Major verticals of development of India's Buddhist circuit, including connectivity, infrastructure, logistics, cultural research, heritage and education, public awareness, communication and outreach, were discussed extensively during a conference organised in Bodhgaya by the ministry of tourism.  

The ministry, in collaboration with various central ministries and state governments of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, is developing the Buddhist Circuit across the Buddhist destinations in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Several interventions being undertaken are development of international airports at Kushinagar and Shravasti, operationalisation of RCS UDAN routes connecting Buddhist destinations, development of Gaya railway station and construction of national, state highways connecting Buddhist destinations.

Development of Bodhgaya under iconic sites and 'Swadesh Darshan' scheme, development of museums and heritage centres at Buddhist destinations, digitization and preservation of manuscripts at Buddhist Tibetan institutes, development of courses on Buddhism is also high on the priority list of the ministry.

It was emphasised during the event that Gaya should be promoted as a destination for tourists throughout the year.

The conference was attended by Director General of Ministry of Tourism, G Kamla Vardhan Rao; Tourism Director of Bihar; District Magistrate of Gaya and other officials.

The delegates/participants included members of Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), Association of Domestic Tour Operators (ADTOI) and Association of Buddhist Tour Operators (ABTO).

The conference was part of the 'Buddhist Circuit Train FAM Tour' launched on October 4 from the Safdarjung Railway Station in Delhi. The FAM tour covers the visit of prominent Buddhist sites and conferences at Bodhgaya and Varanasi.

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