Category Archives: Business & Economy

Dassault Aviation partners with Tata Advanced Systems for Rafale fighter fuselage production in India

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Describing it as a significant step forward in strengthening the country’s aerospace manufacturing capabilities and supporting global supply chains, Dassault Aviation said the facility represented a vital investment in India’s aerospace infrastructure.

Dassault Aviation and Tata Advanced Systems Limited have signed four Production Transfer Agreements to manufacture the Rafale fighter aircraft fuselage for India and other global markets.

Describing it as a significant step forward in strengthening the country’s aerospace manufacturing capabilities and supporting global supply chains, Dassault Aviation said the facility represented a vital investment in India’s aerospace infrastructure and would serve as a critical hub for high-precision manufacturing.

Under the agreement, Tata Advanced Systems will set up a production facility in Hyderabad for the manufacture of key structural sections of Rafale, including the lateral shells of the rear fuselage, the complete rear section, the central fuselage, and the front section.

The first fuselage sections are likely to roll off the assembly line in 2028, with the facility expected to deliver up to two complete fuselages per month.

“For the first time, Rafale fuselages will be produced outside France. This is a decisive step in strengthening our supply chain in India. Thanks to the expansion of our local partners, including TASL, one of the major players in the Indian aerospace industry, this supply chain will contribute to the successful ramp-up of the Rafale and, with our support, will meet our quality and competitiveness requirements,” said Eric Trappier, chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Dassault Aviation.

Sukaran Singh, CEO and managing director, Tata Advanced Systems Limited, said: “This partnership marks a significant step in India’s aerospace journey. The production of the complete Rafale fuselage in India underscores the deepening trust in Tata Advanced Systems’ capabilities and the strength of our collaboration with Dassault Aviation.”

“It also reflects the remarkable progress India has made in establishing a modern, robust aerospace manufacturing ecosystem that can support global platforms,” he said.

“The signing of these contracts reflects Dassault Aviation’s strong commitment to India’s ‘Make in India’ and AtmaNirbhar initiatives. This partnership aims to strengthen India’s position as a key player in the global aerospace supply chain while supporting its goal of greater economic self-reliance,” said Dassault Aviation.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Bound for space: Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla set for SpaceX mission with halwa

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Shukla will be the pilot on the Dragon spacecraft commanded by US astronaut Peggy Whitson with Poland’s Slawosz Uznanski-Wisiniewski and Hungary’s Tibor Kapu as mission specialists on the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) during their 14-day stay on the orbiting laboratory.

Indian Air Force combat pilot Shubhanshu Shukla is set to fly to the International Space Station next week from a US spaceport aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and become India’s second astronaut since Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 Soyuz mission.

Shukla will be the pilot on the Dragon spacecraft commanded by US astronaut Peggy Whitson with Poland’s Slawosz Uznanski-Wisiniewski and Hungary’s Tibor Kapu as mission specialists on the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) during their 14-day stay on the orbiting laboratory.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Ax-4 crew aboard the Dragon from Nasa’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on June 10. While aboard the ISS, the Ax-4 astronauts plan to conduct over 60 science experiments, public outreach and technology demonstrations. The launch was earlier set for June 8.

Shukla is a group captain with over 2,000 hours of experience flying multiple combat aircraft.

Shukla is one of four candidate astronauts selected for the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (Isro) Gaganyaan human space flight mission expected to take place in 2027.

“It’s been an amazing journey until now — the best is yet to come,” Shukla said on Tuesday at a countdown-to-launch media conference organised by Axiom Space, a US-based private aerospace company engaged in commercial missions to the ISS and working towards building the first commercial space station.

Shukla and fellow IAF group captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, who’s serving as his designated backup, have been under training for the AX-4 mission since August 2024. All the AX-4 crew have undergone training at Axiom Space, Nasa’s Johnson Space Centre and SpaceX. The training has involved simulations of the launch and docking practice, emergency response drills, space station systems training and scientific payload operations.

“We’re ready to go, we’ve trained for all scenarios, bonded as a team,” said Whitson, who will be commanding her second commercial human spaceflight mission and add to her standing record of 675 days for the longest cumulative time in space by an American astronaut.

