Budget to boost religious tourism

By A Staff Reporter, Kathmandu, May 30: The government has announced improvements and upgrades to various highways connecting religious and cultural routes, aiming to develop them into tourist hubs.

Presenting the budget for the upcoming fiscal year on Friday, Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle stated that the Shaligram Path will be developed by connecting Triveni Dham, Devghat, Ruru Kshetra, Kagbeni, Muktinath and Damodar Kund.  

Minister Wagle further stated that the Siddhartha Highway will be upgraded to international standards, while the Gandaki, the birthplace of the Kaligandaki civilisation, will be transformed into a pilgrimage site and a clean, enterprise-focused business area.

A religious and cultural route from Lumbini to Muktinath will be constructed, integrating meditation, spiritual practices, yoga, and Himalayan cultural experiences.

The budget introduced on Friday also states that the reconstruction and preservation of heritage sites will be expanded.

Similarly, extensive infrastructure will be developed at the historical sites of Tilaurakot, Devdaha, Kapilvastu and Ramgram. The government has allocated Rs. 830 million for the Greater Lumbini Development Programme.

The government will also develop and brand Janakpur as a wedding destination and has allocated funds for upgrading the Ram Janaki Path and Ram Janaki Parikrama Road.

It was further announced that the process of enlisting the Janaki Temple area of Janakpurdham, the Tilaurakot area of Kapilvastu, and Gokarneshwar in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites will be expedited.

The government will launch a special project to preserve at least two dozen historic Buddhist monasteries that are more than 200 years old in the high-mountain districts of Mustang and Manang.

The government also plans to promote regional tourism corridors, including Khaptad (Badimalika)–Shuklaphanta, K ankrevihar (Panchkoshi)–Rara, Thakurdwar (Swargadwari)–Ruru region, Devghat–Muktinath (Tilicho), Kalinchowk (Jugal)–Gosaikunda, and Sakhada (Dhanushadham)–Gadhimai–Halesi (Chatara)–Pathibhara.

The Great Himalayan Trail and other trekking routes will be developed as strategic trekking routes. The government will also develop the high-mountain eco-tourism trekking route (Danfe Route) connecting Khaptad, Ramaroshan, Badimalika, Budhinanda, Rara, Swargadwari and Muktinath.The budget also states that the under-construction cultural museum in Kirtipur will be completed within two years.

The government has allocated Rs. 7.34 billion for the culture and tourism sector and Rs. 2.93 billion for the civil aviation sector.

Similarly, the government announced a 10-year income tax exemption for the establishment of movie theatres in metropolitan and sub-metropolitan cities.

Film associations and other exhibition bodies have long demanded such provisions from the government. Currently, there are 170 theatres across the country. The measure has been included in the budget as the Film Development Board aims to increase the number of theatres to more than 200.