Kaza, Pong dam to be developed under central tourism scheme

SHIMLA: The Union ministry of tourism, under its revamped ‘Swadesh Darshan Scheme’, has identified Pong Dam in Kangra district as one of the destinations with the objective to develop sustainable and responsible tourism destinations. In addition, the tourism ministry has also identified Kaza in Lahaul and Spiti district of the hill state under the ‘culture and heritage destination’ category.
This is alongside Rakchham and Chhitkul in Kinnaur district in the ‘vibrant villages program destination’ category under challengebased destination development (CBDD), a sub-scheme under ‘Swadesh Darshan 2.0.’ Sharing this information in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, Union minister of tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat al so informed that the central govt has approved the initiative to develop tribal homestays under the ‘Swadesh Darshan Scheme’ as part of the ‘Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan’.
Shekhawat highlighted that this intervention includes the development of 1,000 homestays with support of up to Rs 5 lakh per unit for new construction, up to Rs 3 lakh for renovation, and Rs 5 lakh for village community requirements. The Union ministry has even formulated national strategies and roadmaps for the development of rural tourism and rural homestays in the country with the vision to leverage this latent potential and forge a dynamic, responsible, and sustainable tourism environment in the rural areas of the country, he added.
In response to a question by Sikander Kumar, Rajya Sabha member from Himachal Pradesh, the Union minister informed that the tourism ministry, under its Swadesh Darshan Scheme, has sanctioned 76 projects for Rs 5,287 crore in the country, including one project for Rs 68 crore in Himachal Pradesh. However, he clarified that the development and promotion of tourism destinations and products are primarily undertaken by the concerned state govt and union territory administration.