Shukla revealed during the media briefing that an air show during his school years and a fascination for fighter jets had drawn him into his career as a combat pilot. “When the opportunity (for an Indian human spaceflight mission) arose in 2018, I instinctively applied,” he said.

Among the seven science experiments Shukla will carry for India, one will examine the impact of microgravity on edible microalgae — a nutrient-rich food source. Another experiment will probe the growth of the organisms called Spirulina, a blue-green algae often described as a “superfood” in space.

Shukla will carry mango nectar, carrot halwa and moong dal halwa to share with his fellow astronauts on the ISS.

The experiments, developed under a tie-up between Isro and India’s department of biotechnology with support from Nasa, are intended to generate data for self-sustaining life support systems for future long-duration space travel.

“From orbit, I hope to speak to students, educators, and members of India’s space industry,” Shukla said, outlining some of the crew’s planned outreach activities from the ISS. Uznanski-Wisiniewsky plans to demonstrate physics experiments to students across Poland.

India’s space agency views the Ax-4 mission as yet another step towards its human spaceflight ambitions.

“The experience and the knowhow from the AX-4 mission is significant to us and will feed into our Gaganyaan programme,” Sudeesh Balan, project director at Isro, had said at a mission overview media briefing earlier this month.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

IISc researchers develop novel nanozyme which prevents excess clotting

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When a blood vessel is injured, specialised blood cells called platelets get activated, and cluster together around the vessel to form protective blood clots. However, when these signals go haywire, oxidative stress and levels of toxic Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) increase, leading to over-activation of platelets.

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) have developed an artificial metal-based nanozyme that can potentially be used to clamp down on abnormal blood clotting caused by conditions like pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE).

According to IISc., under normal circumstances, when a blood vessel is injured, specialised blood cells called platelets get activated, and cluster together around the vessel to form protective blood clots.

This process, known as the blood clotting cascade (haemostasis), involves a complex series of protein interactions triggered by signals from physiological agonists (chemicals), such as collagen and thrombin.

However, when these signals go haywire in conditions like PTE or diseases like COVID-19, oxidative stress and levels of toxic Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) increase, leading to over-activation of platelets. This triggers the formation of excess clots in the blood vessel, contributing to thrombosis, a major cause of morbidity and mortality.

To tackle this challenge, researchers led by G. Mugesh, professor in the Department of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, have developed nanomaterials that mimic the activity of natural antioxidant enzymes, which scavenge reactive oxidative molecules.

These nanozymes work by controlling ROS levels, thereby preventing the over-activation of platelets that leads to excess clot formation or thrombosis.

The team synthesised redox active nanomaterials of different sizes, shapes, and morphologies via a series of controlled chemical reactions starting from small building blocks. They then isolated platelets from human blood, activated them using physiological agonists, and tested how effectively the different nanozymes could prevent excess platelet aggregation.

The team found that spherical-shaped vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) nanozymes were the most efficient. These materials mimic a natural antioxidant enzyme called glutathione peroxidase to reduce oxidative stress.

“The unique chemistry of the vanadium metal is crucial because the redox reactions that reduce ROS levels are happening on the surface of the vanadium nanomaterial,” said Prof. Mugesh.

The team injected the nanozyme in a mouse model of PTE. They found that it significantly reduced thrombosis and increased the animals’ survival rates. They also observed the weight, behaviour, and blood parameters of the animal for up to five days after injecting the nanozyme, and did not find any toxic effects.

The team now plans to explore the efficacy of the nanozyme in preventing ischemic stroke, which is also caused by clogging of blood vessels.

“We are hopeful about clinical studies in humans because we have done our experiments with human platelets, and they worked,” said Prof. Mugesh.

source/content: thehindu (headline edited)

68 Indian Institutions feature in CWUR global 2000 rankings; IIM Ahmedabad leads national list

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IIM Ahmedabad tops Indian chart at 428th despite drop; Harvard retains global No.1 spot.

 A total of 68 Indian universities and institutes have secured places in the 2025 edition of the Global 2000 list released by the Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) on Monday. Leading the Indian contingent is the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad, ranked 428th globally, despite slipping 18 places from last year.

CWUR is a prominent consulting organisation offering strategic insights to governments and academic institutions to enhance educational and research outcomes.

For the fourteenth consecutive year, Harvard University has retained its position as the top-ranked university in the world. It is followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Stanford University. The University of Cambridge and University of Oxford complete the top five, making them the highest-ranked public universities globally.

