Assam's Sivasagar among 42 destinations identified for eco-tourism development in India

Assam's Sivasagar has been selected by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, under the Challenge-Based Destination Development (CBDD) initiative of the Swadesh Darshan scheme. The historic town has been identified as one of 42 destinations across the country under the Eco-Tourism & Amrit Dharohar Site category, aimed at enhancing tourism infrastructure and sustainable development.

The CBDD initiative, a sub-scheme of Swadesh Darshan, has categorized these 42 destinations into four key tourism segments:

Spiritual Tourism
Culture & Heritage
Vibrant Village Program
Eco-Tourism & Amrit Dharohar Sites
To facilitate the development of these sites, the Ministry of Tourism has provided a template to State Governments and UT Administrations for the formulation of detailed action plans and project proposals. These proposals are evaluated based on specific parameters and guidelines before receiving final approval and funding. The scheme not only emphasizes infrastructure development but also focuses on soft interventions to enhance visitor experiences.

From Northeast India, several destinations have been selected under different categories, including:

Kibitho (Arunachal Pradesh)
Sivasagar (Assam)
Langthabal Konug (Manipur)
Nartiang Village & Mawphlang Village (Meghalaya)
Impur Village (Nagaland)
Gnathang Village & Kabi (Sikkim)