[Indian Year Book 2022-23]* Indian Year Book Notes | Chapter 27. Culture and Tourism

 

Indian Year Book

(2022-23)

Chapter – 27. Culture and Tourism

 

Ø  THE mandate of the Ministry of Culture is to preservation and conservation of India culture and promotion of art (both tangible and intangible). The Ministry is assisted in its work by numerous organisations.

Ø  The Department of Culture organises following programme and oversees working of the institutions mentioned below:

 

Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat

Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat was announced in 2015 on the occasion of the 140th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The broad objectives of the initiative are:-

Ø  To celebrate the unity in diversity of our nation and to maintain and strengthen the fabric of traditionally existing emotional bonds between the people of our country;

Ø  To promote the spirit of national integration through a deep and structured engagement between all states and union territories through a year-long planned engagement between states;

Ø  To showcase the rich heritage and culture, customs and traditions of either state for enabling people to understand and appreciate the diversity that is India, thus fostering a sense of common identity;

Ø  To establish long-term engagements; and

Ø  To create an environment which promotes learning between the states by sharing best practices and experiences.

 

 Lalit Kala Akademi

Ø  Lalit Kala Akademi, the National Academy of Art, was set up in 1954. Lalit Kala Akademi is the government’s apex cultural body in the fi eld of visual arts in India. It is an autonomous body, which is fully funded by the Ministry of Culture.

Ø  It has established, preserved and documented a permanent collection that refl ects the vitality, complexity and unfolding patterns of modern and contemporary art in India.

Ø  All through the year it presents exhibitions and educational programmes of unparalleled signifi cance; sustains a library, art collection, archives, conservation laboratory; and supports scholars and publications of pre-eminent intellectual merit all over the country.

 

Sangeet Natak Akademi

Ø  Sangeet Natak Akademi, India’s national academy of music, dance and drama, is a pioneer in the creation of modern India.

Ø  The Akademi works towards building up a unifi ed structure of support for the practice of music, dance and drama in India encompassing traditional and modern forms, and urban as well as rural environments. The festivals of music, dance and drama presented or promoted by the Akademi are held all over the country. The great masters of the performing arts have been elected as Fellows of the Akademi. The Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards conferred annually on eminent artists and scholars are considered the most coveted honours in the fi eld of the performing arts. Thousands of institutions across the country, including many in the remote areas, engaged in teaching or promotion of music, dance and theatre, have received fi nancial assistance for their work from the Akademi, as do researchers, authors and publishers in relevant disciplines.

Ø  Being the apex body specialising in the performing arts, the Akademi also advises and assists the Government of India in formulating and implementing policies and programmes in the fi eld of the performing arts. It fosters cultural contacts nationally and internationally. The Akademi has held exhibitions and major festivals in foreign countries to foster cultural contact between India and the world.

 

National School of Drama

Ø  The National School of Drama (NSD)—one of the foremost theatre institutions in the world and the only one of its kind in India — was set up by Sangeet Natak Akademi in 1959.

Ø  The objective of the NSD is to train students in all aspects of theatre, including theatre history, production, scene design, costume design, lighting, make-up, etc.

Ø  Since 1998, the School has organised National Theatre Festival for Children christened ‘Jashne Bachpan’ every year.

 

Kalakshetra Foundation

Ø  Kalakshetra Foundation was established in 1936 by the intuitive vision of the legendary Smt. Rukmini Arundale.

Ø  It was established for bringing about cultural renaissance and with the view that for an independent India, deep cultural moorings are vital to stabilise the society.

Ø  Government of India declared the institution as one of ‘National Importance’.

 

Sahitya Akademi

Ø  Sahitya Akademi, India’s National Academy of Letters was inaugurated in 1954 to promote literature in 24 languages of India.

Ø  It organises programmes, confers awards and fellowships on writers in Indian languages and publishes books throughout the year in 24 recognised languages.

Ø  It is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Culture.

 

Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts

Ø  The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), registered in 1987 in New Delhi, is an autonomous trust set up by the Government of India under the Ministry of Culture. IGNCA is a centre of socio-cultural dialogue, knowledge and research to promote cultural rejuvenation and convergence of all art forms.

Ø  IGNCA has seven functional units — (i) Kalanidhi (ii) Kalakosa (iii) Janapada Sampada (iv) Kaladarsaha (v) Cultural Informatics Lab (vi) Sutradhara.

