The Union budget has allocated Rs 1088.03 crore for the development of tourism infrastructure.
Notably, The budgetary allocation for the ministry of tourism has been reduced from Rs 2,500 crore in 2020-21 to Rs 2026.77 crore this year, in a hit to the tourism industry which is reeling from massive losses due to the coronavirus crisis. The revised estimate for the ministry was Rs 1,260 crore.
With the coronavirus crisis restricting not just foreign tourist footfalls into the country but also keeping Indian travellers at bay, the budget has focused on pushing funds for promotion and publicity to help encourage tourists back. Out of the Rs 668.72 crore allocated towards promotion and publicity, Rs 524.02 crore is for the overseas market and Rs 144.70 crore has been kept for domestic tourists.
Union Tourism minister Prahlad Patel told before media, ''I am thankful to the Prime Minister and Finance Minister for giving us a budget which is pro-tourism. It is a budget that shows confidence in the self and a budget that is self-reliant,'' ''For tourism, we primarily have two schemes PRASAD and Swadesh Darshan which have both been continued this year. A new scheme of iconic sites has also been introduced. Infrastructure is the key factor for tourism and this budget has talked of air connectivity to smaller cities. This will benefit tourism,'' he said.
With the coronavirus crisis bringing the tourism sector to its knees, the union budget has allocated a sum of Rs 63.65 crore for capacity building for service providers and Rs 138.65 crore for training and skill development.
Budget for Aatmanirbhar Bharat: Help strengthen economy: Rajnath Singh
Output of eight core industries contracts 1.3pc in December
Budget 2021: A guide to self-reliant India, ''all-inclusive budget'': Amit Shah