Singh: UP divided into 12 thematic tourism circuits

Lucknow: UP tourism minister Jaiveer Singh on Monday told the state assembly that the state govt has adopted a comprehensive approach by dividing the state into 12 thematic tourism circuits to ensure inclusive and balanced growth.The 12 circuits, he said, were the Ramayana, Krishna-Braj, Buddhist, Mahabharata, shaktipeeth, spiritual, Sufi-Kabir, Jain, Bundelkhand, ecotourism, wildlife & environment, and craft & freedom struggle circuits — all aimed at promoting religious, historical, ecological and cultural tourism across regions. Singh was responding to queries raised by Samajwadi Party (SP) MLAs Kamal Akhtar and Nafees Ahmad during a discussion on the recently tabled state Budget. The opposition questioned the govt's long-term tourism policy and sought details on which destinations were being developed to attract domestic and international tourists.In response, the minister asserted that the govt's circuit-based model reflected a long-term vision to promote inclusive growth and position UP as a major tourism hub."The circuits were not created on the basis of religion or caste, but with the objective of bringing together all communities and showcasing the state's diverse cultural heritage," the minister said.Singh stated that between 2022 and 2025-26, the govt completed 110 tourism-related projects. These included 43 projects linked to Buddhist sites, 30 related to Jain heritage, six sites associated with the Valmiki community, 19 for the Ravidas community, one for the Raidas community, seven connected to the Kabir panth, nine related to gurdwaras and five projects commemorating Dalit icon BR Ambedkar.Taking a swipe at the previous govt, the minister claimed that in 2017 only 24 tourism projects were undertaken with a budgetary provision of Rs109 crore. In comparison, he said, the current govt allocated Rs1,734.31 crore for tourism in 2024-25, which was nearly 15 times higher.Addressing Akhtar directly in the House, the minister said development works were also carried out in his constituency, Kanth (Moradabad).