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New Delhi : Minister of State ( MoS) for Tourism & Defence Ajay Bhatt flagged off the Buddhist Circuit special train from Safdarjung Railway Station, Delhi on October 4, 2021.To tap the potential of the Buddhist tourism, the Ministry of Tourism has organised a Buddhist Circuit Train FAM Tour and conference scheduled from October 4 to October 8, 2021. The flag off ceremony was attended by the senior officials of the Ministry of Tourism, IRCTC, and other industry stakeholders.
Ajay Bhatt, MoS for Tourism & Defence, addressed the media at Delhi Safdarjung Railway Station prior to flagging off the journey ‘Buddhist Circuit Train FAM Tour and Conference’ discussing the importance of touring Indian destinations first before experiencing the global destinations as we’ve such great heritage like the Buddhist Circuit Tourist Train which covers the destinations Gaya-Bodhgaya, Rajgir-Nalanda in Bihar as well as Sarnath-Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. The Minister focused on the importance of domestic tourism for encapsulating the true spirit of the campaign ‘Dekho Apna Desh’, according to a PIB release.
The FAM tour is from Delhi to Delhi covering the prominent Buddhist sites and conferences at Bodhgaya and Varanasi. The FAM tour will cover the visit of prominent Buddhist sites and conferences at Bodhgaya and Varanasi. The event is likely to be attended by around 125 delegates including tour operators, hoteliers, media and officials of Ministry of Tourism and State Governments. Apart from this, around 100 local tour operators and other stakeholders of tourism and hospitality sector would be attending the event at Bodhgaya and Varanasi to discuss the key issues with regard to the development and promotion of tourism in the circuit.
Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with various Central ministries and State governments of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh is developing Buddhist circuit across the Buddhist destinations in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. The major verticals of developments under the Buddhist circuit are Connectivity, Infrastructure, and Logistics, Cultural research, heritage and education, Public awareness, communication and outreach.
Under the above mentioned verticals, major interventions being undertaken are development of international airports at Kushinagar and Shravasti, operationalisation of RCS UDAN routes connecting Buddhist destinations, Development of Gaya Railway station, Construction of National and state highways connecting Buddhist destinations, Development of Bodh Gaya under Iconic sites and Swadesh Darshan scheme, development of museums and heritage centre at Buddhist destinations, digitisation and preservation of manuscripts at Buddhist Tibetan institutes, development of courses on Buddhism etc.
Under Public awareness, communication and outreach vertical, there are interventions planned for promotion of Buddhist sites and heritage in India like development of virtual gallery on shared Buddhist heritage at National Museum, creation of annual calendar of events, Buddhist media campaign in key source markets, Buddhist conclave etc.