Ministry of Tourisms Swadesh Darshan 2.0; 30 cities from across 15 states shortlisted to be developed as sustainable and responsible destinations

As many as 30 cities from across 15 states are being shortlisted to be developed as sustainable and responsible destinations under the Ministry of Tourism’s Swadesh Darshan 2.0 programme, which was launched in January this year. This is a part of the country’s new domestic tourism policy which moves away from theme-based tourist circuits and focuses on destination management. The 15 states also include Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.

The Centre has selected Dwarka and Dholavira in Gujarat to develop them as holistic tourist destinations besides Colva and Porvorim in Goa and Nalanda and Gaya in Bihar. Giving details on the selected destinations, officials in the ministry said, various tourist places near Dwarka (in the range of 50 km) that will be developed include the Dwarka-Dwarkadhish Temple, Nageshwara Jyotirlinga Temple, Shivrajpur Beach, Sudama Setu, Rukmani Devi Temple, Gopi talab and Bhadkeshwar Mahadev Mandir.

For Dholavira, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the largest well-preserved Indus Valley sites in Gujarat, the fossil park, viewpoints, hiking trails, regional arts, handicrafts, and the village life experience will get a focus, with an aim to create a wholesome experience.

The Swadesh Darshan Scheme was launched by the Centre in 2014-15 for the integrated development of theme-based tourist circuits. Under the scheme, the Ministry of Tourism provides financial assistance to states and Union territories for the development of tourism infrastructure.

Prominent circuits launched under the scheme included Buddhist Circuit, North-East Circuit, Ramayana Circuit, Wildlife Circuit, Rural Circuit etc. However, the scheme could not take off in a way it was expected to, mainly because resources had to be distributed and spread across several states, with too many stakeholders being involved.

Therefore, Swadesh Darshan 2.0, focussing on one destination at a time, to attract domestic tourists, was conceptualised. It also gels with the new tourism policy, which is likely to be tabled in the upcoming Parliament session.

The UT of Chandigarh, strategically located between Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, will also be covered under the new scheme, with an aim to develop Sukhna Lake, Rock Garden, Bird Park and the Capitol Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In the North-East, Assam’s Kokrajhar — a popular wildlife tourist circuit showcasing Manas National Park, Raimona National Park and religious places like Mahamaya Dham and Mahamaya Snan Ghat — will be taken up for overall development and upgradation. Jorhat, another popular wildlife tourist destination in the state, showcasing Kaziranga National Park, Gibbon wildlife sanctuary, Majuli and Shivsagar will also be developed, officials said.