Four Odisha Tourist Spots Revamped Under Swadesh Darshan Scheme: Shekhawat

Bhubaneswar, July 21 : Four prominent ecotourism destinations in Odisha — Gopalpur, Barkul, Satapada, and Tampara — have undergone significant infrastructure development under the Centre’s Swadesh Darshan Scheme, informed Union Minister of Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

Responding to a query raised by Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda, Minister Shekhawat stated that the projects were undertaken under the “Coastal Circuit” theme of the Swadesh Darshan scheme to boost tourism in coastal and ecologically sensitive areas of the state. The upgrades are aimed at enhancing tourist experience while preserving the ecological balance and promoting sustainable tourism.

The minister also highlighted that the Swadesh Darshan scheme has been restructured as Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (SD2.0) with a renewed focus on developing sustainable and responsible tourism destinations. Unlike the earlier circuit-based approach, SD2.0 adopts a destination and tourist-centric model, aiming to improve the overall tourism ecosystem in a holistic manner.

In line with the new vision, Debrigarh in Bargarh district and Khinda in Sambalpur district have been identified as potential destinations under SD2.0. However, the Ministry is yet to receive the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for these locations from the Odisha state government, Shekhawat informed.

The Minister further emphasized that the scheme encourages community-driven tourism development, involving local and tribal communities in the planning and execution stages. The projects sanctioned aim to generate local employment opportunities through skill development, self-employment, and active engagement of stakeholders in the tourism value chain.

Through Swadesh Darshan and other central schemes, the Ministry of Tourism continues to extend financial support to state governments and Union Territories, complementing their efforts to build robust tourism infrastructure across India, including Odisha.

The development of these ecotourism destinations under the Swadesh Darshan initiative is expected to not only attract more tourists but also boost the local economy by creating jobs and improving services.