Chandigarh (Balwinder Sungh): The Haryana government will double the annual number of beneficiaries receiving financial assistance for the Swarn Jayanti Guru Darshan Yatra, Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and Sindhu Darshan Yatra from 50 to 100 pilgrims under each scheme.
Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini announced the expansion while reviewing the Tourism Department’s five-year action plan under Haryana Vision-2047 at the Haryana Civil Secretariat in Chandigarh on Thursday.
The Chief Minister also directed officials to introduce an online registration portal for the three pilgrimage schemes. Financial assistance will be provided to pilgrims registered through the portal, according to the directions issued at the meeting.
How Much Financial Assistance Will Pilgrims Receive?
Tourism Department Commissioner and Secretary Amit Agrawal said the state currently provides financial assistance at the following rates:
- Swarn Jayanti Guru Darshan Yatra: Rs 20,000 per pilgrim.
- Kailash Mansarovar Yatra: Rs 50,000 per pilgrim.
- Sindhu Darshan Yatra: Rs 20,000 per pilgrim.
The annual beneficiary limit for each journey will increase from 50 to 100. The assistance amounts per pilgrim, as outlined by the department, remain unchanged in the announcement.
The online registration system is intended to formalise the application process, with eligibility and registration requirements to be governed by the applicable scheme rules.
Haryana Plans To Expand Rural And Farm Tourism
Alongside the pilgrimage assistance changes, Saini reviewed plans to develop Haryana as a tourism hub and strengthen employment opportunities in rural areas.
The Chief Minister directed officials to revise policies, where necessary, to encourage farm stays and homestays under Haryana Vision-2030. The state currently has 38 registered farm stays and 11 registered homestays, and the department has been asked to increase their combined number to 100.
Officials were also directed to connect tourism-related businesses with online platforms and promote experiences based on rural life, local cuisine and traditional practices.
The government plans to encourage self-help groups, artisans and rural entrepreneurs by displaying their handicrafts, locally produced food items and other products at tourism information centres. Kurukshetra and other tourist destinations have been identified for phased development of this model.
Pinjore Wedding City, Yamunanagar Sun Temple On Tourism Roadmap
Saini also asked officials to examine the revival of important tourism sites and consider developing suitable locations through private companies under lease arrangements or the public-private partnership (PPP) model.
Proposals discussed at the meeting included establishing a wedding city in Pinjore under the Centre’s ‘Wed in India’ vision, restoring the Sun Temple in Yamunanagar, developing a golf course in Faridabad and expanding water sports activities.
The department was also asked to prepare for a millet festival in Gurugram during the current year to promote traditional food, millets and agricultural tourism.
Other proposed attractions include events around mustard and wheat fields, lily flower cultivation in the Narnaul region and sunflower-growing areas near Shahabad. The government intends to explore ways to develop these agricultural landscapes as visitor destinations.
Haryana Reviews Existing Tourism Infrastructure
According to the Tourism Department, Haryana has 42 tourism complexes, 21 banquet and convention halls, 35 conference halls, 842 air-conditioned rooms, eight dormitories and 243 shops. The department also has approximately 1,192 acres of land associated with tourism infrastructure.
The state additionally operates five hotel management institutes and 15 petrol pumps, the department informed the meeting.
Officials also reviewed pending departmental announcements, budget commitments, manifesto promises and complaints received through the Chief Minister’s grievance portal.
Senior officials attending the meeting included Additional Chief Secretary of the Finance Department Sudhir Rajpal, Deputy Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Yashpal Yadav, OSD to the Chief Minister and Haryana Institute of Fiscal Management Director General Raj Nehru, and Tourism Department Director Parth Gupta.
