Temple corridors in Bihar, focus on Odisha: How Sitharaman’s budget gives a leg up to tourism

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced her seventh consecutive budget today (July 23), with big rewards for its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies. While Bihar did not get its demand for a special status, the Centre has ensured not to upset its partner Janata Dal (United).

Bihar is set to benefit from Sitharaman’s tourism push for the state and other key projects. While presenting the budget, she said that the government will undertake comprehensive development programmes for Vishnupad temple in Gaya and Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya – both in Bihar.

For Andhra Pradesh, the Centre has allocated Rs 15,000 crore for the development of its capital, a move welcomed by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). The announcements reflect the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) eagerness to keep its alliance partners happy .

Let’s take a look at how Budget 2024 focuses on temples and tourism in India.

Temple tourism & more

Presenting the government’s annual financial statement, Sitharaman emphasised developing India as a “global tourist destination”. The Budget 2024 aims to foster religious tourism.

She told the Lok Sabha, “Tourism has always been a part of our civilisation. Our efforts in positioning India as a global tourist destination will also create jobs, stimulate investments and unlock economic opportunities for other sectors.”

The Central government plans to provide world-class facilities and tourism infrastructure corridors for Vishnupad temple and Mahabodhi temple in Bihar similar to the Kashi Vishwanath temple corridor in Uttar Pradesh.

The ancient Vishnupad temple is a revered Hindu shrine dedicated to Lord Vishnu, located on the banks of the Phalgu River in Gaya. The Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya is an important Buddhist site which attracts several international tourists every year.

“Vishnupad temple at Gaya, and Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya, are of immense spiritual importance. Comprehensive development of Vishnupad temple corridor and Mahabodhi temple corridor will be supported modelled on the successful Kashi Vishwanath corridor to make them a world-class pilgrim and tourist destination,” the finance minister announced.

The ancient city of Rajgir, which holds religious significance for Hindus, Buddhists and Jains, will be developed to boost tourism.

“Rajgir holds immense religious significance for Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. A comprehensive development initiative for Rajgir will be undertaken. Our government will support the development of Nalanda as a tourist centre besides reviving Nalanda University to its glorious stature,” Sitharaman said in her budget speech.

In line with this goal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had formally inaugurated the campus of Nalanda University last month. Spread across 455 acres in Rajgir, the new campus is situated close to the ruins of the eponymous ancient Buddhist monastery.

Modi had said at the time, “Nalanda is the proclamation of this truth that books may burn in the flames of fire, but the flames of fire cannot destroy knowledge. Nalanda is an identity, respect, and pride.”

As Indian Express noted, the finance ministry recently switched its approach from circuit-based tourism to destination-based tourism, which would entail the overall development of an area through tourism facilities, infrastructure, connectivity, and so on.

Bihar, where the BJP is ruling in alliance with Nitish Kumar’s JD(U), will benefit the most from the Centre’s push for tourism with three of its destinations mentioned in the budget.

The budget also has provisions for promoting Odisha as a tourism hub. “Odisha’s scenic beauty, temples, monuments, craftsmanship, wildlife sanctuaries, natural landscapes and pristine beaches make it an ultimate tourism destination. Our government will provide assistance for their development,” the finance minister declared.

It must be noted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in Odisha in the recently concluded Assembly elections held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls. The saffron party wrested Naveen Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in the elections, ending the 77-year-old’s 24-year reign in Odisha. The BJP clinched 78 of the 147 Assembly seats, while the BJD was reduced to 51.

Observers believe the government’s enhanced attention to tourism will help the economy.

Chetan Agarwal, Executive Partner at Tattvam Group, told Business Standard, “In my view, the increased focus on tourism will act as a catalyst for employment and the economy, benefiting businesses.”

According to Rajat Mahajan, partner, Deloitte India, the government’s focus on promoting tourism at religious sites in Bihar will “boost local economy”. “Apart from this development of Nalanda in Bihar as a tourist destination will help take India’s heritage to the world.”

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Cruise tourism

The Centre also wants to enhance cruise tourism, for which, the finance minister said, there is a “tremendous potential” in the country.

To do this, Sitharaman has proposed a “simpler tax regime for foreign shipping companies operating domestic cruises” in the country.

Centre’s Purvodaya plan

These announcements are part of the Central government’s Purvodaya initiative to step up development in the eastern part of India.

“We will formulate Purvodaya for all-round development of Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh,” Sitharaman said in the budget speech.

Under this, the government will cover “human resource development, infrastructure, and generation of economic opportunities to make the region an engine to attain Viksit Bharat”.

With inputs from agencies