West Bengal Tourism Capital Investment Subsidy — Up to ₹1.75 Cr

The State Capital Investment Subsidy is one of the sub-schemes operating under The West Bengal Incentive Scheme, run by the state's Department of Tourism. It came into force on 22 February 2021 and stays open until 31 December 2025, with no fixed closing date — applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout that period.

The purpose behind it is to pull fresh capital into West Bengal's tourism economy. By absorbing a slice of what an entrepreneur spends on fixed assets, the subsidy lowers the cost of setting up a new tourism unit or upgrading an existing one. The state frames the wider incentives framework as a way of helping self-employed youth convert their ventures into employers that create jobs locally.

Only micro and small enterprises in the tourism sector can claim it, and the support is calculated as a share of fixed capital investment. Both that share and the maximum payable shift according to the group or area a unit is classified under, so identical projects in different locations can receive different amounts.

• Capital investment subsidy of up to ₹1.75 crore
• Between 7.5% and 25% of fixed capital investment, depending on group or area
• Open to micro and small tourism enterprises in West Bengal
• Covers both new units and expansion projects of existing units
• Rolling applications, with the scheme valid until 31 December 2025
• Non-repayable subsidy — no equity is taken in the business

The subsidy is built for micro and small tourism enterprises in West Bengal. Tourism projects and units set up on or after 22 February 2021 are covered, and expansion projects by units that are already operating also qualify.

• Hotel units that missed the earlier window: eligible hotel units that began commercial operations between 7 January 2015 and 31 December 2020 can apply too, provided they were blocked from the previous scheme by its bar licence conditions.

• Ownership structures allowed: the unit may belong to the private sector, the co-operative sector or the joint sector, and companies or undertakings owned or managed by the State Government are also covered.

• Project documentation: the project must be backed by a detailed feasibility report or project report prepared specifically for the purpose.

• Sanction is mandatory: the project has to be approved and sanctioned by a Central Financial Institution, a Commercial Bank or a State Financial Institution.

• Certificates are mandatory: before applying, the unit must hold a Registration Certificate, a Date of Commencement Certificate and an Eligibility Certificate issued by West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation Limited.

West Bengal Tourism Capital Investment Subsidy — Up to ₹1.75 Cr is open to startups at any stage. It is open to startups registered anywhere in India.

West Bengal Tourism Capital Investment Subsidy — Up to ₹1.75 Cr accepts applications on a rolling basis — there is no fixed cut-off date, so eligible startups can apply at any time. Because rolling programmes can pause without notice, confirm the window is still open on the official site before you start.

Successful applicants receive a State Capital Investment Subsidy — a direct, non-repayable payment worked out as a percentage of the fixed capital they have invested. Nothing has to be returned and no ownership stake changes hands.

The applicable rate and ceiling depend on the group or area the unit falls under:

• Group A: 7.5% of fixed capital investment, subject to a maximum of ₹1 crore
• Group B: 10% of fixed capital investment, subject to a maximum of ₹1 crore
• Group C: 15% of fixed capital investment, subject to a maximum of ₹1.2 crore
• Group D: 20% of fixed capital investment, subject to a maximum of ₹1.5 crore
• Special Areas: 25% of fixed capital investment, subject to a maximum of ₹1.75 crore

The investment that counts towards fixed capital includes money spent on building construction, on plant and machinery, and on equipment installed inside the tourism unit for pollution control. Because the money reduces the upfront burden on the entrepreneur, it is intended to support modernisation, cleaner operations, new unit setup and expansion — and through those, self-employment and job creation across the state.

West Bengal Tourism Capital Investment Subsidy — Up to ₹1.75 Cr is offered by Department of Tourism, Government of West Bengal, a government body. As a government-backed subsidy, it is publicly funded and open to eligible startups across India.

Assessment for this subsidy happens largely before the incentive application is even filed, as a chain of institutional approvals.

• Institutional approval and sanction. First, the project must be approved and sanctioned by a Central Financial Institution, a Commercial Bank or a State Financial Institution. Without this sanction, the project does not move forward.

• Certification by West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation Limited. The corporation then issues the Registration Certificate, the Date of Commencement Certificate and the Eligibility Certificate, once it is satisfied that the required arrangements are in place. These three certificates are prerequisites — an incentive application cannot be submitted without them.

• Review of the incentive application. The Common Application Form filed on the Shilpasathi portal is processed and examined by the relevant authority, which decides whether to approve or reject the subsidy.

• Applicant notifications. Status updates are sent by SMS and email at key points, including submission, approval and rejection.

Before you apply to West Bengal Tourism Capital Investment Subsidy — Up to ₹1.75 Cr, keep the following documents ready:

• A pitch deck or short business plan describing the problem, product and traction
• Company registration documents and PAN
• Founder identification (PAN / Aadhaar) and brief profiles
• Recent financial statements or projections
• Product details — a demo, prototype or working link if available

Exact requirements are confirmed on the official application portal — treat this as a preparation checklist.

West Bengal Tourism Capital Investment Subsidy — Up to ₹1.75 Cr is best suited for startups in India seeking non-dilutive funding of ₹1.8Cr. If that describes your startup, review the eligibility criteria above before applying.