Pandit Omkarnath Classical Music Festival and Awards 2026

This scheme provides financial support from the Central Government to help set up, expand, and upgrade institutes Read More... focused on tourism, hospitality, and related fields across India. It offers grants for construction and equipment. Read less

Details

The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, has introduced a vital scheme to boost the tourism and hospitality sector through improved educational infrastructure. This initiative, known as the "Scheme of Financial Assistance to IHMs/FCIs/IITTM/ICI/NCHMCT/PSUs," is designed to extend crucial financial support for various projects that enhance tourism and hospitality education and training.

What Is This Scheme?

This scheme is all about providing Central Government funding to develop and improve institutes that train people for jobs in tourism, hotel management, travel, and culinary arts. It helps in building new institutes, making existing ones bigger or better, and getting modern equipment for them.

Who Can Benefit From This Scheme?

The scheme is primarily for government bodies and institutions involved in tourism and hospitality education. This includes State Governments, Union Territory Administrations, and specific government-backed institutions like the Indian Institute of Tourism & Travel Management (IITTM), the National Council for Hotel Management & Catering Technology (NCHMCT), and the Indian Culinary Institute (ICI).

Why This Scheme Is Important

By providing financial assistance, the scheme aims to ensure that India has well-equipped and modern institutes that can produce skilled professionals for the booming tourism and hospitality industry. This, in turn, helps in creating jobs and improving the overall quality of services offered in the sector.

Objective

This scheme provides financial support from the Central Government to help set up, expand, and upgrade institutes focused on tourism, hospitality, and related fields across India. It offers grants for construction and equipment.

Benefits

Financial Assistance and Recognition:Eligible male artists receive a prestigious award that acknowledges their lifelong dedication to Indian classical music.

Sources and references

Guidelines (Scheme No. 410)

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for this scheme, you must be:

A Society formed by the Central Government, State Government, or Union Territory Administration.
Registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860.
An autonomous society formed by the Central Government, like IITTM, NCHMCT, or ICI.

Specific Criteria for New Institutes:

Setting up a New State Institute of Hotel Management (SIHM):

The SIHM Society must be registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860 by the Central or State Government/UT Administration.
The Institute must be run solely by the State Government Society or UT Administration Society.
The concerned State Government/UT Administration must have transferred developed land, free from encumbrances, measuring at least 5 acres.
Basic services like electricity, water supply, and sewerage must be committed by the State Government/UT Administration.
Land transfer documents in the name of the SIHM Society are required.
If land transfer to the Society isn't possible, it must be clearly demarcated for the IHM and in the possession of the State Government/UT Administration's Tourism Department. The reasons for this difficulty must be recorded and acceptable to the Central Government.

Special Considerations for SIHM Land Size:

For hilly areas or the six major urban agglomerations (Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi), the developed land can be a minimum of 2 acres.
Strict adherence to affiliation norms for academic and equipment infrastructure is mandatory, including covered areas.
Priority will be given to states lacking sufficient tourism and hospitality education institutions.

Setting up a SIHM in an Existing Building:

The State Government/UT Administration must provide a suitable existing building.
Other general conditions for setting up a new IHM must be met.

Upgradation of Existing Food Craft Institute (FCI) into SIHM:

A justified and feasible proposal must be submitted.
The State Government must dissolve the existing FCI Society and form a new SIHM Society.
Grant of assistance is subject to other conditions for setting up a new IHM.

Setting up a New Food Craft Institute (FCI):

The FCI Society must be registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860 by the State Government.
The State Government/UT Administration must transfer developed land, free from encumbrances, measuring at least 3 acres in the name of the FCI Society.
Basic services like electricity, water supply, and sewerage must be committed by the State Government/UT Administration.
Land transfer documents in favor of the FCI Society are required.

Special Considerations for FCI Land Size:

For hilly areas or the six classified large Urban Agglomeration cities, the developed land can be a minimum of 1 acre.
Strict adherence to affiliation norms for academic and equipment infrastructure is mandatory.

Setting up FCI in an Existing Building:

The existing building must be provided free-of-cost by the State Government/UT Administration and be suitable for housing the FCI.
The proposal must otherwise be feasible.

Setting up New Centres for IITTM, ICI, NCHMCT:

The applicant can be the State Government, Ministry of Tourism, or the Institute itself.
The State Government/UT Administration must transfer developed land, free from encumbrances, measuring at least 5 acres.
Basic services like electricity, water supply, and sewerage must be committed by the State Government/UT Administration.
Adequate land must already be available with the Central Government Institution's Societies.

Special Considerations for IITTM, ICI, NCHMCT Land Size:

For hilly areas or the six classified large Urban Agglomeration cities, the developed land can be a minimum of 2 acres.
Strict adherence to affiliation norms for academic and equipment infrastructure is mandatory.

Setting up Applied Training Centre (ATC) attached to Central IHMs:

The applicant must be a Central Institute of Hotel Management.
The Institute must have 2 acres of surplus land or the State Government must provide additional land.
No hotels should be located within a 2-kilometer radius of the proposed site.

Post-Selection Conditions:

Institutes must follow academic and admission norms prescribed by NCHMCT.
The State Government/UT Administration must provide an undertaking to follow these norms before funds are sanctioned.
Admissions to IHMs must be based on a joint entrance examination.
If an SIHM set up with Central Financial Assistance is affiliated with a university, its curriculum must match NCHMCT/IGNOU syllabus, and the university must be UGC-recognized.
If the project cost exceeds the granted assistance, the remaining expenditure must be met by the State Government/UT Administration.

