Travel and Tourism Schemes: List of Schemes
Travel and Tourism schemes in India aim to strengthen destinations, improve facilities, and support local communities. Key programmes include Swadesh Darshan 2.0, PRASHAD, SASCI, and state-level tourism subsidy schemes. These initiatives enhance infrastructure, promote pilgrimage sites, and offer financial support to tourism businesses.
Muskan Verma19 Nov, 2025
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Travel and tourism are very important for India. People who travel to see famous places, temples, beaches, mountains, and many cultural spots. This helps local people to earn money and keeps the traditions alive.
To make travel better and safer, the Government of India has created many tourism schemes. These schemes will help to improve the roads, tourist places, and basic facilities. They will also give support to people who work in tourism.
The main goal is to make tourist places cleaner, easier to reach, and more enjoyable. The government also wants to promote responsible to travel so that nature and heritage are protected for the future.
Travel and Tourism Overview
In India, travel and tourism mean people visiting different places for fun, adventure, religious trips, culture, or to learn new things. This sector helps many people earn their living. It also supports small shops, guides, and hotels, and keeps India’s culture and nature protected.
But there are some problems too. Some places do not have good roads, clean spaces, or enough facilities for visitors. Some areas grow faster than others, which creates a gap. There are also concerns about keeping the environment safe.
To solve these issues, the government introduces different tourism schemes. These schemes help improve tourist spots, build better transport, and support local communities. They also focus on making travel safe, clean, and friendly to nature. By doing this, the government wants everyone to enjoy travelling while also protecting India’s heritage and environment for the future.
| Travel and Tourism Overview | |
| Focus Area | Government Support |
| Infrastructure Development | Financial assistance for tourist infrastructure, circuit development, and heritage sites |
| Pilgrimage Tourism | Support for spiritual and heritage destinations |
| Destination Management | Sustainable development via new themes and destination-centric planning |
| Promotion & Marketing | Publicity schemes, market development, and capacity-building |
| Capital Investment | Interest-free or low-cost funding for major tourist hubs |
List of Travel and Tourism Schemes
The Ministry of Tourism in India helps the travel and tourism sector through different government programs. These programs work to improve tourist places, support famous religious and historical spots, and give financial help to people and groups connected to tourism. Below, we’ve mentioned the list of the main tourism schemes that are active in 2025.
| List of Travel and Tourism Schemes | ||
| Scheme Name | State / Ministry | Purpose |
| Mumkin – Livelihood Generation Scheme | Jammu & Kashmir | Encourages youth to start self-employment within the transport sector. |
| Tirth Barat Yojana | Chhattisgarh | Assists PwDs and senior citizens for pilgrimage outside the state. |
| Sindhu Darshan Scheme | Gujarat | Supports pilgrims travelling for the Sindhu Darshan Yatra. |
| Kailash Darshan Yatra | Gujarat | Provides support to selected pilgrims completing the yatra. |
| Travel Grants to Goan Authors | Goa | Helps Goan writers travel to interact with writers of other regions. |
| Varanasi and Amritsar Yatra Scheme | Haryana | Provides travel reimbursement for SC pilgrims. |
| Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Shabari Smriti Yatra Scheme | Gujarat | Supports tribal pilgrims visiting Ayodhya. |
| Low Altitude Guide Course | Uttarakhand | Trains youth as certified low-altitude guides. |
| Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s Yatra Scheme | Puducherry | Covers travel-related costs for SC/ST residents visiting places linked to Dr. Ambedkar. |
| Sindhu Dharshan Yatra Scheme 2016 | Haryana | Offers financial help for the Sindhu Darshan Yatra. |
| AICTE-INAE Travel Grant Scheme | Ministry of Education | Provides travel grants for engineering students for academic exposure. |
| Sri Lanka’s Sita Temple Tour | Madhya Pradesh | Covers part of travel expenses for pilgrims visiting Sita Temple and related places. |
| Grant of Financial Incentives for Tourism Projects | Puducherry | Supports tourism projects like heritage hotels, resorts, and infrastructure. |
| Sindhu Darshan Scheme (Ladakh) | Madhya Pradesh | Supports pilgrims travelling for Sindhu Darshan. |
| Bus Pass Fee Concession Scheme | Gujarat | Reduces bus fare for students in government and non-government schools. |
| Operation of River Rafting / Kayaking Activities | Uttarakhand | Regulates adventure tourism by licensing rafting companies and guides. |
| Paragliding and Guided Flying Courses (P1–P4, SIV) | Uttarakhand | Trains youth as paragliding pilots and instructors. |
| Special Basic Mountaineering Course | Uttarakhand | Trains youth in mountaineering skills to support adventure tourism. |
| Punjab Farm Tourism Scheme | Punjab | Promotes rural experiences by supporting farm-stay tourism. |
Benefits of the Travel and Tourism Schemes
Below, we’ve mentioned some of the key benefits of these government schemes for tourism in India:
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Infrastructure Development: Schemes like Swadesh Darshan 2.0 and SASCI help improve tourist places. They focus on better roads, basic facilities, and easier travel to the last point. This makes tourist spots cleaner, safer, and easier to reach.
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Economic Growth and Local Jobs: When tourist places grow, people living nearby get more work. Jobs increase in hotels, transport, guiding, and small shops. This helps local families earn money and strengthens the area’s economy.
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Sustainable Tourism: A big aim of Swadesh Darshan 2.0 is to support nature-friendly tourism. Projects under this scheme include eco-parks, meditation spaces, and activities that protect plants, animals, and the environment.
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Better Pilgrimage and Heritage Experience: PRASHAD focuses on improving spiritual and heritage places. It helps build cleaner spaces, better parking, information centres, and good facilities. Visitors get a smoother experience, and cultural sites stay protected.
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Financial Help for Tourism Businesses: The LGSCATSS scheme makes it easier for small tourism businesses to get loans. This helps tour operators, guides, and others who faced problems during tough times like COVID. Mudra loans for homestays also support people who want to start or grow their small lodging business.
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Support for New Entrepreneurs: Many states have their own tourism support schemes. These schemes help local people start small businesses, especially homestays and hospitality services. For example, some states offer help with loan interest so new businesses can begin smoothly.
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Long-Term Growth and Global Recognition: Under SASCI, important tourist places are developed with high-quality standards. This helps attract more international visitors and strengthens India’s image as a major tourism destination.
Travel and tourism in India is not only about fun trips. It also helps the country grow, protects culture, and supports the environment. The government runs many tourism schemes like Swadesh Darshan 2.0, PRASHAD, SASCI, LGSCATSS, and support programs for homestays. These schemes help make tourist places better and more welcoming.
These efforts bring more visitors and also help local people. They encourage small businesses, support families who depend on tourism, and make sure that development does not harm nature or cultural sites. This creates a stable and responsible travel system for the future.
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