In its newest report on Demand for Grants for 2025-26 of the Tourism Ministry tabled within the Rajya Sabha, the associated standing committee on transport, tourism, and tradition has identified ‘persistent underutilisation’ of funds for flagship tourism infrastructure schemes like Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD by the division.
Analysing the finances estimates (BE), revised estimates (RE) and precise expenditure from FY21-22 to 2024-25, the parliamentary committee has famous “appreciable gaps” between allotted funds and precise expenditure throughout main schemes of the tourism ministry, together with the flagship Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD schemes.
Whereas INR 1900 crore has been allotted to the Swadesh Darshan Scheme within the 2025-26 finances, the parliamentary panel has identified important underutilisation of budgeted funds in earlier years in that account. As in opposition to the RE of INR 818 crore in 2023-24, the ministry might solely utilise INR 349.87 crore underneath these flagship schemes. Equally, in 2024-25, as in opposition to the RE of INR 350 crore, the precise expenditure was INR 133.91 crore.
Calling for a right away requirement for redressal for structural inefficiencies in challenge execution, monitoring and challenge administration framework, the parliamentary committee has beneficial a 3-tier monitoring mechanism and a devoted Mission Administration Unit (PMU) throughout the ministry with infrastructure and monetary specialists as members.
Main recommendations to make the challenge implementation and monitoring environment friendly embody strengthening central oversight, establishing state-level coordination committees, destination-specific implementation groups and real-time digital monitoring of the initiatives.
In its newest report, the parliamentary committee expressed critical concern over the sharp decline in allocation for the Restructured Overseas Promotion and Publicity Scheme, which has been lowered to an insufficient INR 3.07 crore in 2025-26. The committee famous that this drastic discount threatens India’s competitiveness within the world tourism market, the place competing locations considerably improve their advertising investments.
The committee has beneficial an Built-in International Tourism Advertising Framework that leverages digital platforms and synthetic intelligence to ship personalised, focused worldwide campaigns. The Unimaginable India Digital Platform (IIDP) must be enhanced with AI-driven personalisation capabilities, digital tourism experiences, and seamless reserving interfaces to supply potential worldwide guests with immersive pre-visit experiences of India’s various locations.
