What Is The Dekho Apna Desh Scheme By The Ministry of Tourism?

Tourism in India has been declining since COVID-19. PM Narendra Modi has unveiled the Dekho Apna Desh scheme to boost tourism all over India to fight this decline. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman said that the government is working on the development of 50 destinations across the nation to promote Indian tourism.

Read the article to know more about the government scheme, ranging from its meaning to and benefits.

What Is Dekho Apna Desh Scheme?

The Ministry of Tourism introduced the Dekho Apna Desh initiative in 2020. This central government scheme aims to promote domestic Indian tourism and encourage people to explore the country while also boosting the economy of the nation.

By focusing on the 50 destinations mentioned by Nirmala Sitaraman, the government hopes to create awareness about the beautiful places in the country and, at the same time, develop these states further for tourism.

The Dekho Apna Desh scheme aims to push middle-class citizens to travel around the country instead of flying abroad. This will not only promote the tourism sector but also create a lot of employment for people, which will also help boost the country’s economy immensely.

FM Sitharaman said, "The country offers immense attraction for domestic as well as foreign tourists. There is a large potential to be tapped in tourism. The sector holds huge opportunities for jobs and entrepreneurship for youth in particular”.

The government plans to promote lesser-known destinations through aggressive social media promotions to educate people on these hidden tourist gems in the country.

Read More: Paryatan Siksha Yojana: Strengthening The Tourism Industry With Education!

What Are The Benefits Of The Dekho Apna Desh Scheme?

The Dekho Apna Desh scheme offers numerous benefits aimed at boosting domestic tourism and showcasing India's rich cultural heritage and diverse landscapes. Here are some of the key benefits of the scheme:

• Other than boosting the employment opportunities and the economy of the country, the Dekho Apna Desh initiative will also give benefits to the travellers.

• Travellers will enjoy benefits in hotel rates, travel, and entry fees. The Sarkari Yojana will also provide financial assistance to those travellers who don’t usually travel long distances.

• The government will also set up a special website for this government scheme where the citizens will get more information about this central government scheme and will also be able to reach out to the toll-free helpline for any queries.

• The government is also planning to set up unity malls all across the main tourism sectors to help promote their distinctive products. This will also help with advertising these businesses to get more sales from tourists, also helping to promote the local handicrafts as well.

• Additionally, PM Narendra Modi also launched the ‘Chalo India Global Diaspora Campaign’ intending to motivate the different communities living in India to become Incredible India ambassadors to promote Indian tourism. The PM also requested these communities to encourage at least five non-Indians to travel to India.

Read more: Exploring the Future of Tourism in Meghalaya!