Syllabus Section: Culture
WHY IN NEWS?
The Union Minister of State (IC) for Tourism & Culture Shri Prahlad Singh Patel virtually inaugurated the ABTO (Association of Buddhist Tour Operators) International Convention in New Delhi.
ABOUT
- ABTO Convention a three-day event is being held in partnership with Ministry of Tourism from 10-12 Dec 2020 in Bodhgaya, Bihar
STEPS TAKEN BY GOVERNMENT TO PROMOTE BUDDHIST TOURISM IN THE COUNTRY
- Swadesh Darshan Scheme and PRASHAD Yojana.
- Ministry has sanctioned more than Rs 350 cr for the development of Buddhist Sites under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme and more than Rs.900 crore have been sanctioned under the PRASHAD Scheme.
- Signages in Sinhali language at Sanchi monument in Madhya Pradesh and Signages in Chinese language at Sravasti and Sarnath have been installed.(wherever footfall of foreign tourists from a particular country is more than one lakh; signages in their languages will be placed for their convenience and comfort).
- ASI is re-listing the Monuments and in the coming days, the number of the Monuments may increase significantly.
- The government is trying to provide tourist facilitators at significant locations to give correct information to tourists.
- The Tourism Ministry is making efforts to register accommodation units in the country in the Ministry’s portal National Integrated Database of Hospitality Industry (NIDHI).
Source: PIB