Tourism sector proposed to get ₹ 2,500 Crore in union budget 2020-21

₹ 3,150 Crore proposed for Ministry of Culture

Indian Institute of Heritage and Conservation to be established

8 New Museums proposed, 5 Museums set for major overhaul

5 Iconic sites to see Infrastructure development

To make India an attractive destination for both international and domestic tourists, the Finance Minister proposed to allocate ₹ 2,500 crores in 2020-21 for the tourism sector. Besides tourism, Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman also proposed to allocate ₹ 3,150 crore for Ministry of Culture while presenting the Union Budget 2020-21 in Parliament today.

In order to have well-trained resources in the disciplines of museology and archeology, the Finance Minister proposed to establish first Indian Institute of Heritage and Conservation with the status of a deemed university to operate under the Ministry of Culture. She said, “Acquisition of knowledge in disciplines such as museology and archeology are essential for collecting and analysing scientific evidence of such findings and for dissemination through high quality museums.”

Highlighting improved tourism revenues due to better rank, the Finance Minister said, “India had moved up from rank 65 in 2014 to 34 in 2019 in the Travel & Tourism Competitive Index (World Economic Forum).” Due to this, she continued, “Foreign Exchange earnings grew 7.4% to ₹ 1.88 lakh crores for the period January 2019 from ₹ 1.75 lakh crores.”

In a major bid to revitalise tourism, Smt. Sitharaman proposed 8 new museums, which includes building infrastructure around 5 Iconic Sites, besides proposing renovation of 5 major museums across the length and breadth of India.

The Union Finance Minister proposed the following:

• 5 Archeological sites to be set-up/developed as Iconic Sites with on-site Museums at the following locations:

• Rakhigarhi (Haryana)
• Hastinapur (Uttar Pradesh)
• Shivsagar (Assam)
• Dholavira (Gujarat)
• Adichanallur (Tamil Nadu)

• Maritime Museum to highlight Harappan Age at Lothal, Ahmedabad, by Ministry of Shipping
• KOLKATA:
• Indian Museum: Re-curation of the oldest museum in India as announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2020.
• Numismatics and Trade Museum to be located in the historic Old Mint Building

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• Support for setting up Tribal Museum in Ranchi (Jharkhand)
• Renovation and re-curation of 4 more museums across India

 

Recognising the role of States in the proposed scheme for growth and employment generation, Smt. Sitharaman said, “Growth of tourism directly relates to growth and employment. States have a critical role to play. I expect State Governments expected to develop a roadmap for certain identified destinations and formulate financial plans during 2021 against which specified grants will be made available to the States in 2020-21”.

Tourism allocation proposed to boost heritage infrastructure with institute, museums, iconic sites and state grant framework. Budget proposals allocate dedicated funding for tourism and culture, establish an Indian Institute of Heritage and Conservation to train museology and archaeology professionals, and fund creation, re curation and renovation of museums including a maritime museum. Several archaeological and historic locations are to be developed as Iconic Sites with on site museums and infrastructure. The scheme requires States to prepare destination roadmaps and financial plans to qualify for specified central grants aimed at tourism growth and employment.