Coordinated efforts to speed up tourism projects

Stepping up efforts for speedy implementation of Swadesh Darshan and PRASAD schemes, Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma today chaired a meeting of the National Steering Committee (NSC) and sought better coordination among various ministries to achieve tangible results.
National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) and Swadesh Darshan schemes are to be implemented in mission mode.
Officials from 12 Ministries participated in the meeting and gave their views on how their ministries can help to promote tourism through expansion of infrastructure, road and transport facilities, railways, civil aviation and skill development training among others.
If the various ministries coordinate and work hand in hand, then Indian tourism can grow by leaps and bounds, Sharma said at the meeting.

Developing world-class infrastructure in the respective destinations/circuits is one of the mission objectives of the schemes.
Sharma assured to consider various suggestions from the representatives of the different ministries on tourism promotion.

Under PRASAD, initially, twelve cities namely Amritsar, Ajmer, Amaravati, Dwaraka, Gaya, Kanchipuram, Kedarnath, Kamakhya, Mathura, Puri, Varanasi and Vellankani have been identified for development.
Integrated Development of Theme-Based Tourist Circuits are part of the Swadesh darshan.
Some of the important suggestions by officials included connecting important destinations of Budhist circuit like Gaya and Varanasi by helicopter services and special coach for tourists in trains to important tourist destinations.

Besides these, training local people especially women as tourist guides to help generate employment, improving basic infrastructure facilities like transport and accommodation in tourist areas were among other suggestions made by the officials.
Tourism Secretary Vinod Zutshi also sought the support of various ministries to make the schemes and initiatives of ministry of tourism a success.