Tourism Infrastructure Development in India

Central Financial Assistance

• India’s tourism infrastructure is largely built through Central Financial Assistance to State and Union Territory governments.
• Several distinct schemes carry it.

The main schemes

• Swadesh Darshan funds theme-based tourist circuits.
• PRASHAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive) focuses on pilgrimage sites.
• Both were launched in 2014-15.
• In early 2023, Swadesh Darshan was revamped into Swadesh Darshan 2.0, focused on sustainable and responsible tourism.
• The SASCI scheme (Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment) began in 2020-21.
• Its tourism component funds “Iconic Tourist Centres” through 50-year interest-free loans to States.
• Other schemes include the Challenge Based Destination Development Scheme and Assistance to Central Agencies (ACA).
• DA-JUGA is a sub-scheme funding tribal homestays.

The latest sanctions

• On 21 July 2026, the government told Parliament that 117 projects had been sanctioned across these schemes in FY 2024-25 and 2025-26 combined.
• Together they were worth ₹5,756.62 crore.
• SASCI accounted for ₹3,295.76 crore, the largest single share.
• Swadesh Darshan 2.0 followed, at ₹1,565.62 crore.

Training bodies

• The Ministry also runs 21 Institutes of Hotel Management as central training bodies.
• It also runs the Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management and the Indian Culinary Institute.

Digital and visa services

• The Incredible India Digital Platform was revamped and relaunched in September 2024.
• It offers multi-language content and integrated booking for flights, hotels, cabs and ASI monument tickets.
• India’s e-Visa covers 9 sub-categories and is available to nationals of 174 countries.
• The Ministry runs a 24×7 multilingual Tourist Helpline.
• It certifies guides through the Incredible India Tourist Facilitator Certification programme.

Air links and niche strategies

• Under RCS-UDAN, the regional air connectivity scheme, 53 tourism routes have been identified for improved air access.
• The Ministry has National Strategies for rural, MICE, adventure, eco, and medical and wellness tourism.
• “Meet in India” supports MICE tourism.
• “India Says I Do” supports destination weddings.

Circuits vs sites

• Swadesh Darshan builds entire themed circuits.
• PRASHAD focuses on individual pilgrimage and heritage sites.
• Project costs vary: small Vibrant Village Programme projects near the border can cost under ₹5 crore.
• A single SASCI project can approach ₹100 crore.
• The Ministry has also issued a Model Adventure Tourism Safety Framework.

ITDC

• These schemes work alongside the India Tourism Development Corporation, a separate central public sector body.
• See ITDC (India Tourism Development Corporation).

Loans vs grants

• It is tempting to assume the older, better-known Swadesh Darshan gets the most money.
• In the latest two-year period, it did not.
• SASCI’s Iconic Tourist Centres, funded by 50-year interest-free state loans rather than grants, took the largest share: ₹3,295.76 crore of ₹5,756.62 crore.

A renamed scheme

• PRASHAD used to be called PRASAD.
• An older question naming “PRASAD” and a newer one naming “PRASHAD” test the same scheme.

NDA (NA) I 2025: what PRASHAD funds

• The question asked what PRASHAD provides assistance for.
• The answer: the development of tourism infrastructure in States and Union Territories.
• The scheme gives 100% central funding for pilgrimage and heritage site infrastructure.
• That covers sanitation, drinking water, lighting, parking and beautification.
• It now spans 41 sites across 25 states.
• (Source: NDA (NA) I 2025 question.)

CDS II 2018: the PRASAD site trap

• The question asked which one has not been identified as a religious site under the PRASAD scheme.
• The answer: Haridwar.
• The sites include Ajmer, Amritsar, Amaravati, Dwarka, Gaya, Kedarnath, Kamakhya, Kanchipuram, Mathura, Puri, Varanasi and Vellankanni, with Somnath added later.
• (Source: CDS II 2018 question.)

More e-Visa ports, 10 August 2026

• [Policy] On 10 August 2026, the Home Ministry notified 11 more international ports for e-Visa holders. (Source: PIB.)
• The new ports are 9 land ports and 2 airports. (Source: PIB.)
• India now has 88 e-Visa entry ports: 37 airports, 38 seaports and 13 land ports. (Source: PIB.)
• The e-Visa has 17 sub-categories and is open to nationals of 172 countries. (Source: PIB.)

Tourism’s scale, 31 July 2026

• A 31 July 2026 PIB backgrounder said tourism contributed ₹15.73 lakh crore to GDP in FY 2023-24, or 5.22% of the economy.
• It supported 84.6 million jobs. (Source: PIB.)
• The original Swadesh Darshan has sanctioned 76 projects worth ₹5,295.24 crore across 14 thematic circuits, of which 75 are complete. (Source: PIB.)
• PRASHAD has sanctioned 54 projects worth ₹1,726.24 crore.
• The Challenge-Based Destination Development scheme has sanctioned 37 projects worth ₹687.99 crore. (Source: PIB.)
• The next regional air-connectivity phase, Viksit UDAN, carries a ₹28,840 crore outlay.
• It targets over 100 new aerodromes and 200 helipads. (Source: PIB.)

Partnerships

• On 27 July 2026, the Tourism Ministry signed an MoU with Air India to jointly promote India under the “Incredible India” brand.
• It carries no financial commitment on either side.
• Plans include joint global campaigns and possible branding on Air India’s aircraft livery, boarding passes and in-flight media.
• A Joint Working Group will oversee it over an initial 2-year term. (Source: PIB.)
• On 30 June 2026, the Ministry signed an MoU with Google India to boost digital promotion using AI and data-driven insights.
• It is non-commercial, non-binding and non-exclusive, with no financial implications.
• It also includes training for Ministry officials on digital marketing and AI tools. (Source: PIB.)

Parliament and named projects

• On 20 July 2026, Minister of Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat told the Lok Sabha that 117 projects worth ₹5,756.62 crore had been sanctioned over two years. (Source: PIB.)
• Named projects include the Buddhist Meditation and Experience Centre at Bodh Gaya (₹165.44 crore) under Swadesh Darshan 2.0.
• Another is the Loktak Lake Experience in Manipur (₹89.48 crore) under SASCI.
• Rishikesh’s rafting base station received the maximum SASCI sanction of ₹100 crore, alongside a similar project in Belagavi, Karnataka. (Source: PIB.)

Reports and reforms

• On 30 June 2026, NITI Aayog and the Tourism Ministry launched the report “Unlocking Growth in Tourism and Hospitality Sector”.
• It maps reforms for accommodation, homestays and tour operators, and covers visa reforms and infrastructure approvals. (Source: PIB.)
• On 22 June 2026, the Ministry held an industry consultation on ease of doing business.
• Minister Shekhawat reaffirmed the reform commitment.
• Proposals included shifting hotel classification from inspection-based to self-declaration-based assessment.
• They also included an “Entity Locker” for sharing tourism documents digitally. (Source: PIB.)