Centre for Cultural Resources and Training

Ø  The Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT) is one of the premier institutions working in the fi eld of linking education with culture. CCRT was set up in 1979 as an autonomous organisation by the Government of India.

Ø  Its headquarters in New Delhi and three regional centres at Udaipur, Hyderabad and Guwahati.

Ø  The broad objectives of CCRT are revitalising the education system by creating an understanding and awareness among students about the plurality of the regional cultures of India and integrating this knowledge with education.

 

Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarnath

Ø  The Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies (CIHTS), Sarnath, Varanasi with a view to educating the youths of Tibet and Indian students of Himalayan border areas.

Ø  Its main objective is to preserve the Tibetan culture and tradition and to preserve ancient Indian sciences and literature preserved in the Tibetan language, but lost in original.

 

Central Institute Of Himalayan Culture Studies, Dahung, Arunachal Pradesh

Ø  The Central Institute of Himalayan Culture Studies (CIHCS) has been registered as a Society.

Ø  The area of operation of the Society shall be all over India. The institute undertakes under graduate, post graduate and doctoral programmes in Buddhist and Himalayan studies and may also establish and maintain feeder schools.

Ø  The objectives are to provide for instruction for various courses in Indian culture and for study and research in different branches of Buddhist philosophical and cultural studies.

Ø  In addition to the autonomous educational institutions, the Ministry also provides regular financial support to the following six grantee bodies of which five are non-governmental organisations :

Ø  Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, Dharamshala - The L1WA set up in 1970 in Dharamshala is a non-governmental organisation.

Ø  Tibet House, New Delhi - The Tibet House, New Delhi, a charitable society was set up by the Dalai Lama in 1965. 

Ø  The main aims and objectives of the Tibet House are to promote, preserve and protect the Tibetan culture, encourage the exchange of ideas and techniques between Tibetan and non Tibetan artists and craftsmen.

Ø  Centre for Buddhist Cultural Studies, Tawang Monastery, Arunachal PradeshTawang Monastery is one the oldest and largest monastic institution in the North-East India. 

Ø  It was established in the 17th Century. 

Ø  It has been re christened as Centre for Buddhist Cultural Studies (CBCS, Tawang Monastery).

Ø  GRL Monastic School, Bomdila, Arunachal Pradesh- The GRL Monastic School, Bomdila, Arunachal Pradesh was established with the government initiative and assistance after the Chinese Aggression of 1962. 

Ø  During the course of this aggression panic-stricken people and monks fl ed from this area to take shelter in Shillong and other areas. 

Ø  Due to the confi dence building measures of the government, normalcy was restored and people returned to their native places. Observing the infl uence of the Buddhist monasteries on the people of this area, the Bomdila Monastery and the GRL Monastic School, under the aegis of Buddhist Cultural Preservation Society for cultural integration of this tribal and border area with Indian mainstream, were established.

Ø  International Buddhist Confederation, New Delhi- International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), New Delhi is an international Buddhist umbrella body that would serve as a common platform for Buddhists worldwide.

Ø  Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Sikkim- The Namgyal Institute of Tibetology (NIT), Gangtok is an autonomous organisation. 

Ø  The institute has done signifi cant work in promoting research in Chho (Tibetan of Dharma) and of associated subject like iconography, medicine, astrology, history, etc.

 

Archaeological Survey of India

Ø  The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) was established in 1861. It functions as an attached offi ce of the Ministry of Culture. The major activities of the Archaeological Survey of India are: survey of archaeological remains and excavations; maintenance and conservation of centrally protected monuments, sites and remains; chemical preservation of monuments and antiquarian remains; architectural survey of monuments; development of epigraphical research and numismatic studies; setting up and re-organisation of site museums; expeditions abroad; training in archaeology; and publication of technical reports and research works.

Ø  Under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, the ASI has declared 3,686 monuments/sites to be of national importance in the country which includes 22 properties that are inscribed on the World Heritage List by the UNESCO.

 

Indian Council for Cultural Relations

Ø  The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) was set with objectives that are:

Ø  To actively participate in the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes pertaining to India’s external cultural relations;

Ø  To foster and strengthen cultural relations and mutual understanding between India and other countries;

Ø  To promote cultural exchanges with other countries and people; and to develop relations with nations. ICCR has been an important tool for promoting cultural diplomacy as part of India’s foreign policy initiatives.

