Why in news
The Union Tourism Ministry has consistently underutilised its allocated funds.
In 2023-24, only 33.4% of ₹2,400 crore was used, and in 2024-25, just ₹396.82 crore out of ₹2,479.62 crore was spent.
The Ministry blamed administrative delays, procedural hurdles, and poor coordination with implementing agencies.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee found these reasons inadequate, pointing to deeper systemic issues.
Recommendations
The committee calls for structural reforms to address these inefficiencies and improve fund utilisation.
It recommends an Integrated Digital Project Management System (IDPMS) for better tracking of projects, from fund allocation to utilisation, with real-time dashboards for transparency
A Tourism Implementation Rating System (TIRS) should be introduced to evaluate how well States implement tourism projects.
High-performing States will get rewards like priority funding, fewer procedures, and recognition awards.
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