Five states from Northeast India—Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, and Tripura—have been included in the Tourism Ministry's Swadesh Darshan initiative, which focuses on the integrated development of theme-based tourist circuits across India.
Launched in 2014-15, the Swadesh Darshan scheme has now evolved into Swadesh Darshan 2.0, with a focus on sustainable tourism development.
The programme has seen the approval of 76 projects with a total investment of ₹5,287.90 crore, 75 of which have already been completed.
Additionally, 34 new projects have been sanctioned under Swadesh Darshan 2.0, with an investment of ₹793.20 crore.
The initiative also introduces a sub-scheme, ‘Challenge Based Destination Development’, which seeks proposals for tourist site development in four key areas: Spiritual Tourism, Culture and Heritage, Vibrant Village Programme, and Ecotourism.
The PRASHAD Scheme (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive) complements Swadesh Darshan with ₹1,646.99 crore allocated to improve infrastructure at key pilgrimage sites, with 23 out of 48 projects completed.
In addition to the Swadesh Darshan scheme, the Tourism Ministry has approved 40 new projects in 23 states, including those in the five Northeastern states, with an investment of ₹3,295.76 crore under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI).
This funding mechanism provides long-term, interest-free loans to promote the development and marketing of iconic tourist centres.
In 2023, India saw a notable increase in international tourist arrivals, with 18.89 million visitors generating ₹2,31,927 crore in Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs).
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