The Delhi government has introduced a heritage promotion scheme in its annual budget tabled, seeking to brand the national capital as a tourist destination. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds the finance portfolio, while presenting a Rs 69,000-crores budget for year 2021-22, said Rs 521 crores have been allocated in 2021-22 for the implementation of schemes, programmes and projects of the sectors of tourism, art and culture.
For the promotion of tourism, the Delhi government is introducing two new schemes titled the ‘Delhi Heritage Promotion’ and ‘Delhi Tourism Circuit’. In order to brand Delhi as a tourist destination, a scheme had been proposed last year which could not be implemented due to the coronavirus pandemic. It is proposed for this scheme to be implemented this year.
A new scheme has been proposed to ensure the safety of women at tourist spots. This includes measures such as installation of CCTV cameras at entry points of all tourist spots, lighting up of dark spots with LEDs, and posting of uniform clad guards at all tourist spots under the Delhi tourism department, facility of mobile vans at various tourist sites, and Rs 5 crores have been proposed in the budget.
In other allocations, Sisodia said, “Our government will provide financial support of Rs 4,367 crores to the local bodies. This includes an amount of Rs 2,298 crores as tied fund for implementation of schemes, programmes, projects by the local bodies and Rs 2,069 crore as Basic Tax Assignment.
In addition, an amount of Rs 1,805 crores has been provided for local bodies as share in stamps and registration fee and one-time parking fee. Government is thus giving a total financial support of Rs 6,172 crores to local bodies in budget estimate 2021-22.
