Amrit Dharohar Capacity Building Scheme:
The Central government is spearheading a significant transformation in the realm of wetland tourism with the ‘Amrit Dharohar Capacity Building Scheme’.
- This initiative, launched in June 2023, aims to revolutionize tourism practices at ecologically-sensitive wetlands, particularly Ramsar sites like Odisha’s Chilika Lake and Haryana’s Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary.
- Amrit Dharohar Capacity Building Scheme is a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.
- The scheme will be implemented over the next three years (2023 onwards) to encourage optimal use of wetlands, and enhance biodiversity, carbon stock, eco-tourism opportunities and income generation for local communities.
- The primary focus of the Scheme is to strategically transition from high-volume tourism to high-value nature tourism at ecologically-sensitive wetlands.
- The aim is to enhance livelihood opportunities for local communities through harnessing the nature-tourism potential of the Ramsar Sites across the country.
- The scheme is being implemented in convergence with various Central Government ministries and agencies, State wetland authorities, and a network of formal and informal institutions and individuals, working together for a common cause.
- Out of 16 identified Ramsar sites, five have been selected for pilot projects under the scheme.
- These pilot sites include Sultanpur National Park (Haryana), Bhitarkanika Mangroves (Odisha), Chilika Lake (Odisha), Sirpur (Madhya Pradesh), and Yashwant Sagar (Madhya Pradesh).
- Training programs for participants are carried under the Alternative Livelihood Programme (ALP) (a 30 hours/15 days training programme) and Paryatan Navik Certificate (boatman certification for tourism).
