As Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted the government's focus on boosting domestic tourism, Lakshadweep found a special mention.
'Our middle class also now aspires to travel and explore. Tourism, including spiritual tourism, has tremendous opportunity
for local entrepreneurship. To address the emerging fervor for domestic tourism, projects for port connectivity, tourism, infrastructureand amenities will be taken up on our islands, including Lakshadweep,' she said.
This comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi encouraged Indians to explore Lakshadweep during his visit to the union territory.
He had tried snorkelling and said Lakshadweep has to be on the list of visit for those who wish to embrace the adventurer in them.
A row erupted on social media when a minister and some other leaders in the Maldives used derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Modi after he posted a video of him on a pristine beach in Lakshadweep.
Following this, several Indians and tour operators cancelled their plans to visit the Maldives, which has tilted towards China and away from India under its new President Mohamed Muizzu.
Sitharaman, in her budget speech, said the Indian middle class also now "aspires to travel and explore". Tourism, including spiritual tourism, has tremendous opportunities for local entrepreneurship, she added.
"States will be encouraged to take up comprehensive development of iconic tourist centres, branding and marketing them at global scale. A framework for rating of the centres based on quality of facilities and services will be established," the finance minister said.
Long-term interest-free loans will be provided to states for financing such development on matching basis, she added.
"The success of organising G-20 Summit meets at 60 places presented the diversity of India to global audience," Sitharaman said.
With PTI inputs