Budget: Govt to develop 15 archeological sites, set up National Destination Digital Knowledge Grid

Presenting the Union Budget 2026-27, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also proposed the development of ecologically sustainable mountain trails in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu and Kashmir and the setting up of a National Institute of Hospitality by upgrading the existing National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology.

The government on Sunday proposed to develop 15 archaeological sites, including Lothal and Leh Palace, into ''vibrant cultural destinations'', and set up a National Destination Digital Knowledge Grid to digitally document all places of significance across the country, including cultural and spiritual sites. Presenting the Union Budget 2026-27, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also proposed the development of ecologically sustainable mountain trails in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu and Kashmir and the setting up of a National Institute of Hospitality by upgrading the existing National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology. The government has set aside Rs 2438.40 crore for the tourism sector in the Budget, with Rs 2433.87 as revenue expenditure. The outlay in the culture sector is Rs 3,416.63 crore. The revised Budget estimate for 2025-26 for the sector was Rs 3,550.09 crore. In her 85-minute speech, Sitharaman made a slew of announcements related to several sectors, including agriculture, finance, health, employment, industry and tourism. ''Tourism sector has a large role to play in employment generation, forex earnings and expanding the local economy. I propose to set up a National Institute of Hospitality by upgrading the existing National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology,'' she said. It will function as a ''bridge'' between academia, industry, and government, she said. The minister proposed to develop 15 archaeological sites, including Lothal, Dholavira, Rakhigarhi, Sarnath, Hastinapur, and Leh Palace into ''vibrant experiential cultural destinations.'' ''Excavated landscapes will be opened to the public through curated walkways, immersive storytelling skills, and technologies will be introduced to help conservation labs, interpretation centres and guides,'' she said. The finance minister also announcedthe setting up of a national-level digital grid to ''digitally document'' all places of significance. ''A National Destination Digital Knowledge Grid will be established to digitally document all places of significance, cultural, spiritual and heritage. This initiative will create a new ecosystem of jobs for local researchers, historians, content creators and technology partners,'' she said. She emphasised that the Budget 2026-27 was the ''first Budget prepared in Kartavya Bhawan,'' as the finance ministry in recent months has shifted from its historic seat at the North Block on the Raisina Hill. Sitharaman said India has the potential and opportunity to offer a world-class trekking and hiking experience. ''We will develop ecologically sustainable mountain trails in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu and Kashmir; Araku Valley in the Eastern Ghats and Podhigai Malai in the Western Ghats; turtle trails along key nesting sites in the coastal areas of Odisha, Karnataka and Kerala; and bird watching trails along the Pulikat lake in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu,'' the minister said. She proposed a ''pilot scheme for upskilling 10,000 guides in 20 iconic tourist sites'' through a standardised high-quality 12-week training programme in hybrid mode, in collaboration with an Indian Institute of Management. In the Budget, the government also proposed the development of the East Coast Industrial Corridor with a well-connected node at Durgapur in West Bengal, and the creation of five tourism destinations in the five 'Purvodaya' states. Sitharaman proposed to launch a scheme for the development of Buddhist circuits in six northeastern states -- Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura. ''I propose the development of an East Coast Industrial Corridor with a well-connected node at Durgapur, creation of five tourism destinations in five Purvodaya states, and the provision of 4,000 e-buses,'' Sitharaman said. Marking 100 days of the Modi government 3.0, it had announced in September 2024 that various initiatives have been launched under the 'Viksit Bharat-2024' vision to build a strong foundation for a prosperous India. These included the Purvodaya initiative aimed at all-around development of the eastern region of India, encompassing Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh. It focuses on human resource development, infrastructure enhancement, and economic opportunities to propel the region towards becoming a key driver of a developed India. In the health sector, the finance minister underlined the importance of medical tourism and the country's plan to further give it a boost. ''To promote India as a hub for medical tourism services, I propose to launch a scheme to support states in establishing five regional medical hubs, in partnership with the private sector,'' she added. These hubs will serve as ''integrated healthcare complexes'' which combine medical, educational and research facilities, she said. ''They will have Ayush centres, Medical Value Tourism Facilitation Centres and infrastructure for diagnostics, post-care and rehabilitation. These hubs will provide diverse job opportunities for health professionals, including doctors and AHPs (Allied Health Professionals),'' she said. Sitharaman described cities as India's ''engines'' of growth, innovation, and opportunities, as she announced that the government shall now ''focus on tier II and tier III cities, and even temple towns'', which need modern infrastructure and basic amenities.

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