayaa Cultural Crucible in Sargaalayaa (sanctioned 2024-25)
* **PRASHAD**: Includes projects like Development at Guruvayur Temple (sanctioned 2016-17)
**Impact Analysis**
**Kerala State Government/Union Territory Administrations**
**Impact:**
The document outlines projects and funding available for tourism development in Kerala.
**Action Required:**
The Kerala State Government should continue to submit project proposals aligned with scheme guidelines to the Ministry of Tourism and focus on sustainable and community-based tourism.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Tourism: The central government ministry responsible for formulating national policies and programmes for the development and promotion of tourism in India.
Swadesh Darshan: A central sector scheme of the Ministry of Tourism for integrated development of theme-based tourist circuits.
PRASHAD: Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive, a scheme to enhance religious tourism experience.
Kerala: The state where the tourism projects under the listed schemes were sanctioned.
Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI): A scheme focusing on the development of iconic tourist centers to a global scale.
Ministry of Tourism
Tourism Promotion Initiatives in Kerala
Posted On: 04 FEB 2026 2:36PM by PIB Delhi
While development and promotion of tourism destinations and products is primarily undertaken by the
concerned State Government (SG)/Union Territory Administration (UTA), Ministry of Tourism through its
central sector schemes of ‘Swadesh Darshan (SD), ‘Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (SD2.0)’, ‘Challenge Based
Destination Development (CBDD), a sub-scheme of Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme’ and ‘Pilgrimage
Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD)’ complements the efforts of
tourism infrastructure development in the country by extending financial assistance to the SGs/UTAs; on
receipt of the project proposals from the concerned State Government/Union Territory Administration in
synergy with the scheme guidelines, Government directions, availability of funds, inter-se priority etc.
Swadesh Darshan scheme is approved till March, 2026 and presently there is no new proposal under
consideration for sanctioning in this scheme. The Ministry of Tourism regularly encourages the State
Governments/UT Administrations to focus on sustainable and community-based tourism in the country
including Kerala.
Government of India under its ‘Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) –
Development of Iconic Tourist Centres to Global Scale’ scheme, has also sanctioned projects in the
country with the primary objective to comprehensively develop iconic tourist centres in the country,
branding and marketing them at global scale.
The details of the projects sanctioned under SD, SD2.0, CBDD, PRASHAD and SASCI schemes in the
state of Kerala is annexed.
This information was given by Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in
a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
****
Sunil Kumar Tiwari
tourism4pib[at]gmail[dot]com
ANNEXURE
Details of the projects sanctioned under Swadesh Darshan (SD), SD2.0, CBDD, PRASHAD and
SASCI schemes in the state of Kerala:
(Amount in ₹ Crore)
Scheme/ S. Name of the Project/ Circuit/ Year of Amount
Sub-scheme No. Experience Destination sanction sanctionedSwadesh 1 Development of Pathanamthitta- Eco Circuit 2015-16 64.08
Darshan (SD) Gavi- Vagamon- Thekkady
2. Development of Sabarimala - Spiritual Circuit 2016-17 46.54
Erumeli-Pampa-Sannidhanam
3. Development of Spiritual Circuit 2016-17 78.08
SreePadmanabha Arnamula
4. Development of Malanad Rural Circuit 2018-19 57.35
Malabar Cruise Tourism Project
5. Development Sivagiri Sree Spiritual Circuit 2018-19 66.42
Narayana Guru Ashram-
Arruvipuram- Kunnumpara Sree
Subrahmania- Chembazhanthi
Sree Narayana Gurukulam
SD2.0 6. Alappuzha: A Global Water Alappuzha 2024-25 93.18
Wonderland
7. Enhancement of Tourist Malampuzha 2024-25 75.87
Experience at Malampuzha
Garden and Leisure Park
8. Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary Kumarakom 2023-24 13.81
Experience
CBDD 9. Varkala-Dakshin Kashi (under Varkala 2024-25 25.00
Culture & Heritage category)
10. Thalassery: The Spritiual Thalassery 2024-25 25.00
Nexus (under Spiritual Tourism
category)
SASCI 11. Ashtamudi Biodiversity and Kollam 2024-25 59.71
Eco-recreational Hub in Kollam
12. Global Gateway to Malabar's Sargaalayaa 2024-25 95.34
Cultural Crucible in
Sargaalayaa
PRASHAD 13. Development at Guruvayur Guruvayur 2016-17 45.19
Temple(Release ID: 2223048) Visitor Counter : 125
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