01. Nodal Ministry: Launched by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
02. Nature of Scheme: 100% Centrally Funded (Central Sector Scheme).
03. Objective -To develop theme-based tourist circuits to unlock India's tourism potential, leverage the sector for economic growth, and create sustainable livelihood opportunities for local communities.
- Launched in 2014–15,
- Swadesh Darshan was the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Tourism for integrated development of tourism infrastructure across thematic tourist circuits. A total of 76 tourism infrastructure projects were sanctioned with an investment of ₹5,290.33 crore.
The 15 Thematic Circuits -
- Under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, 15 themes have been identified for developing theme-based circuits-
|
S.No |
Circuit |
S.No |
Circuit |
|
1 |
Buddhist Circuit |
9 |
Ramayana Circuit |
|
2 |
Coastal Circuit |
10 |
Rural Circuit |
|
3 |
Desert Circuit |
11 |
Spiritual Circuit |
|
4 |
Eco Circuit |
12 |
Sufi Circuit |
|
5 |
Heritage Circuit |
13 |
Tirthankar Circuit |
|
6 |
Himalayan Circuit |
14 |
Tribal Circuit |
|
7 |
Krishna Circuit |
15 |
Wildlife Circuit |
|
8 |
North-East Circuit |
- Integrated Circuits -Key circuits include Buddhist, Coastal, Desert, Eco, Heritage, Himalayan, Krishna, Northeast, Ramayana, Spiritual, Sufi, Tirthankar, Tribal, and Wildlife Circuits.
- Evolution (Swadesh Darshan 2.0) - Shifting focus from broad thematic circuits to developing sustainable and responsible tourist destinations with a tourist-centric approach (e.g., experiential tourism, local culture promotion, and digital integration).
Schemes under SD 2.0
A) Challenge Based Destination Development (CBDD)
- Introduced in March 2024 under SD 2.0; promotes tourism development through a competitive, challenge-based framework; transforms destinations into sustainable tourism hubs through holistic planning, innovation and community participation; 38 projects sanctioned with investment of ₹697.94 crore .
- 36 projects under four categories Spiritual Tourism, Culture & Heritage, Vibrant Village Programme, Ecotourism.
B) PM-JUGA (Tribal Homestays)
- Development of tribal homestays as a sub-scheme of SD 2.0.
- PM-JUGA initiative will build 1,000 tribal homestays, threading the tourism agenda directly into socio-economic uplift of tribal communities .
Strategic Objectives for India
- Economic Multiplier: Tourism is highly labor-intensive; the creation of infrastructure directly generates mass employment (direct and indirect) for local youth and women.
- De-congestion: Developing tier-2 and tier-3 destinations redirects the tourist influx away from over-saturated primary hotspots.
- Preservation of Heritage: Financial outlays support the upkeep, peripheral development, and accessibility of remote cultural and historical structures
