PROMOTING TOURISM IN BORDER AREAS

 Tourism is something that has to be promoted now and then in the country, including the border areas. This work is efficiently done by the Ministry of Tourism through certain schemes. Schemes of Swadesh Darshan and National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) to State Governments/ Union Territory Administrations/Central Agencies are some schemes that provide financial assistance for the development of tourism infrastructure in the country and the border areas. There are certain requirements for getting financial assistance and those are submitting Detailed Project Reports, availability of funds, and adhering to the guidelines of the Scheme. Adding to this, financial assistance is also provided by the Ministry that is associated with the Civil Aviation Ministry under RCS UDAN 3 for the development of identified tourism routes.

With State Tourism Departments and other stakeholders, initiatives to address challenges of border districts, development of tourism, institutional environment, and security barriers, are being taken, in close coordination, by the Ministry of Tourism. Schemes of “Domestic Promotion & Publicity including Hospitality” (DPPH) and “Overseas Promotion & Publicity including Market Development Assistance (OPMD)”, are some initiatives taken by the Ministry to promote India including the border states. Various Indian tourist destinations and Indian products are promoted but the Ministry to increase the foreign tourist arrivals in the country. This promotion is done through print releases, electronic and online mediums, and outdoor media campaigns in the international markets under the name of the “Incredible India” brand line. Ministry of Tourism also uses its website and social media platforms to promote Indian products and tourist destinations. 

To showcase India’s tourism potential and promote it in the country, the India Tourism Offices present abroad do some promotional activities in important tourist generating markets overseas. Some of the promotional activities are travel fairs and exhibitions; organizing Roadshows, “Know India” seminars &workshops; organizing and supporting Indian food festivals; publication of brochures, offering joint advertising and brochure support and inviting media personalities, tour operators, and opinion makers to visit the Country under the Hospitality program of the Ministry.

The Major and important initiatives and efforts that are done for the promotion of tourism in the Border States by the Ministry of Tourism. They are:

1. For tourism-related infrastructure development at Joint Check Post, Attari, Punjab, an amount of Rs. 1312 lac was sanctioned to Border Security Force.
2. For the construction of Jetties at 9 main points for embarkation/ disembarkation of River Cruise on National Waterways No 1 and 2 including Assam (Neamati, Pandu, Jogighopa, and Biswanath Ghat), an amount of Rs. 2803.05 lac was sanctioned by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI).
3. Highlighting the need to promote tourism education among the locals as well as related stakeholders in the border states of the country, webinars have been organized in coordination with PHDCCI.
4. Events like Ice skating and National Level Ice Hockey Championship at Drass, Kargil in January 2021, were organized by the Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering, Gulmarg which works under the Ministry of Tourism.
5. Iconic sites, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and 50 Tourism Destinations were shared with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways by the Ministry of Tourism for the improvement in road connectivity in the first phase. In the areas, which already had good road connectivity, the Ministry of Road and Highways was requested to put up wayside amenities, prominent signages, and beautification, at a distance of 15-20 km, of the area on any one side of the tourist place.
6. According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, out of the 50 destinations, 23 of them fall under the purview of the Ministry of the Road Transport and Highways/National Highway Authority of India where work is in progress, and 3 of them fall under the Border Road Organization (BRO). those three are:

• Pangong Lake, Ladakh
• Kargil, Ladakh
• Rishikesh, Uttarakhand.

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