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Centre Approves Rs 800 Cr to Develop Iconic Tourist Sites in 6 Northeast States
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Centre Approves Rs 800 Cr to Develop Iconic Tourist Sites in 6 Northeast States
In a bid to tackle overcrowding and promote tourism, the Centre has approved Rs 800 crore for the development of eight iconic tourist sites across six northeastern states.
The projects spread across Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Sikkim, and Tripura, were sanctioned by the Department of Expenditure (DoE) this week.
The DoE has released 66 per cent of the approved funds as the first instalment directly to the respective states, with the Ministry of Tourism tasked with monitoring progress. The states have been given a two-year timeline for project completion, with the full funds set to be disbursed by March 2026, officials said.
Among the approved projects are the Nathula Border in Sikkim (Rs 97.37 crore), 51 Shakti Peethas Park in Tripura’s Gomti district (Rs 97.7 crore), Loktak Lake in Manipur (Rs 89.48 crore), Umiam Lake Development in Meghalaya’s Shillong (Rs 99.27 crore), Assam State Zoo in Guwahati (Rs 97.12 crore), and the Siang Eco-Retreat in Arunachal Pradesh’s Pasighat (Rs 46.48 crore).
These initiatives are part of a broader scheme under which the Centre has approved 40 projects worth Rs 3,295 crore across 23 states to ensure a more balanced distribution of tourists nationwide. Union Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat highlighted the initiative’s focus on creating globally recognized destinations while addressing the overcrowding of popular tourist spots.
The projects are being executed under the Special Assistance to States/UTs for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme, which provides interest-free loans for 50 years to states for developing tourist infrastructure. By the October 15, 2024, deadline, the Ministry of Tourism had received 87 project proposals worth over Rs 8,000 crore, out of which 40 were selected. Other selected sites under the scheme include Matsyagandha Lake in Bihar, Town Square in Porvorim, Goa, and Orchha in Madhya Pradesh.