New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Interim Budget 2024, emphasised the government’s commitment to bolstering domestic tourism. The tourism infrastructure and amenities on Indian islands, including Lakshadweep, will be a focal point of development. Addressing challenges faced by the tourism sector in Lakshadweep, the Finance Minister highlighted plans for improvements in both sea and air routes to the region.
The central government aims to enhance the port sector to facilitate smoother access for tourists to Lakshadweep, ensuring a better travel experience through improved infrastructural facilities. The finance minister said that 11 lakh crores have been earmarked for infrastructure development.
Bharat’s rising status as a spiritual tourism hub was mentioned, with encouragement for private sector involvement in this field. The Finance Minister outlined plans for the construction of 149 new airports and the upgrading of existing ones, aligning with the broader vision of transforming Bharat into a developed country by 2047.
The interim budget also highlighted the achievements of the central government over the past decade, with a comprehensive review of economic changes. Political observers speculate that the focus on promoting Lakshadweep tourism in the interim budget is an indirect response to recent tensions with the Maldives. Following the Prime Minister’s invitation to tourists after his visit to Lakshadweep, Maldivian ministers insulted Bharat and the Prime Minister, resulting in a setback for the Maldives, particularly in its tourism sector.
