Captain Brijesh Chowta Highlights Dakshina Kannada’s Untapped Pilgrim Tourism Potential in Parliament
- Seeks support for upgrading infrastructure and tourist facilities at key religious & cultural sites
New Delhi: Dakshina Kannada MP Captain Brijesh Chowta brought the attention of the house to the lack of adequate infrastructure facilities at key religious & spiritual sites and temples of Dakshina Kannada & the resulting untapped pilgrim tourism potential of the region.
Raising a supplementary question on the Swadesh Darshan scheme in Parliament today, he sought to know what steps are being taken to identify and include temples from Mangalore and Karnataka under the PRASAD and Swadesh Darshan schemes.
The question was supplementary to a question regarding the allocation and utilisation of funds under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, technology integration to improve tourism services, steps taken for implementation in underserved areas, and potential international partnerships to enhance the scheme’s global reach.
Following the Minister’s response, Captain Chowta highlighted the need for greater inclusion of Karnataka’s cultural heritage under the scheme. Emphasizing the historical and cultural significance of the Mangalore region, he stated:
“Our region is known for its rich cultural and religious heritage, home to many iconic temples but inadequate infrastructure and tourism facilities continue to limit the region’s full potential as a heritage destination.”
In his question, he asked if there are guidelines or frameworks in place to ensure equitable selection across states and the development of lesser-known heritage sites. He also urged for the integration of an online resource into the scheme to showcase selected temples and cultural sites through multimedia content, promoting Mangalore’s rich heritage on a global scale.
He urged the Ministry to take proactive steps to ensure the region’s historic temples and traditional practices receive due recognition and support under national tourism schemes.
In response, Minister for Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat acknowledged the importance of a digital media resource in today’s era of online engagement. He stated that the Centre is taking necessary steps to provide a dedicated platform for digital content on the Incredible India portal and urged states to upload and showcase as much content as possible.
Captain Brijesh Chowta also sought to know the status of the proposals for the development of ancient shrines of Puttur Shri Mahalingeshwara temple, Sullia’s Shri Mallikarjuna Swami Temple (Thodikana), Uppinangadi’s Shri Sahasra Lingeshwara temple which was sent to the Ministry, seeking necessary infrastructure and allied tourist facilities support under the PRASAD scheme. To which, the Hon’ble Minister invited him for a discussion regarding the same, assuring him of full support in the pursuit of these proposals.