The remainder of the global top 10 includes Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia, Yale, and the University of Chicago all private US institutions. China, meanwhile, has overtaken the US in terms of the number of institutions featured in the rankings, with 346 universities included, up from 324 last year.

An official statement from CWUR noted, “India is enhancing its global standing in higher education. Thirty-nine universities from India have improved their rankings from last year, while 29 have seen a drop.” The main driver of this upward trend is improved research performance — with 37 Indian institutions showing gains in this area.

IIM Ahmedabad, while still the top-ranked Indian institute, fell 18 spots to 428th place. It retains an impressive 11th position globally for employability but declined in the quality of education indicator. The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) is ranked 521st, down 20 places, while IIT Madras jumped 21 places to 561st, just ahead of IIT Bombay (562nd) and IIT Delhi (582nd).

India’s top ten institutions also include Delhi University (636), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (644), IIT Kharagpur (689), Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (736), and Homi Bhabha National Institute (820).

CWUR President Nadim Mahassen commented, “With sixty-eight Indian institutions in the rankings, India is well represented among the world’s top universities. Increased financial support from the government and prioritising education and science will make India even more competitive globally.”

Globally, Mahassen warned of a concerning trend in the US, noting that while top institutions remain dominant, many others are falling in the rankings. “The decline of the vast majority of US institutions should concern the education authorities, particularly as Chinese universities benefit from years of consistent government support,” he said.

Asia rankings:
The University of Tokyo remains Asia’s highest-ranked institution at 13th globally. Other Asian leaders include Kyoto University (24th), Seoul National University (31st), Tsinghua (37th), Peking (44th), University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (46th), Shanghai Jiao Tong (61st), Hebrew University (65th), Zhejiang University (68th), and Weizmann Institute (70th).

Ranking methodology:
CWUR assessed 74 million data points to rank 21,462 universities globally based on four key metrics:

  • Quality of education (25%)
  • Employability (25%)
  • Quality of faculty (10%)
  • Research performance (40%)

Only the top 2,000 universities made it to the published list, representing 94 countries. Full results are available at cwur.org/2025.php.

India’s Top 10 in CWUR 2025 Rankings:
(Global rank | 2024 rank | Score)

  1. IIM Ahmedabad – 428 ▼ (410) – 75.2
  2. Indian Institute of Science – 521 ▼ (501) – 74.2
  3. IIT Madras – 561 ▲ (582) – 73.8
  4. IIT Bombay – 562 ▲ (568) – 73.8
  5. IIT Delhi – 582 ▲ (616) – 73.6
  6. Delhi University – 636 ▼ (622) – 73.2
  7. Tata Institute of Fundamental Research – 644 ▼ (606) – 73.1
  8. IIT Kharagpur – 689 ▲ (704) – 72.7
  9. Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research – 736 ▲ (798) – 72.4
  10. Homi Bhabha National Institute – 820 ▲ (903) – 71.8

(The full list includes 68 Indian institutions.)

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

Valmik Thapar, tiger conservation trailblazer, passes away at 73

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Thapar worked mainly with tigers in the Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan where he championed community-based conservation efforts, while simultaneously advocating for stronger nationwide government initiatives to protect tigers and their ecosystem.

Valmik Thapar, an anthropology graduate who became one of India’s leading wildlife conservationists, shaping government policies on tiger conservation efforts and drawing global attention to the big cats through books and films, died on Saturday. He was 73.

Thapar worked mainly with tigers in the Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan where he championed community-based conservation efforts, while simultaneously advocating for stronger nationwide government initiatives to protect tigers and their ecosystem.

Former Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh described Thapar as “a legendary figure” in the conservation domain. “Today’s Ranthambore, particularly, is a testimony to his deep commitment and indefatigable zeal,” Ramesh posted on X on Saturday. He was uncommonly knowledgeable on a variety of issues relating to biodiversity and not a day passed during my ministerial tenure without our talking to each other —with me almost always at the receiving end.”

Thapar was among a generation of conservationists who had the opportunity to witness the evolution of India’s Project Tiger — launched in 1972-73 — which is widely regarded as among the world’s most successful conservation programmes.

