MOT has sanctioned 6 projects under Eco Theme in ‘Swadesh Darshan' scheme

The Ministry of Tourism has identified Eco Circuit as one of the fifteen thematic circuits for development under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme to promote eco-tourism in the country. The Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned 06 projects under Eco Theme in ‘Swadesh Darshan'. The Ministry has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Responsible Tourism Society of India (RTSOI) on 27th September, 2021 with the purpose to undertake measures to actively promote and support ‘sustainability initiatives' in the tourism sector of each other and work in a collaborative manner wherever possible. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has informed that they have issued guidelines for sustainable ecotourism in forest and wildlife areas -2021. The guidelines provide for preparation of ecotourism plan which includes the carrying capacity analysis-based description of the eco- tourism site. The guidelines also provide for regular monitoring of the ecotourism sites by the respective States/Union Territories. This information was given by Minister of Tourism Shri G. Kishan Reddy in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.