New Delhi:

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today announced that 50 tourist destinations across the country will be developed as a “whole package” in a bid to boost tourism.

Presenting the Union Budget 2023-2024, the Finance Minister said that these tourist destinations will be selected through challenge mode.

Ms Sitharaman said that states will be encouraged to set a “Unity Mall” in the capital city or most popular tourist destination in the state for the promotion of ‘One District, One product’ theme.

“Promotion of tourism will be taken up on mission mode with active participation of states, convergence of government programmes, and public-private-partnerships,” Ms Sitharaman said.

The Finance Minister also emphasised that the country offers “immense attraction” for domestic as well as foreign tourists.

“There is a large potential to be tapped in tourism. The sector holds huge opportunities for jobs and entrepreneurship, for the youth in particular,” she said.

Just like last year, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2023-2024 in a paperless format today.

This is Ms Sitharaman’s fifth budget presentation since she took the charge of the Finance Ministry in 2019.

On Tuesday, Ms Sitharaman tabled the Economic Survey for the Financial Year 2022-23 in the Lok Sabha, stating that the economic recovery of India from the COVID-19 pandemic is complete and the economy is expected to grow in the range of 6 to 6.8 per cent in the coming financial year.

This is in comparison to the estimated 7 per cent this fiscal and 8.7 per cent in 2021-22.