The Ministry of Tourism has identified Eco Circuit as one of the fifteen thematic circuits for development under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme to promote eco-tourism in the country. The Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned 06 projects under Eco Theme in ‘Swadesh Darshan’.

The Ministry has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Responsible Tourism Society of India (RTSOI) on 27^th September, 2021 with the purpose to undertake measures to actively promote and support ‘sustainability initiatives’ in the tourism sector of each other and work in a collaborative manner wherever possible.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has informed that they have issued guidelines for sustainable ecotourism in forest and wildlife areas -2021. The guidelines provide for preparation of ecotourism plan which includes the carrying capacity analysis-based description of the eco- tourism site. The guidelines also provide for regular monitoring of the ecotourism sites by the respective States/Union Territories.

  This information was given by Minister of Tourism Shri G. Kishan Reddy in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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NB/OA