Ø  The activities of ICCR, both in India and abroad, are mainly divided into two segments—academic, and visual and performing arts.

 

Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture

The Institute was conceived in 1936 as one of the permanent memorials to Sri Ramakrishna (1836-86) on the occasion of his fi rst birth centenary. It was formally established in 1938 as a branch centre of the Ramakrishna Mission founded by Swami Vivekananda to propagate the message of Vedanta as propounded by Sri Ramakrishna, whose basic teachings stressed: (i) the equality of all religions; (ii) the potential divinity of man; and (iii) service to man is a way of worshipping God — a new religion for mankind.

 

National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities

The National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA) was launched in 2007 with the objective to prepare a National Database on Built Heritage and Sites (BH&S) and antiquities from different sources and museums during the Xlth Five Year Plan for information and dissemination to planners, researchers etc., and better management of such cultural resources.

 

National Mission for Manuscripts

Ø  The National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM) was launched in 2003 with the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) as the nodal agency to reclaim India’s inheritance of knowledge contained in the vast treasure of manuscripts.

Ø  Major activities of NMM are: documentation of manuscripts; their conservation; training courses and workshops on conservation methods, manuscriptology and paleography workshops for teaching ancient scripts; digitisation of manuscript; dissemination of knowledge; and conducting an outreach programme for public.

 

Gandhi Heritage Sites Mission

Ø  In April 2006, Government of India constituted a Gandhi Heritage Sites Panel and based on the recommendation of this Panel, the Gandhi Heritage Sites Mission was created.

Ø  The Mission’s mandate is to preserve for posterity important sites associated with Gandhiji.

 

National Museum

Ø  The National Museum, under the Ministry of Culture is one of the premiere cultural institutions of the country. The Museum was inaugurated on December 18, 1960.

Ø  The National Museum has in its possession many antiquities and art objects, both of Indian and foreign origins.

Ø  The main activities of the museum include organisation of exhibitions in India and abroad, reorganisation/modernisation of galleries, educational activities and outreach programmes.

 

National Gallery of Modern Art

Ø  The National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), New Delhi, was founded in 1954 to promote and develop contemporary Indian art.

Ø  The collection in this gallery has been built up mainly by purchase and also by gift. The NGMA’s important collections include paintings, sculptures, graphic arts and photographs.

 

Indian Museum

Ø  The history and highlights of the Indian Museum is that it is the eighth oldest museum in the world which houses almost 1.10 lakhs of artefacts telling the oriental history and the heritage of India.

Ø  Though in the beginning Indian Museum was opened with two galleries, later on it was transformed into a multi-purpose institution where multi-disciplinary objects have been displayed in its six sections viz., art, archaeology, anthropology, zoology, geology and botany.

Ø  The Indian Museum has been rendering its services to the people of India as an epitome of art and culture of India and is also being highlighted as one of the pioneering national institutions in the Constitution of the Republic of India.

 

National Council of Science Museums

Ø  National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Culture, is the largest network of science centers/museums in the world functioning under a single administrative control. It is primarily engaged in spreading the culture of science in the society especially among students with a motto of ‘Communicating Science to Empower People’ through its network of Science Centers spread across India.

 

Victoria Memorial Hall

Ø  The Victoria Memorial Hall (VMH), Kolkata was founded principally through the efforts of Viceroy Lord Curzon, in 1921 as a period museum in the memory of Queen Victoria with particular emphasis on Indo-British history.

 

Salar Jung Museum

Ø  The Salar Jung Museum (SJM) of Hyderabad is a repository of the artistic achievements of diverse European, Asian and Far Eastern countries of the world, there is a children’s section, a rich reference library which contains reference books, large collection of rare manuscripts, etc. The major portion of this collection was acquired by Nawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan popularly known as Salar Jung III. Some of the rare objects were collected by his grand-father Nawab Mir Turab Ali Khan, Sir Salar Jung I.

Ø  After the demise of Salar Jung-III and in the absence of any direct legal heirs, the vast collection of precious art objects and his library were housed in the ancestral palaces of the Salar Jungs and the desirability of organizing a museum out of the Nawab’s collection was felt. The result was the SJM which was opened in December 1951 by then Prime Minister of India.

 

National Museum Institute

Ø  National Museum Institute of History of Art, Conservation and Museology (NMI), an autonomous organization fully funded by the Ministry of Culture, was established as a Society in January 1989 and declared a Deemed to be Universirty in 1989. This is the only university in India, exclusively devoted to training and research in the fi eld of art and cultural heritage.

