Budget 2024: Govt to boost tourism, major focus on Bihar and Odisha
Budget 2024: FM Nirmala Sitharaman said the government will support the development of Nalanda as a tourist centre besides reviving Nalanda University.
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Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her 7th budget speech gave a boost to "religious tourism" under the Centre's PRASAD scheme. The Finance Minister announced that the Vishnupad Temple Corridor (in Gaya) and Mahabodhi Temple Corridor would be supported and modeled on the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Corridor.
Further, Sitharaman said that the government will take a "comprehensive development initiative" for Rajgir which holds significance for Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains.
"The 20th Tirthankara Munisuvrata temple in the Jain Temple complex is ancient. The Saptharishi or the 7 hotsprings form a warm water Brahmakund that is sacred. A comprehensive development initiative for Rajgir will be undertaken," FM Sitharaman said in Parliament today.
Further, the FM said the government will support the development of Nalanda as a tourist centre besides reviving Nalanda University.
Sitharaman said the the Centre will also assist in Odisha for developing a tourism destination.
Aloke Bajpai, Chairman, Managing Director & Group CEO, ixigo lauded the government's initiative towards spiritual tourism. Bajpai said, "We saw a 40-50% increase in demand for spiritual tourism last year, for destinations like Varanasi, Ayodhya, and Tirupati. The government’s PRASAD Scheme has led to a remarkable transformation in Varanasi's tourism sector, attracting an unprecedented 100 million visitors to Kashi Vishwanath Dham after the corridor project completion."
Bajpai further said, "We expect a similar boost in tourism to Bihar and Odisha with spiritual tourism corridors coming up for Vishnupad Temple and Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya, along with comprehensive initiatives for Rajgir, Nalanda, and Odisha. We expect this to benefit our large next billion user (NBU) base which predominantly relies on buses and trains to access these spiritual towns, and where our market share continues to improve across modes of transport."
The Centre launched the PRASAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spiritual Augmentation Drive) Scheme in 2014 under the Ministry of Tourism which focuses on developing and identifying different pilgrimages to promote religious tourism in the country.
