India signs loan agreement with World Bank (WB) for UP Tourism Project

India has signed a loan agreement worth $40 million with the World Bank (WB) for UP Pro-Poor Tourism Development Project on December 28, 2017. The purpose of the project is to increase tourism-related benefits for local communities in Uttar Pradesh. The total project cost is around $57.14 million, out of which $40 million will be financed by the World Bank, and the remaining amount will be funded out of the state budget. The programme duration is five years. The project is expected to have far-reaching social, economic and environmental benefits by targeting local communities and entrepreneurs near some of the main tourist and pilgrimage attractions in Uttar Pradesh, namely, Agra as well as Mathura, Vrindavan, Barsana and Govardhan in the Braj region.