The Uttar Pradesh government has allocated INR 400 crore in its 2025-26 budget to enhance religious tourism infrastructure across key pilgrimage districts. Finance Minister Suresh Khanna, while presenting the budget on February 20, highlighted the state’s impressive tourism growth, with 65 crore visitors in 2024, including 14 lakh foreign tourists.
A major highlight is the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, set to take place from January 13 to February 26, expected to drive unprecedented pilgrimage tourism. A significant portion of the budget is dedicated to the Chief Minister’s Tourist Places Development Campaign, with INR 150 crore allocated to Ayodhya, a rising spiritual hub. The Ram Temple, inaugurated in January 2024, has already positioned Ayodhya as the centre of the state’s tourism strategy.
With this investment, Uttar Pradesh aims to modernize pilgrimage experiences, improve infrastructure, and cement its status as a leading religious tourism destination.