India has signed a loan agreement worth $40 million with the World Bank for a ‘UP Pro-Poor Tourism Development Project’ aimed at increasing tourism-related benefits for local communities in Uttar Pradesh. The total project cost is approximately US$ 57.14 million, of which $40 million will be financed by the Bank, and the remaining amount will be funded out of state budget, a release from Finance Ministry stated. The programme duration is 5 years.
The objective is to increase tourism-related benefits for local communities in targeted destinations. The project is expected to have far-reaching social, economic and environmental benefits by targeting local communities and entrepreneurs near some of the main tourist and pilgrimage attractions in Uttar Pradesh, namely, Agra as well as Mathura, Vrindavan, Barsana and Govardhan in the Braj region.
