Leh and Kargil, the two districts of Ladakh, will soon witness a transformation in their tourism infrastructure and services under the Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme, Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy said on Thursday.
In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, Reddy said that Leh and Kargil have been identified as destinations for development under the revamped scheme, which aims to create sustainable and responsible tourism destinations across the country.
“Leh and Kargil have immense potential for tourism, especially adventure, culture and heritage tourism. The Ministry of Tourism has taken several initiatives to promote and develop tourism in the Union Territory of Ladakh, which was carved out of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019,” Reddy said.
He said that under the Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme, the Ministry will provide financial assistance to the UT administration for creating world-class tourism infrastructure and facilities, such as accommodation, transport, connectivity, sanitation, security, interpretation and information centres, among others.
He added that the Ministry will also support the UT administration in developing human capital, destination management and promotion, policy and institutional reforms, and community-based tourism.
Reddy said that the Ministry has already sanctioned two projects under the Swadesh Darshan 1.0 scheme for Ladakh, namely Integrated Development of Tourist Facilities in Kargil-Batalik-Hanuthang-Skurbuchan-Khaltse Circuit and Development of Leh Palace. He said that these projects are under various stages of implementation and are expected to be completed by March 2024.
He also said that the Ministry has launched a special campaign, ‘Dekho Apna Desh’, to encourage domestic tourism and showcase the diverse and rich culture and heritage of India, including Ladakh.
He said that the Ministry has also conducted various webinars, roadshows, workshops and training programmes to create awareness and capacity building among the stakeholders of the tourism industry in Ladakh.
He said that the Ministry is committed to making Ladakh a prime tourist destination in the country and provide a boost to the local economy and livelihoods of the people.
