Swadesh Darshan Scheme: Objectives, Aims, Theme-Based Circuits and More

The Indian government’s Ministry of Tourism and Culture introduced the Swadesh Darshan Scheme (central sector) in 2014–15. The main focus of this scheme is the combined development of theme-based tourism circuits in India. This program seeks to advance, expand, and maximize the potential of India’s tourism industry. The Ministry of Tourism offers Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to state governments and union territory administrations so they can build the nation’s theme-based tourism circuit infrastructure. This topic is important from the UPSC IAS examination point of view as it comes under the economic section. This topic is also important from the perspective of other government exams. Keep reading the article to learn more about the Swadesh Darshan Scheme!!

What is the Swadesh Darshan Scheme?

The Swadesh Darshan Scheme was launched by the Indian government’s Ministry of Tourism as a tourist initiative in 2014. The main aim of this scheme was to increase domestic tourism in India. This scheme finds and creates simple travel routes throughout the nation. It covers various historical places, geographical regions, cultures, and heritage. 

• These tourism routes will be designed with a single focus on sustainability, competitiveness, and high tourist value.
• Under the Swadesh Darshan, 15 theme-based circuits have been identified for development. 
• The scheme is aimed at working in line with other initiatives like the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Skill India, Made in India, etc. with the goal of establishing the tourism industry as an important source of economic growth, the creation of jobs, and the development of partnerships with other industries to help the industry reach its full potential.

Objectives of Swadesh Darshan Scheme

The Indian government has shared some objectives for the scheme, keeping in mind the growth of the tourism sector. The objectives of the SDS are as follows:

• Building tourist-friendly systems in a planned, prioritized manner.
• An added approach to the development of a theme-based system.
• To encourage employment by urging community members to get involved. 
• Adopt strategies for tourism, keeping in mind the poor and community-based development.
• Encourage the nation’s cultural and historical significance.
• To create world-class infrastructure on the routes or destinations in order to steadily raise the attraction of tourism.
• To educate people on the value of tourism in terms of enhanced earnings, better living conditions, and general regional development.
• To encourage regional handicrafts, art, culture, food, etc. in order to create jobs in the designated areas.
• To maximize the power of tourism to create jobs and enhance the economy, both directly and indirectly.
• To take advantage of the public’s resources and their expertise.

Also Read: List of Most Famous Temples of Himachal Pradesh

Aims of the Swadesh Darshan Scheme

Everything that the government launches has some goals and aims that need to be fulfilled. The Swadesh Darshan Scheme was also launched keeping a few aims in mind, which are mentioned below:

• Promoting travel as an element of financial growth and job creation.
• Transforming India into a top travel destination globally.
• Creating theme-based tourism circuits that combine cultural and environmental protection.
• Expanding modernization and professionalism in the travel industry while putting particular focus on infrastructure development.
• Providing full tourism by improving the destination’s appeal in an environmentally friendly manner.

15 Theme-Based Circuits – Swadesh Darshan

As mentioned above, the Indian government has taken the initiative to develop the 15 theme-based circuits for tourism under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme. These 15 theme-based circuits are as follows:

Buddha Circuit: The Buddha Circuit includes the most essential places of worship for travelers who identify themselves as Buddhists. Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh are the states that are covered under this. 

Coastal Circuit: The goal of the Coastal Circuit is to improve India’s image as the nation of “Sun, Sea, and Surf.” India’s 7,517-kilometer coastline is divided among several states, including Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Odisha, and West Bengal. The islands of Andaman and Nicobar are also part of the coastal circuit. 

Desert Circuit: The Indian desert circuit is a specialized travel route that brings travelers from all over the world. India is blessed by vast deserts in addition to rivers and forests. Many tourists are drawn to the sandy dunes and unusually high temperatures of the Thar Desert, the dry landscapes of Kutch, and the vacant and cold valleys of Ladakh and Himachal. 

Eco Circuit: The goal of the ecotourism circuit is to encourage a good relationship between visitors and the natural world. The circuit works to create destinations that are friendly to the environment and nature so that both domestic and foreign tourists can enjoy India’s diverse eco-tourism. Kerala, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Mizoram, and Jharkhand are the states that are included.

