Context:
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism, and Culture expressed disappointment over the slow progress in key projects under the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) scheme, which aims to develop spiritual tourism circuits across India.
PRASHAD Scheme
The PRASHAD scheme is the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive scheme by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. It aims to improve the religious tourism experience in India by developing and promoting pilgrimage sites.
- Launched
- It was launched in 2014-2015 by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
What does the scheme do?
- Financial assistance to the state governments and union territories for developing tourism infrastructure at pilgrimage sites.
- Accessibility Cleanliness Security Accommodation.
- Helps in pilgrim destinations more accessible, cleaner, safer and comfortable.
- Boosts sustainable pilgrim destination for tourism development.
- Aims
- Utilising local arts and crafts.
- Benefits of this scheme.
- Embracing religions as a boost in tourism within a country.
- Increases domestic tourist attraction.
- Hailed to improve heritage and spirituality in pilgrim towns.
- This infrastructure can develop
- Land scaping
- Wet fountains
- Fences
- Lightening
- Paved pathways
- Dinning places
- Watering
- Waste and drainages bins
Current Status Under PRASHAD Scheme
- Of 45 projects undertaken under the PRASHAD scheme, only 21 projects have been completed while many are pending.
- The committee recommended that the government should develop a standard operating procedure on all the pilgrimage projects so that it does not face any inconvenience in getting approvals and clearances from the concerned authorities.