Ø  The primary objective of this institute is to impart advanced teaching in history of art, conservation and museology through theoretical and practical study and to award M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in these three disciplines.

Ø  National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property

Ø  National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property (NRLC) was established in 1976, as a subordinate office of the Department of Culture and is recognised by the Department of Science and Technology as a scientifi c institution of the Government of India.

Ø  It provides conservation services and technical advice in matters concerning conservation to museums, archives, archaeology departments and other related cultural institutions.

 

Anthropological Survey of India

Ø  The Anthropological Survey of India (A.S.I.) as an institution is one of its

Ø  Kind anywhere in the world. It has been mandated to study the bio-cultural attributes of the Indian population since its establishment.

Ø  The activities carried out by it include collection, preservation, maintenance, documentation and study of ethnographic materials as well as ancient human skeletal remains.

 

National Archives of India

Ø  The National Archives of India is the custodian of the non-current records of the Government of India and is holding them in trust for the use of the record creators and the users at large. It is the biggest repository of the non-current records in South-East Asia. Archives are the priceless documentary heritage of any nation and as the premier archival institution of the country, the National Archives of India (NAI) plays a key role in guiding and shaping the development of archives both at the national as well as international level.

Ø  National Archives of India functions as an attached offi ce of the Ministry of Culture that is entrusted with the preservation of the documentary heritage of the nation. It is also the nodal agency for the implementation of the Public Records Act, 1993 and public records.

 

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies

Ø  Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies (MAKAIAS), Kolkata is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Culture.

Ø  MAKAIAS was set up in 1993 as a centre for research and learning with focus on social, cultural, economic and political/administrative developments in Asia with special emphasis on their links with India.

Ø  It also focuses on the life and works of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.

 

The Asiatic Society

Ø  The Asiatic Society is the oldest institution of learning in India and has made a seminal contribution in the revival of Indian history and heralding its renaissance.

Ø  It was founded by Sir William Jones, a revered philologist and scholar of Anglo-Welsh descent in 1784 in a meeting held at the Grand Jury Hall of the Supreme Court, Calcutta.

Ø  Society is an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Culture. The library of the Asiatic Society with its long glorious history of two hundred thirty-seven years is the most important component of Society. The Museum of the Asiatic Society is a store-house of priceless and unique collections of manuscripts in different languages and scripts.

 

Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya

Ø  Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS) (National Museum of Mankind), an autonomous organization of the Ministry of Culture is engaged to portray the story of mankind in time and space.

Ø  IGRMS is involved in generating a new museum movement in the country, to demonstrate the simultaneous validity of human cultures and the plurality of alternatives for human articulation.

 

Nehru Memorial Museum and Library

Ø  Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) from its inception has been engaged in study and research in modern and contemporary history.

Ø  Over the last 50 years, NMML has blossomed into an internationally acclaimed centre for research in social sciences and contemporary India.

 

Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti

Ø  Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti was formed in 1984 by the merger of Gandhi Darshan at Rajghat and Gandhi Smriti as an autonomous body and is functioning under the fi nancial support from the Ministry of Culture. The Prime Minister of India is its Chairperson and it has a nominated body of senior Gandhians and representatives of various government departments to guide it in its activities. The basic aim and objective of the Samiti is to propagate the life, mission and thought of Mahatma Gandhi through various socio-educational and cultural programmes. It has two campuses.

 

Libraries

§  National Library

Ø  The National Library, Kolkata, was originally known as the Imperial Library and was founded in 1891. After independence, the name of the library was changed to National Library.

Ø  Its functions are:

Ø  Acquisition and conservation of all signifi cant printed material as well as of manuscripts of national importance;

Ø  Collection of printed material concerning the country y Rendering of bibliographical and documentary services of current and retrospective material

Ø  Acting as referral centre surveying full and accurate knowledge of all sources of bibliographical information and participation in international bibliographical activities; and

Ø  Acting as a centre for international book exchange and internal loan.

 

Central Secretariat Library

Ø  The Central Secretariat Library (CSL) originally known as Imperial Secretariat Library, was established in 1891.

Ø  It holds collection of over seven lakh documents mainly on social sciences and humanities. It is a depository of Indian offi cial documents, central government and state government documents.