Heritage Circuit: With 36 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and another 36 on the tentative list, India is blessed with a rich and dynamic past and culture. With a focus on maintenance, living, and improved elements, the heritage circuit seeks to satisfy the demands of international tourists. Rajasthan, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Puducherry, Punjab, Uttrakhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana are the states covered by this circuit. 

North-East Circuit: This circuit covers states such as Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, and Sikkim that have developed tourism-oriented infrastructure.

Himalayan Circuit: Occupying a key part of the country’s entire northern border, the Himalayan Circuit recognizes the Indian Himalayan Region. States like Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and the Northeast region are included in the Indian Himalayan Region. 

Sufi Circuit: The goal of this Indian circuit is to honor the centuries-old Sufi customs of the nation. The Sufi tradition and Sufi saints remain holy in the nation today as well, teaching the path of unity in diversity, harmony, and the development of their own unique music, art, and culture.

Krishna Circuit: India’s tourism industry is deeply linked to religion, particularly the Krishna Circuit. Spirituality and religion are historically popular reasons for travel, leading to the development of several popular tourist locations. The primary goal of the Krishna Circuit’s development is to renew the locations connected to Lord Krishna throughout several states, primarily Rajasthan and Haryana.

Ramayana Circuit: The general goal of the Ramayana Circuit’s development is to improve and facilitate the tourist experience at the sites linked to the stories of Lord Rama across the nation. Under this circuit, the state of Uttar Pradesh is the main focus.

Rural Circuit: The main aim of the rural circuit is to give a glimpse of true India to both domestic and international tourists. The circuit includes the Bhitiharwa, Chandrahia, and Turkaulia regions of Bihar.

Spiritual Circuit: Given that over 330 million people travel worldwide each year in search of spirituality, it is understandable that India, known as “The Land of Spirituality,” requires tourist infrastructure for these types of trips throughout the nation. Given that India is the foundation of four major world religions – Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, and safety of all major and minor religions throughout history, it is a must-travel destination for spiritual travelers both domestically and internationally. The states of Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Bihar, Rajasthan, and Puducherry are the focus of the spiritual circuit.

Tirthankar Circuit: Throughout the nation, there are countless Jain temples that are dedicated to respecting the lives and deeds of the Jain Tirthankaras, who have continuously delivered enlightenment, love, and non-violence. Tirthankar Circuit works to develop all the tourist-interesting destinations.

Wildlife Circuit: India is a major destination for wildlife tourism due to its remarkable diversity of wildlife. The goal of the wildlife circuit is to promote “green,” “environmental,” and “nature-centered” development throughout India’s multiple state and national wildlife sanctuaries. The states of Madhya Pradesh and Assam are the main focus.

Tribal Circuit: Despite living in a modern world, India’s tribal population has managed to maintain its traditional rituals, customs, and culture. The purpose of the tribal circuit is to provide an in-depth look into India’s vibrant tribal traditions, culture, festivals, handicrafts, art, rituals, and more for the “Modern Traveler.” For development, the states of Chhattisgarh, Nagaland, and Telangana are included in the tribal circuit.

Also read: List of Most Visited Temples of Rajasthan

Swadesh Darshan 2.0

The center has selected 30 cities from 15 states for development as environmentally friendly and ethical travel destinations under the Ministry of Tourism’s Swadesh Darshan 2.0 program. 

• Consideration was given to the cities of 15 states, including Goa, Gujarat, Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, etc. 
• Some of the tourist spots under this scheme are:
  • Dholavira (a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Gujarat) and Dwarka-Dwarkadhish Temple, Rukmani Devi Temple, Sudama Setu, Shivrajpur Beach, Nageshwara Jyotirlinga Temple, Gopi Talab, and Bhadkeshwar Mahadev Mandir of Dwaraka.
  • Some of the tourist spots under this scheme are Dholavira (a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Gujarat) and Dwarka-Dwarkadhish Temple, Rukmani Devi Temple, Sudama Setu, Shivrajpur Beach, Nageshwara Jyotirlinga Temple, Gopi Talab, and Bhadkeshwar Mahadev Mandir of Dwaraka.
  • Colva and Porvorim in Goa
  • Nalanda and Gaya in Bihar
  • Sukhna Lake, Rock Garden, Bird Park and the Capitol Complex in Chandigarh
  • Kokrajhar and Jorhat in Assam

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