TOURISM POLICY 2018

RURAL TOURISM : SCOPE AND POTENTIAL

Sikkim is also leveraging its rural tourism products with its distinction of being India's first organic state.A noteworthy mention is of the Govardhan Eco Village in Maharasthra which won the UNWTO Ulysses Award For Innovation last year.

GOVERNMENT INITATIVES FOR DEVEPLOMENT OF RURAL TOURISM

Swadesh Darshan- Scheme Guidelines for Integrated Development of Theme Based Circuits:

         India's rich cultural , historical , religious and natural heritage provide a huge potential for development of tourism and job creation.

PRASAD- Pilgrimage Rejuvenation for Spirtual Augmentation Drive:

         Pilgrimage tourism is a form of tourism motivated partly or wholly by religious sentiments.

E- Tourist Visa Facility

        To facilitate arrival of international tourists, Ministry of Tourism has been working very closely with Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs for easing of the Visa Regime in the country over a period of time. In order to make rural tourism attractive,Ministry of Tourism is promoting Farm Tourism as niche products. Ministry is also encouraging Home Stay Facilities in rural areas.

NATIONAL TOURISM POLICY : THE POTENTIAL GAME CHANGER

      According to the latest data available, Travel & Tourism generated INR14.1 trillion(USD208.9 billion) in 2016,which is the world's 7th largest in terms of absolute size,the sum is equivalent to 9.6% of the country's GDP.

       As per the latest data,Travel & Tourism sector has supported 40.3 milloin jobs in 2016, thus making India Global second in terms of total employment supported by travel and tourism. This particular sector account for 9.3% of the total jobs in the country. It is restimated that in 2017, there will be  a growth of 6.7% in Travel and tourism sector in India. However, this remarkable growth of India;s travel and tourism sector is being driven by domestic tourism which accounted for 88% of the sectors contribution to GDP in 2016.

NEED FOR A TOURISM POLICY

Medical Tourism : Persons coming particularly to avail medical facilities . A large chunk of population from South Asian countries come to India to avail medical facilities here.

Education Tourism : Prospective Students and their families coming for pursuing higher studies in institutes of repute such as : IITs, IIMs,JNU etc.

Golf Tourism : India boasts of world class golf courses to promote golf tourism in the country. Jammu and Kashmir, chandigrah, New Delhi, Kochi,Bengaluru have excellent facilities and infrastructure which attarct golf connoisseurs worldwide.

Eco-Tourism : Western Ghats, Indo-Burma Border and Eastern Himalayas and Nicobar Islands are bio-diversity hot spots eco region.

NATIONAL TOURISM POLICY

National Tourism Policy was formulated in 1982 in a closed economy with stringent licensing procedures.

RURAL TOURISM: INFRASTRUCTURE AND CAPACITY BUILDING

Tourism is definitely usefull for acountry like India,where almost74% of the population resides in its 7 million villages.

ADEQUATE FUNDS RELEASED TO STATES FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT

The government in the year 2017-18 provided the highest ever allocation of 48,000 crores at BE stage for MGNREGA.

A record number of one crore new houses under PMAY(G) are to be completed by December,2018.

PMGSY now spends nearly Rs 29,000 crore a year including state share.

The target of 100% connectivity by March,2019 is being rigorously followed and is likely to be nearly achieved.

Conceptual Framework of panchayats and village Tourism:

       Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) are peoples institutions  at grassroots levels. These institutions are expected to prepare plans for economic development and social justice including 29 subjects listed in the 11th Schedule of the constitution.

BROWN CIRCUIT: Thirssur is home to the maximum number of dams in kerala. Dams -the temples of modern India-serve the vital purposes of drinking water and irrigation.

National Mission for Clean Ganga Organises 'EK Shaam Ganga Ke Naam'

          National Mission for clean Ganga (NMCG) organised a cultural eveing - "Ek Shaam Ganga ke Naam " in New Delhi. On 4th November,2008,Ganga was declared as the National River of India.

Government Initiatives in Rural Tourism:

       The government of India has already visualized that development of travel and tourism is the best approach to proliferate the income of rural population where almost 68.8% of the population resides in nearly 6 lakh villages.

Goverment's Initiatives , Schemes and Policies :

Skill Development Programme

Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gramin Kaushal Yojana

It based student financial Aid Authority

Pradhan Mantri Vidya Lakshmi karya Kram

MUDRA Bank,SETU,Nai Manzil

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM)

National Investment and Infrastructure Fund(NIIF)

Tax Free Infrastructure bonds

Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana,Atal Pension Yojana

Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana

Senior Citizen Welfare Fund

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

Clean Ganga Mission

Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and spiritual Agumentation Drive (PRASAD)

National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana(HRIDAY)

Make in India Programme

Digital India

Smart City

PRAYATAN PARV Concludes

     Ministry of Tourism launched the 'Paryatan Parv' (tourism festival) celebrations country wide on 5th october 2017. 'Paryatan Parv' activities began with the flagging of the cycle rally by Smt. Rashmi Verma, Secretary, Ministry Of Tourism From India Gate,New Delhi to Quatb Minar.

         The Ministry of Rural Development under the National RURBAN Mission Launched Tourism Projects in Spituk Rurban Cluster For Development Of tourism Infrastrucutre, Tourist Information Center,Amusement/Theme park and Parking Facilities at Spituk Gompa,Leh.The Ministry has launched Tourism Projects in Moorang Rurban Cluster for development of Pilgrim & Spiritual Tourism and Adventure Tourism at Kinnaur,Himachal Pradesh.

        As a grand finale to the 21 day Paryatan Parv, a three-day event was also organised at the Rajpath Lawns,New Delhi from the 23rd to 25th October 2017.

WORLD TOILET DAY CELEBRATED ON NOVEMBER 19,2017

        The Senior officers,led by Secretary,Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation Shri Parameswaran Iyer,had arrived in the village on November 17,2017.

       Data at a glance

Household toilets build since 0ct 2014-54328358 until today 23.11.2017 at 1pm. Open Defection free villages-276956. Open Defection free villages-in Namami Gange-4464.Open Defection Free Districts-236. Open Defection Free states-7.

PRADHAN MANTRI AWAS YOJANA

      Pradhan mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin) was launched by the Prime Minister one year ago on 20thNovember,2016 from Agra. A target of completing one crore new houses after beneficiary registration, geo-tagging and account verification by 31st March,2019 was set Of these , 51 Lakh houses had to be completed by 31st March,2018.