 

Central ReferenceLibrary

Ø  The Central Reference Library, Kolkata is a subordinate offi ce of the Ministry ofCulture. It functions as the national bibliographic centre. The library compiles and publishes the Indian National Bibliography, an authoritative record of books published in the country in different Indian languages including English.

Ø  It also publishes different language fascicules of the bibliography in collaboration with different state governments.

 

Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library

Ø  The Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library, Patna is an autonomous institution under the administrative control of Ministry of Culture.

Ø  It is essentially a research institution possessing about 21,000 manuscripts of rare value mainly in Arabic, Persian and some in Turkish, Urdu, Hindi and Sanskrit languages, as also around 2,89,000 printed books including periodicals and over 2,000 original paintings of the Mughal, Rajput, Oudh, Iranian and Turkish Schools.

Ø  The library also possesses a sizable number of original letters of eminent persons in their own handwriting.

 

Delhi Public Library

Ø  Delhi Public Library (DPL) an autonomous organisation functioning under the administrative control of Ministry of Culture. DPL was established in 1951 by the then ministry of education, Government of India with fi nancial and technical assistance from the UNESCO as a pilot project.

Ø  DPL provides the facilities of the public-reading room service, free internet service, free CD/DVD/ lending service, free self-study room facility, Braille library service, mobile library service, etc.

 

Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation

Ø  Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation (RRLF) is an autonomous organization, established and fully fi nanced by the Ministry of Culture. The

Ø  primary objective of RRRLF is to promote and support development of public libraries and to spread library movement to the remotest corner of the country.

 

 Rampur Raza Library

Ø  The Government of India took over the library in 1975 from Nawab Murtaza Ali Khan, the President of the trust, under an act of Parliament called Rampur Raza Library Act, 1975. The Government of India assumed full responsibility for the management of the library and also declared it as an institution of national importance.

 

Performing Arts

Ø  The Ministry of Culture administers the following schemes: Performing Arts Grants Scheme.

Ø  This is the fl agship scheme of the Ministry in the fi eld of Performing Arts. Under this scheme, fi nancial assistance is provided to dramatic groups, theatre groups, music ensembles, children’s theatre and for all genres of performing arts activities.

 

Scheme for Cultural Organisations with National Presence

Ø  To promote and support cultural organisations with national presence involved in promotion of art and culture throughout the country, this grant is given to such organisations that have a properly constituted managing body, registered in India; having a pan-India character with national presence in its operation; adequate working strength; and have spent 1 crore or more during 3 of the last 5 years on cultural activities.

 

Scheme of Building Grants

Ø  The objective of the scheme is to support voluntary cultural organisations and government-aided cultural organisations to augment their efforts to create cultural space, viz., auditorium, appropriately equipped training, rehearsal and performance spaces for artistes and also for the purchase of equipments.

 

Tagore Cultural Complexes Scheme

Ø  Tagore Cultural Complexes (TCC) is a revived and revamped version of the erstwhile Multi Purpose Cultural Complexes Scheme. It was renamed on the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. Under this scheme, fi nancial assistance is provided for the setting up of new cultural complexes of varying scales as also for modernisation, renovation and upgradation of existing Tagore auditoria etc.

 

Scheme of Pension to Artistes

Ø  Under this scheme, financial assistance is granted to indigent artistes and traditional scholars who have made signifi cant contribution to art and letters and in their fi elds, etc., and their income (including income of the spouse) must not exceed 4,000/- per month and also their age should not be less than 60 years (this does not apply in the case of dependents).

 

Fellowship and Scholarship Scheme

Ø  Scheme For The Award of Fellowship to Outstanding Artists in the Field of Culture

Ø  Junior/Senior Fellowships are awarded to outstanding persons in the age group of 25 to 40 years (Jr.) and above 40 years (Sr.) in different cultural fi elds, for undertaking cultural research; Junior Fellows and Senior Fellows are granted fellowship © 10,000/- p.m. and 20,000/- p.m. respectively for a period of 2 years. Scheme for Scholarships to Young Artistes in Different Cultural Fields

Ø  Under this scheme, fi nancial assistance is given to young artistes of outstanding promise in the age group of 18-25 years for advanced training within India in the fi eld of Indian classical music, Indian classical dance, theatre, mime, visual art, folk, traditional and indigenous arts and light classical music, etc. Scholars who are selected are given scholarship @ 5,000/- p.m. for 2 years. Tagore National Fellowship Scheme

Ø  The scheme was introduced in order to invigorate and revitalize the various institutions under the ministry and other identifi ed cultural institutions in the country, by encouraging scholars/academicians to affi liate themselves with these institutions to work on projects of mutual interest.

