Tuesday, August 16 2005 15:10 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Tourism Ministry will dole out assistance to the tune of Rs 30 crore to private players who invest in projects like tourist trains, cruise terminals, convention centres and golf courses, the Rajya Sabha was informed today (Aug 16, 2005).

Assistance will be released on the basis of project proposals received by the ministry, Tourism Minister Renuka Chowdhury said in a written reply.

She said Rs 30 crore had been allocated for this scheme.

The Finance Ministry has also come out with a 'Viability Gap Funding Scheme' to assist large tourism infrastructure projects like international convention centres through public- private partnership.

• Tourists: "There were over 9.07 million foreign tourist arrivals in India between 2002-05 and according to RBI, India earned 12,463 million US dollars as foreign exchange from them,;" she said.
  
  As per the estimates, Chowdhury said, 1.02 million foreign tourists visited India during 2005-06 (April to July) and Foreign exchange earnings during this period were 1,634 million US dollars.
  
  
• Kashmir tourism: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has fixed a target of 30,000 foreign tourist arrivals in the valley during 2005, Chowdhury said, adding the State Government had been given financial assistance for sprucing up infrastructure, improving houseboats, shikaras and ponywalas and integrated development of tourist circuits destinations.