Tourism Ministry not utilising funds: panel, Pg 14

Key Highlights

Underutilisation of Funds

• Ministry of Tourism used only ?396 crore of ?2,479 crore allocated in 2024-25.

• Continues the chronic trend of low utilisation, with only 33.4% funds used in 2023-24.

• Committee calls explanations inadequate and symptoms of entrenched administrative inefficiency.

Panel Recommendations

• Urges structural reform and stronger coordination with implementing agencies.

• Recommends creation of Tourism Implementation Rating System (TIRS) to rank States by efficiency.

• Suggests a Digital Project Management System for real-time data, automated alerts, and smoother fund flow.

Performance-Based Incentives

• High-performing States to get priority funding, recognition, and relaxed procedures.

• Encourages data-backed governance using models like Tamil Nadus tourism footfall analytics.

Analysis & Way Forward

• Tourisms growth is constrained by systemic inefficiencies in fund flow and implementation.

• Adoption of performance-based fund allocation and digital project management can enhance effectiveness.

Mains Mock Question:

"Critically analyze the challenges in fund utilization in centrally-sponsored tourism schemes. Suggest structural reforms for efficient implementation at the State level."