 

Production Grant Scheme

Ø  The scheme covers all ‘not-for-profi t’ organisations, NGOs, societies, trusts, universities and individuals for supporting the seminars, conferences, research, workshops, festivals, exhibitions, symposia, production of dance, drama-theatre, music etc., and small research projects on different aspects of Indian culture. Grant is given upto 5 lakhs under the scheme.

 

Tourism

Ø  Ministry of Tourism is the nodal agency to formulate national policies and programmes for the development and promotion of tourism. In the process, the Ministry consults and collaborates with other stakeholders in the sector including various central ministries/agencies, the state governments/ union territory administrations and the representatives of the private sector. Tourism is a major engine of economic growth and an important source of foreign exchange earnings in many countries including India.

Ø  The Ministry of Tourism has the main objective of increasing and facilitating tourism in India.

 

Foreign Tourist Arrivals

Ø  Foreign Tourist Arivals (FTAs) during 2020 were 2.74 million (prov.) with a negative growth of 73.4 per cent over the same period of the previous year.

 

Special Tourism Zones

Ø  Creation of ‘Special Tourism Zones’ anchored on Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) is in partnership with the states. Ministry of Tourism has formulated the guidelines for implementation of the new scheme in consultation with the state governments and private sector and is in the process of completing other formalities before launching the scheme.

 

Foreign Exchange Earnings

Foreign Exchange Earnings through Tourism (FEEs) during 2020 (prov.) was USD 6.958 billion.

 

§  e-Visa Facility

·         Facilitative visa regime is a pre-requisite for increasing in-bound tourism. The Ministry of Tourism takes the initiative of pursuance with Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs for achieving the same. As in 2020, e-visa facility was extended to the nationals of 171 countries under sub-categories, i.e.,’e Tourist visa’, ‘e-Business visa’, ‘e-Medical visa’, ‘e-Medical Attendant visa’ and ‘e-Conference visa’. The latest country added is Togo.

·         However, due to Covid Pandemic, the issuance of visa was suspended but with improvement in the condition, the Ministry of Home Affairs has relaxed the restriction for all foreign nationals intended to visit India for tourism subject to the Covid related guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

 

24x7 Toll Free Multi-lingual Tourist Help Line

Ø  For providing information relating to travel and tourism to the domestic and international tourists/ visitors and for assisting them with advice while travelling in India, a 24x7 toll free multi-lingual tourist help line in 12 international languages besides Hindi and English is being run by the Ministry of Tourism.

 

Niche Products

Ø  The aspect of ‘seasonality’ in tourism is a challenge. The Ministry of Tourism has taken the initiative of identifying, diversifying, developing and promoting niche products of the country. This is done in order to overcome seasonality and

Ø  to promote India as a 365-day destination, attract tourists with specifi c interest, and to ensure repeat visits for the unique products in which India has a comparative advantage.

 

National Medical and Wellness Tourism Board

Ø  A National Medical and Wellness Tourism Board has been set up to work as an umbrella organisation to govern and promote medical tourism in India.

 

Adventure Tourism

Ø  For development and promotion of adventure tourism, a task force on Adventure Tourism was formed in 2016 to resolve the issues related to adventure tourism which includes safety and security of tourists.

 

Hospitality Education

Ø  Setting in place the framework for supply of trained manpower is a challenge facing hospitality education. It has been the endeavour of the Ministry to put in place a system of training and professional education with necessary infrastructure support that is capable of generating manpower, which is suffi cient to meet the needs of the tourism and hospitality industry—both quantitatively and qualitatively.

 

Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management

Ø  The Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM) is an autonomous body under the Ministry with its headquarters at Gwalior.

Ø  IITTM is a pioneer in the fi eld of travel and tourism education and training. It provides specialized training and education for tourism and travel industry.

 

Indian Culinary Institute

Ø  Indian Culinary Institute (ICI) is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

Ø  It was established by the Govt. of India with the object of running various programs in Culinary Art starting from the Skill level to the highest level of study on the subject and for documentation as well as preservation of various Indian cuisine.

 

Incredible India

Ø  The Ministry, as part of its ongoing promotional activities, releases campaigns in the international and domestic markets under the ‘Incredible India’ brand line, to promote various tourism destinations and products of India for increasing foreign tourist arrivals and domestic travel within the country.

