New Tourism Policy-2022 Approved in Uttar Pradesh

• 17 Nov 2022

Why In News?

On November 16, 2022, the Cabinet meeting chaired by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath approved the state's New Tourism Policy-2022.

Key Points

• In the new tourism policy of the state, investment-based subsidy has been arranged for the hotel industry. A subsidy of up to Rs 2 crore will be given on investment up to Rs 10 crore and up to Rs 40 crore on investment above Rs 500 crore. In this, hotels will get the status of industry and the rates of water, electricity property tax, sewerage tax will also be industrial instead of commercial.
• Under the new tourism policy, all places associated with Lord Ram will be developed as Ramayana circuit, religious places associated with Lord Krishna will be developed as Krishna circuit. The Ramayana circuit will be prominent among the new tourist destinations that will be developed.
• The Ramayana circuit will include Ayodhya, Chitrakoot, Bithoor and other religious places. These sites are seen as symbols of Lord Rama and Mother Sita.
• Similarly, Mathura, Vrindavan, Gokul, Govardhan, Barsana, Nandgaon, Baldev and other religious places will be included in the Krishna circuit and Kapilvastu, Sarnath, Kushinagar, Kaushambi, Shravasti, Ramgram and other places will be included in the Buddhist circuit.
• The new policy also envisages Mahabharata Circuit and Shakti Peetha Circuit, in which places like Hastinapur, Kampilya, Echhatra, Barnawa, Mathura, Kaushambi, Gonda, Lakshagriha have been selected. Under Shaktipeeth circuit Vindhyavasini Devi, taking from Ashtabhuja to Devipatan, Naimisharanya, Maa Lalit Devi, Maa Jwala Devi, Shakumbhari Devi from Saharanpur to Shivani Devi Chitrakoot and Sheetla Mata Mau will be extended.
• Cabinet Minister AK Sharma said that many activities related to tourism, which were not yet included in the category of tourism, have also been included. These include budget hotels, heritage hotels, star hotels, heritage, homestays, eco-tourism units, caravan tourism units, pilgrim dormitories, Dharamshala's, wellness resorts, all-weather seasonal camps, reservoir lakes, wellness tourism, adventure tourism, a total of 22 activities under the new policy. Got a place in