Assam’s historic town of Sivasagar is among 42 destinations that have been selected by the Ministry of Tourism for its Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme, an initiative that seeks to develop sustainable and responsible destinations following a tourist- and destination-centric approach.
Known for its rich Ahom heritage, Sivasagar attracts visitors to its monuments, temples, and nature reserves. Its inclusion in the Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme is expected to significantly enhance tourism in the town, bringing infrastructural improvements while preserving its cultural and ecological heritage.
Sivasagar falls under Swadesh Darshan 2.0’s sub-scheme of “Challenge-Based Destination Development” (CBDD), which looks at the holistic development of destinations to enhance the tourist experience.
In this sub-scheme, 11 sites were identified for spiritual tourism purposes, 16 under culture and heritage, five under the vibrant village program, and 10 in the eco-tourism and Amrit Darohar list.
Under spiritual tourism, sites like the Ahobilam Temple of Andhra Pradesh, Porbandar in Gujarat, Orchha in Madhya Pradesh, the Nartiang Village of Meghalaya, and Impur Village of Nagaland were classified.
In the culture and heritage list, places like Bhagalpur in Bihar, Kaza in Himachal Pradesh, Varkala in Kerala, Bidar in Karnataka, and Ferozpur of Punjab made the cut.
The vibrant village program encompassed Kibitho in Arunachal Pradesh, Rakchham in Himachal Pradesh, Gnathang Village in Sikkim, and Jadung and Mana Village in Uttarakhand.
Joining Sivasagar in the eco-tourism and Amrit Darohar sub-category were places like Chhattisgarh’s Mayali Bagicha, Goa’s Mayem Village, Udupi in Karnataka, Lakshadweep, and the Mushkoh Village of Ladakh.
To facilitate the development of these sites, the Ministry of Tourism has provided a template to state governments and union territory administrations for the formulation of detailed action plans and project proposals. These proposals will be evaluated based on specific parameters and guidelines before receiving final approval and funding.
(With inputs from multiple sources)
