Trade

National Parks as Tourist Spots

The Ministry of Tourism undertook an independent assessment of the ground situation in select National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries in the country, through the students of various Institutes of Hotel Management, affiliated to the National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology (NCHMCT). This assessment was done for hotels, lodges, resorts, camps & guest houses in six National Parks during December, 2009 to June, 2010. The findings of these assessment surveys have been shared with the concerned Administrative Ministry, namely the Ministry of Environment and Forests. The park-wise expenditure incurred by the Ministry of Tourism for conduct of these surveys is - Jim Corbett, Uttarakhand (Rs.2.37 lakh), Kaziranga, Assam (Rs.3.32 lakh) Mudumalai, Tamil Nadu (Rs.0.82 lakh), Bandhavgarh and Kanha, Madhya Pradesh (Rs.5.42 lakh) and Pench (Rs.1.30 lakh), Madhya Pradesh.

Development and promotion of tourism including national parks as tourist spots is primarily the responsibility of State Governments/UT Administrations concerned. The Ministry of Tourism extends Central Financial Assistance to State Governments/UT Administrations for development and promotion of tourism projects including development of National Parks on the basis of proposals received from them, subject to adherence to scheme guidelines, availability of funds, inter-se priorities.

One project for development of infrastructure and destination development in Dudhwa National Park in District Kheri, Uttar Pradesh under Dudhwa-Katernia Ghat Tourist Circuit was sanctioned for Rs.312.60 lakh, as Central Financial Assistance, by the Ministry of Tourism in 2005-06. The project has since then been completed by the State Government.

This information was given by the Minister of Tourism, Shri Subodh Kant Sahai in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.