“His passion arose purely from his heart, inspired by the charisma of the big cat,” said Ullas Karanth, emeritus director of the Centre for Wildlife Studies in Bangalore, who has himself focused on tiger ecology and the fate of tiger populations since the 1970s.

Thapar was only 23 when he went to Ranthambore in 1976. Over the next four decades, he studied nearly 200 tigers, spending hours in the forests in close proximity to the animals, observing their behaviour, even naming some of them — Broken Tooth, Genghis, Laxmi, Machli, Padmini.

Thapar had played a key role in “pushing for” regulatory initiatives such as the establishment of a Wildlife Crime Control Bureau to curb poaching and amendments to wildlife regulations. “I was amazed by Valmik’s incredible drive and a shrewd understanding of how political systems worked,” Karanth said.

Ravi Chellam, a wildlife biologist and a specialist on India’s lions, said Thapar had some “very strong views on what needed to be done”, which he would not be shy of expressing.

“He was also a prolific author, lucid presenter and narrator of films and documentaries who built a global reputation as one of the foremost spokespersons for India’s wilderness,” Chellam said.

Among his earliest books was With Tigers in the Wild, published in 1983 and co-authored with Fateh Singh Rathore, a Ranthambore forest officer, and tiger conservation advocate Tejbir Singh. “This was among the first books with outstanding photographs of tigers in the wild from India,” Karanth said.

Thapar, while seeking to influence government policy through memberships in over 150 panels or task forces, also wrote or edited more than 30 books, including The Secret Life of Tigers in 2016, which documents the lives of three tigresses and their cubs from birth to adulthood. He also helped produce multiple films and documentaries on tigers.

Thapar was married to theatre artist Sanjana Kapoor, daughter of actor Shashi Kapoor, and they have a son.

Thapar, appointed a member of the country’s tiger task force in 2005, had written a dissent note, expressing concern that the task force’s report was overly optimistic about the coexistence of tigers and humans, a PTI report said on Saturday. Thapar argued that for tigers to survive in the long run, certain areas needed to be kept entirely free from human interference.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

India’s space sector created 22,000 job in last decade, positively contributed to economy: study

The study noted that the number of homegrown space startups in India surged from 1 in 2014 to 229 by mid-2024.

A marked increase in homegrown space startups, industries manufacturing space-qualified products, and a growing reliance on satellite-based services have all positively impacted India’s economy, a new study has found. It also said the space sector has contributed to the country’s employment and overall social development.

The study, titled ‘Space economy of India, its impact on the rest of the economy’, published in the journal Space Policy enlisted the creation of around 22,000 new jobs in this sector in the past decade.

In 2020–21, the space sector contributed a modest 0.19 per cent of India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), but this share has been rising, as per the study. Monetarily, the New Space India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), generated a revenue worth Rs 2,940 crore in 2022-2023, the study noted.

The year-on-year increment in the revenue is estimated to remain around 24 per cent, said the study authored by experts from the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram; Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvananthapuram; Ahmedabad University and National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru.

Policy-level changes with the introduction of Space Activities Policy 2023 and the establishment of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (In-SPACe), too, created a positive shift in the way the space economy has shaped in recent years, according to the study.

According to the study, with more countries turning into private players for venturing into space, employment generation holds potential even in India.

“Private space startups are attracting substantial investments, generating revenue through satellite manufacturing, launch services and space-based applications. Sectors like telecommunications, agriculture and navigation have benefited from satellite services, enhancing their operational efficiency and productivity,” said the study.

In India, the number of homebred space startups went from one to 229 from 2014 mid-2024, and they are believed to employ about 2,500 people at present.

ISRO has remained the primary driver of space-related activities in India and the space agency directly employs over 17,000 people. The overall employment covering the broader space industry is estimated to be 45,000–50,000.

India’s space economy covers manufacturing, operations and applications. The space manufacturing segment includes the production of launch vehicles, satellites, spacecraft subsystems, scientific instruments and ground equipment.

Space operations encompass launch services, satellite operation and brokerage, ground station management, in-orbit servicing, space surveillance, debris removal, space tourism, in-space manufacturing and the operation of spaceports. Space applications cover services like direct-to-home broadcasting, satellite communications, location-based services, satellite data processing and downstream applications using satellite signals.

According to the study, some of the key emerging areas in this sector include deep exploration missions, greater involvement of private players and international collaborations.

