The Ministry of Tourism launched the Swadesh Darshan Scheme (SDS) for integrated development of theme based tourist circuits in the country in 2014-15 with the objective to develop tourism infrastructure. A total of 76 projects have been sanctioned in various States/UT Administration under this scheme. Now, they has revamped its Swadesh Darshan scheme as Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (SD2.0) for development of sustainable and responsible tourist destinations. The objective for the Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme envisages increase in private sector investment in tourism & hospitality. It may help in increasing Public Private Partnerships (PPP) in the field of tourism and operation and maintenance of the created assets under the scheme.
The Ministry of Tourism under its Swadesh Darshan scheme has sanctioned 4 projects under Tribal Theme and 2 projects under Rural Theme in the country.
The Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned ₹73.13 crore for the project Development of (Chennai- Mamamallapuram – Rameshwaram – Manpadu – Kanyakumari) in Tamil Nadu in the year 2016-17 under the Coastal Circuit theme of its Swadesh Darshan scheme. An amount of ₹69.48 crore has been released and the project is physically complete. The Ministry of Tourism has identified ‘Mamallapuram’ and ‘The Nilgiris’ as destinations for development under SD2.0 scheme.
Operation & Maintenance (O&M) of the projects sanctioned under Swadesh Darshan Scheme is the responsibility of the respective State Government/UT Administration. The Ministry of Tourism does not maintain circuit-wide data for the number of tourists participated in each circuit.