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Following is an excerpt from a PIB release dated Nov 25, 2008.

Infrastructure Development

The Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned Rs. 610.51 crore for Infrastructure development in the year 2007-08 and Rs.482.07 crore in the year 2008-09.(Upto Oct.2008)

The Ministry has launched a scheme for development of nationally and internationally important destinations and circuits through Mega Projects. To date 22 mega projects have already been identified and of these 15 projects have been sanctioned for an amount of Rs.320.15 Crore . Of these, Amritsar, Agra, Varanasi, Gangtok, Bhubaneswar, Aurangabad and Hyderabad are also being developed as mega destinations through the joint plans of all the key Ministries of Government of India, which includes connectivity through road, rail and air and upgradation of civic infrastructure.

Following is from the year end review of the Tourism ministry as given in the PIB release dated Dec 30, 2008.

2. Infrastructure Development:

Infrastructure Development holds the key to India’s sustained growth in the tourism sector. Therefore, the Ministry of Tourism has been making efforts to develop quality tourism infrastructure at tourist destinations and circuits. The Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned 91 projects for an amount of Rs.503.56 crore for infrastructure augmentation including rural tourism projects in the year 2008-09 (up to November 08).

The Ministry has launched a scheme for development of nationally and internationally important destinations and circuits through Mega Projects. To date 22 mega projects have already been identified and of these 17 projects have been sanctioned. In the year alone the Ministry has sanctioned 11 mega projects at Amritsar, Bhubaneshwar-Puri-Chilka, Tirupati (Nellore-Chittor), Dwarka, Haridwar-Rishikesh, Vidarbha Heritage Circuit, Hampi, Gangtok, Kadapa, Mahabalipuram and Ganga Heritage Cruise Circuit. The mega projects are a judicious mix of culture, heritage, spiritual and ecotourism in order to give tourists a holistic perspective.

Ministry of Tourism is also taking initiatives with other Central Govt. Ministries, such as Railways, Civil Aviation, Road Transport & Highways, Food Processing and Urban Development and also the concerned State Governments to achieve convergence and synergy with their programmes so that the impact of investment on these destinations is maximized. Based on continuous coordination and interaction, 6 tourism sites – Agra, Varanasi, Gangtok, Bhubaneswar, Aurangabad and Hyderabad are being developed as mega destinations through the joint plans of all the key Ministries of Government of India. With the loan assistance of JBIC, the Ajanta Ellora Conservation and Tourism Development Project (Phase-II) is under implementation.

Following is from another PIB release dated December 30, 2008.

In addition, Mega shopping festivals are also being organized in cities of different regions of the country such as Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad, Aurangabad and Noida where artisans and artists from rural tourism sites would be given a platform for exhibition and sale of their handicraft products and for cultural performances.  This kind of exposure to the domestic and international tourists would have far reaching benefits for the socio-economic development of the rural artisans.