Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
Here is good news for the citizens and the tourism stakeholders as the union Ministry of Tourism (UMoT) has included the world heritage sites - Ellora Caves and Ajanta Caves - in the Swadesh Darshan Scheme 2.0, recently. It aims at developing Sustainable and Responsible tourist destinations.
UMoT’s assistant director general (Swadesh Darshan Division), Uttank Joshi, issued an office memorandum in this regard on February 1, 2024.
The first phase of the scheme integrating the tourism circuits was launched in 2014-15. Since then the tourism associates were waiting impatiently for inclusion of our world heritage sites under SD 2.0. It may be noted that the UMoT has included the Grishneshwar-Jyotirlinga (at Ellora) under PRASAD scheme, in January 2024.
According to the experts the inclusion will help develop tourism in the district and funding will help provide more tourist-centric facilities at these heritage sites.
The Chairman of Civil Aviation Committee of Aurangabad Tourism Development Foundation (ATDF), Sunit Kothari said, “ I am glad that the world heritage sites - Ajanta Caves (2300 year old) and Ellora Caves (1200 year old) Ellora Caves are now a part of the scheme. It was a coveted decision that was finally made by the UMoT. The inclusion will definitely give a major push to the growth in tourist arrivals and local economy.”
The above world heritage sites are visited by lakhs of domestic and international tourists, every year. They are also the most sought after destinations of India by the tourists.
Adds ATDF president Jaswant Singh, “ The inclusion is a pride for the tourism stakeholders and the citizens from the Tourism capital of Maharashtra. It is an addition of one more feather in our cap. The local leaders should intervene and pull maximum funds to upgrade the facilities at these heritage sites and make them perfect destinations of the world.”
Swadesh Darshan Scheme 2.0
The UMoT has revamped the first phase of the scheme with the mantra of ‘vocal’ for ‘local’ and explores India’s full potential as a tourism destination. It is not an incremental change but a generational shift to evolve the scheme as a holistic mission to develop sustainable and responsible tourism destinations. The funds will help mapping of the tourism circuits, devising management plans, increasing competency, pushing skill development, preparing detailed project reports, promoting rich local culture, art and handicrafts.