Minister of State for Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation Dr Mahesh Sharma told the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that the government sanctioned Rs 131.05 lakh for four rural tourism sites in 2014-15. He added that the previous UPA government had approved 15 rural tourism sites for Rs 436.29 lakh during 2012-13 and 17 for Rs 9.44 lakh during 2013-14.
The Minister said that the Centre laid special emphasis on boosting tourism in the North-east. The rural tourism sites have been sanctioned in Arunachal Pradesh, J&K, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Tripura he said.
The Tourism Ministry has also launched a scheme, Swadesh Darshan, to ensure integrated development of tourist circuits around specific theme pursuant to Budget 2014-15 announcements. The Ministry’s rural tourism scheme is part of Product/ Infrastructure Development for Destinations and Circuits (PIDDC) Scheme.
2.86 lakh toilets constructed in schools across country: Irani
As many as 2.86 lakh toilets have been constructed in schools across the country under the Swachh Vidyalaya initiative with Andaman and Nicobar, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Kerala, Puducherry and Sikkim achieving 100 per cent target. Stating this in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, HRD Minister Smriti Irani said states and Union territories and PSUs from 15 Central ministries and more than 10 private sector entities are involved in construction of toilets in about 2.68 lakh schools.