How To Apply

The application process typically involves submitting a detailed project report and specific documents to the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. The exact procedure and submission details would be outlined in the official guidelines provided by the Ministry. Funds are disbursed through a Central Nodal Agency, which is the National Council for Hotel Management & Catering Technology (NCHMCT).

Key Steps Often Include:

Preparation and submission of a Detailed Project Report (DPR) by the State Government or implementing agency.
Ensuring all necessary Society registrations and land transfer documents are in place.
Submitting the application along with required supporting documents as per the scheme's guidelines.
The Ministry of Tourism reviews the proposal and, upon approval, sanctions the financial assistance.
Funds are released in installments through the Central Nodal Agency (NCHMCT) based on project progress and fulfillment of conditions.

Official Contact/Application Link:

For detailed application procedures and submission addresses, please refer to the official website of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, or contact the designated departments mentioned in their official notifications.

Documents Required

During Application Stage:

Detailed Project Report (submitted by the State Government).
Society Registration Certificate under the Societies Registration Act 1860 (for IHMs, FCIs, SIHMs).
Land Transfer Documents clearly showing the land is in the name of the Society.
Written justification if land is not transferred to the Society, explaining the difficulties and reasons, acceptable to the Central Government.
An undertaking confirming adherence to the academic and admission norms set by the National Council for Hotel Management & Catering Technology (NCHMCT) for IHM/SIHM setups.
A certificate from NCHMCT confirming the suitability of the building after site inspection, if an IHM is to be set up in an existing building.
For projects involving Central Financial Assistance from the Ministry of Tourism for additions, alterations, or new components, complete details of each component and its cost, duly approved by the Building Committee and Board of Governors, are required.

During Fund Disbursement:

Award of Contract by the Implementing Agency (needed for the first installment release).
A Utilization Certificate (UC) showing that at least 75% of the previously released installment(s) have been utilized.
Supporting documents such as statements of physical progress, expenditure statements, and audited accounts to accompany the Utilization Certificates.
If additional funds are required due to cost escalation, justification for these funds, with approval from the Building Committee and Board of Governors, is necessary (if applicable).
A Completion Certificate for all civil works (required for the final 5% installment).
Documentation proving the display of credit to the Ministry of Tourism (required for the final 5% installment).

FAQ’s

If a State Government intends to upgrade an existing Food Craft Institute into a State Institute of Hotel Management, what mandatory administrative steps must be taken regarding the existing society structure?

The State Government must dissolve the original Food Craft Institute Society and then form and register a new Society specifically in the name of the State Institute of Hotel Management under the Societies Registration Act 1860.

What is the minimum acceptable area of developed land, free from all encumbrances, that a State Government must transfer for setting up a new Institute of Hotel Management?

The State Government or Union Territory Administration must transfer a piece of developed land, free from all encumbrances, measuring not less than 5 (five) acres.

What necessary documentation concerning property ownership must accompany the initial proposal when seeking assistance to set up a new Institute of Hotel Management?

The proposal must be accompanied by the land transfer documents showing that the developed land has been transferred specifically into the name of the Institute of Hotel Management Society.

If difficulties arise in officially transferring the required land to the Society, what must the applicant government provide to the Central Government to proceed with the proposal?

The reasons explaining the difficulties in transferring the land to the Society must be formally recorded in writing and subsequently found acceptable by the Central Government.

What specific legal requirements must a governmental body or administration meet to qualify its society for financial assistance under these guidelines?

The applicant must be a Society formed by the Central Government, State Government, or Union Territory Administration, which is registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860.

When applying for the establishment of a new Food Craft Institute by a State Government or Union Territory Administration, what is the mandatory minimum acreage requirement for the developed land?

The State Government or Union Territory Administration must transfer a piece of developed land, free from all encumbrances, measuring not less than 3 (three) acres to the Food Craft Institute Society.

If a Central Institute of Hotel Management wishes to construct an Applied Training Centre, what is the minimum land prerequisite for the proposal to be considered for funding?

The proposal will only be considered if the Institute already has 2 (two) acres of surplus land available, or if the State Government provides the additional land required for the purpose.

Are there special considerations or preconditions for receiving financial assistance if a State Institute of Hotel Management is intended to be housed within a pre-existing governmental building?

Yes, financial assistance is admissible provided the existing building is certified as suitable for housing the Institute of Hotel Management by the National Council for Hotel Management & Catering Technology.

What is the minimum required size for developed land when setting up a new Food Craft Institute, if the proposed location is within the notified hilly areas or metropolitan Urban Agglomerations?

For a Food Craft Institute set up in hilly areas or the six classified large Urban Agglomeration cities, a developed piece of land measuring not less than 1 (one) acre would be sufficient.

When proposing a new Centre for institutions like the Indian Culinary Institute or National Council for Hotel Management, what minimum land size must the State Government commit to providing?

The State Government or Union Territory Administration concerned must transfer a piece of developed land, free from all encumbrances, measuring not less than 5 (five) acres.

What specific administrative action related to the proposed society must be finalized before the Central Government can even begin considering financial assistance for a new Institute of Hotel Management?

Central Financial Assistance will only be considered after the Institute of Hotel Management Society has been officially registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860 by the relevant government body.

If the transfer of land directly into the Institute of Hotel Management Society’s name is administratively challenging or legally restricted, what alternative arrangement is acceptable?

The land must be clearly demarcated for the Institute of Hotel Management and must be in the possession of the concerned State Government or Union Territory Administration, specifically under the name of the Tourism Department.