Even with modest spending with respect to the country’s GDP, the space sector holds immense potential and far-reaching and multi-sectoral reach, the study said. Improvements brought through satellite-based services and geographical information services-based tools are immensely benefitting sectors like agriculture, disaster management, national security, weather forecasting, urban planning, energy planning, navigation, infrastructure development, land management and more, it said.

The researchers said the technological innovations and spillovers to sectors also added to the overall contribution to the economy.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

UoH faculty member elected as Fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry

G.S. Vaitheeswaran from University of Hyderabad’s (UoH) School of Physics has been elected as a Fellow of the prestigious Royal Society of Chemistry for his contributions to understanding the electronic structure of solids, particularly in the field of energetic materials.

The fellowship will enable Prof Vaitheeswaran to expand his research network and collaborations with universities worldwide, facilitating international funding and participation in conferences.

He has received several notable awards, including the DAE Young Achiever Award, B.M. Birla Science Prize in Physics, and the Chancellor Award for Excellence in Teaching and Research, as per a press release on Friday (May 1, 2025).

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Aurobindo arm’s biosimilar for breast cancer gets EMA panel nod

Aurobindo Pharma subsidiary CuraTeQ Biologics’ biosimilar for breast cancer has been recommended for marketing authorisation by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

“The CHMP has adopted a positive opinion recommending marketing authorisation of Dazublys (150 mg powder for concentrate for solution for infusion), CuraTeQ Biologics s.r.o. trastuzumab biosimilar, for the treatment of HER2-positive metastatic and early breast cancers,” Aurobindo Pharma said on Saturday.

The positive opinion is based on demonstrating comprehensive analytical similarity and clinically no meaningful differences between Dazublys and the reference biologic product Herceptin in terms of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity. Upon European Commission approval that is expected in July, Dazublys will be available for use across EU member states, Aurobindo Pharma Director and CEO Biologics, Vaccines and Peptides Satakarni Makkapati said.

“This marks our third biosimilar to receive CHMP’s endorsement and the fourth overall in the EU, alongside the approval of Bevqolva (a bevacizumab biosimilar) by the MHRA in November 2024. Biosimilars are playing an important role in improving cancer care, and we remain committed to expanding our biosimilars portfolio,” he said in a release.

Aurobindo Pharma Vice Chairman and MD Nithyananda Reddy said the company is working towards building biosimilars as one of the core businesses. “By 2030, we are committed to launching at least 10 biosimilars across oncology and immunology therapy segments,” he said.

On Trastuzumab, which a monoclonal antibody, the company said the biosimilar specifically binds and inhibits the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) protein, which is over-expressed on certain types of solid cancers such as breast and gastric cancer. By binding to the extracellular domain of HER2, trastuzumab disrupts its ability to signal, leading to cell cycle arrest, reduced tumour growth and potentially immune system activation to destroy cancer cells.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Asia’s largest tulip garden opens in Srinagar; mesmerises tourists with 17 lakh blooming bulbs

CM Abdullah highlighted the Tulip Show as a celebration of Kashmir’s diverse natural beauty and a key attraction for nature lovers worldwide.

Tourists visiting Asia’s largest tulip garden here are spellbound by a riot of colours and mesmerised by its breath-taking beauty as the 50-hectare Tulip Garden opened for the public on Wednesday amidst a display of 17 lakh flower bulbs.

The opening of the Tulip Garden — nestled between the Dal Lake and the Zabarwan Hills — marked the beginning of a new tourism season in the Kashmir valley.

The Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden was thrown open to the public by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah as he inaugurated the Tulip Show-2025.

Abdullah toured the garden, visiting its different levels and flower varieties.

The chief minister highlighted the Tulip Show as a celebration of Kashmir’s diverse natural beauty and a key attraction for nature lovers worldwide.

He emphasised J-K’s timeless charm and scenic landscapes, inviting tourists to explore its unmatched splendour.

Abdullah also interacted with several visitors and obliged to their selfie requests as well.

Interacting with visitors, the chief minister welcomed them to the “Paradise on Earth”, encouraging them to cherish and share their experiences of the Tulip Garden in their home states and countries.

Later, taking to X, the chief minister said he was pleased to inaugurate the scenic Tulip Garden.