Ø  Ministry has also launched the Incredible India Tourist Facilitator (IITF) Certifi cation Programme, with the objective of providing online training and accreditation of Tourist Facilitators through a centralized PAN India e-learning module.

 

Incredible India Website

Ø  This website showcases range of new contents, including a Google 360, that features virtual video content to provide tourists with a walk through of Indian tourist attractions and 24/7 chat box interface to assist tourist for better planning and quick query resolutions.

 

‘Incredible India’ Mobile Application

Ø  Launched in 2018, this mobile app assists international and domestic tour ists to access information about Ministry of Tourism recognized tourism service providers namely, approved inbound tour operators, adventure tour operators, domestic tour operators, tourist transport operators, travel agents, regional level guides, classifi ed hotels available in respective cities/tourist centers.

 

International Advertisement Campaign

Ø  To promote tourism, the government has also taken many initiatives. An International Advertisement Campaign in electronic and digital media for 2016 17 was launched globally.

Ø  The Ministry of Tourism organises Bharat Part/ as part of the Republic Day and Independence Day celebrations with the objective to promote national integrity and to showcase cultural and culinary diversity to the people of our nation.

 

North-East

Ø  The North-East region of India is being promoted by the Ministry through several media campaigns. The Ministry in partnership with the Discovery Channel has produced documentary series ‘Go North-East’ on the eight states of the region. For creation of tourism infrastructure, the Ministry of Tourism has two major plan schemes, viz., Swadesh Darshan — Integrated Development of ThemeBased Tourist Circuits and PRASAD — Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive for development of tourism infrastructure in the country including historical places and heritage cities.

 

Dekho Apna Desh

Ø  The Ministry of Tourism launched the ‘Dekho Apna Desh’ initiative in January 2020 with the objective of creating awareness among the citizens about the rich heritage and culture of the country and encouraging citizens to travel within the country.

 

Swadesh Darshan Scheme

Ø  Swadesh Darshan Scheme is about developing theme-based tourist circuits on the principles of high tourist value, competitiveness and sustainability in an integrated manner by synergising efforts to focus on needs and concerns of all stakeholders to enrich tourist experience and enhance employment opportunities.

Ø  Under it, 13 thematic circuits have been identifi ed for development, namely: North-East India Circuit, Buddhist Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Krishna Circuit, Desert Circuit, Tribal Circuit, Eco Circuit, Wildlife Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, Ramayana Circuit and Heritage Circuit.

 

PRASAD Scheme

Ø  The Government of India launched the PRASAD scheme in the year 2014 -15 under the Ministry of Tourism. The full form of the PRASAD scheme is ‘Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive’. This scheme focuses on developing and identifying pilgrimage sites across India for enriching the religious tourism experience. It aims to integrate pilgrimage destinations in a prioritised, planned and sustainable manner to provide a complete religious tourism experience. The growth of domestic tourism hugely depends on pilgrimage tourism. Under PRASAD scheme, 61 sites have been identifi ed in 29 states/UTs for development.

 

India Tourism Mart

Ø  The fi rst editon of the India Tourism Mart 2018 was organised by the Federation of Associations in the Indian Tourism and Hospitality with the support of the Ministry of Tourism and state governments/ union territory administrations in New Delhi.

Ø  It provided a national platform to different tourism stakeholders for interacting with foreign buyers under one umbrella.

 

Swachh Paryatan Mobile App

Ø  ‘Swachh Paryatan Mobile App’ operated by the Ministry of Tourism for 25 Adarsh Smarak Monuments.

Ø  This mobile app is being monitored by the Project Monitoring Unit of Swachh Bharat Mission in Ministry of Tourism. The Ministry has launched an initiative for providing pre-loaded SIM cards to foreign tourists arriving in India on e-Visa.

Ø  This initiative is aimed at providing connectivity to foreign tourists to enable them to stay in touch with their family and friends and also help them to contact with the 24x7 multi-lingual toll free helpline of the Ministry for any assistance and guidance during times of distress, medical emergency, etc.

 

Swachhata Award

Ø  Ministry of Tourism recognizes the efforts of state/UT governments to maintain tourist places clean in their respective area/jurisdiction and confers awards of “Swachh Paryatan Sthaan” and “Best Civic Management of a Tourist Destination”.

 

 

 

 

 

**********