“A true spectacle of nature’s beauty, this garden embodies Kashmir’s charm and warmth. I invite everyone to witness this breathtaking bloom and experience the magic of spring in the Valley,” the CM said in a post on X.

“After more than a decade I was back at the Tulip Garden in Srinagar to officially throw it open to visitors. Over the next few weeks thousands of people are expected to visit Asia’s largest tulip garden and enjoy the riot of colour,” Abdullah said.

The inaugural day saw an overwhelming response from tourists and locals alike who marvelled at the mesmerising floral expanse.

Seema, a visitor from Delhi, Seema said the experience of visiting the garden was mesmerising.

“It feels very good to be here. It is a mesmerising experience. We came to Srinagar for the first time and it was nice to see tulip flowers here,” she said.

Another visitor, Satish, said it was altogether a different experience to see a large number of tulip flowers in the world’s second-largest tulip garden.

“The beauty of Kashmir and the tourist places here is amazing. Everyone should visit Kashmir once in life to enjoy the scenic beauty,” he said.

A tourist from Mumbai, Surmil, has fallen in love with the garden, describing his experience as amazing.

“I love this place. So many tulips here, colourful. It has been an amazing experience. The atmosphere is very nice. The weather is cool here compared to Mumbai,” he said.

The garden was set up by Ghulam Nabi Azad, the then chief minister of the erstwhile state in 2007 to advance J-K’s tourist season which was earlier limited to the summers and the winters.

Formerly known as Siraj Bagh, the garden was opened to the public as tulips of different colours have started to bloom, Floriculture Department officials said.

The department plants tulip bulbs in a phased manner so that the flowers remain in bloom for a month or more.

This year, the department has added two new varieties of tulips to the garden.

A new colour scheme has been introduced this year, and the total number of varieties of tulips and other flowers has risen to 74.

Other spring flowers including hyacinths, daffodils, muscari and cyclamens are also on display.

About 17 lakh tulip bulbs have been planted in the garden that spreads over 55 hectares, the officials said.

The extension of the garden has reached almost its full capacity, they said.

The garden started on a small scale with 50,000 tulip bulbs imported from The Netherlands. It instantly gained popularity among tourists and has been steadily growing each year, both in terms of the number of visitors and the tulips that bloom.

More than 4.65 lakh visitors, both domestic and foreign, visited the garden last year while the footfall in 2023 was 3.65 lakh.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

116 new tourist destinations sanctioned across the country

The Tourism Ministry will also conduct job oriented short term skill programmes through various institutes across the country.

The Centre has sanctioned a total of 116 new tourist destinations across the country under various schemes in partnership with State governments which would be developed at a cost of ₹4,088 crores.

Out of these 34 have been sanctioned under the Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme, 42 have been identified under the “Challenge Based Destination Development (CBDD)”, a sub-scheme of Swadesh Darshan and 40 would be developed under Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI).

The Swadesh Darshan Scheme, a flagship initiative of the Union Tourism Ministry aims to develop sustainable and responsible tourism destinations by focusing on theme-based circuits and providing financial assistance to state governments for infrastructure development. The scheme was revamped as SwadeshDarshan 2.0 (SD2.0) with the objective to develop sustainable tourism destinations.

Additionally, the Ministry has formulated CBDD as a sub-scheme under SD2.0 aiming for holistic development of destinations to enhance tourist experience.

Furthermore, the Centre through the Union Finance Ministry sanctioned 40 projects in 23 States for ₹3295.76 crore in Financial Year 2024-25 under SASCI – Development of Iconic Tourist Centres to Global Scale’ Scheme with the objective to comprehensively develop iconic tourist centres in the country, branding, and marketing them at global scale, Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat informed the Parliament earlier this week.

The Centre has also approved the initiative to develop tribal homestays under the Swadesh Darshan scheme as part of the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan. The said intervention includes development of 1,000 homestays with support of up to ₹5 lakh per unit (for new construction), up to ₹3 lakhs (renovation) and ₹5 lakh for village community requirement.

The Tourism Ministry also conducts job oriented short term skill programmes through various institutes across the country, including Bihar. The main objective of this initiative is to train and upgrade manpower at every strata of tourism service providers in order to capitalise the vast tourism potential of the country to the fullest and provide professional expertise to the local populace, the Minister said.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)