The Government of India launched the PRASAD scheme in the year 2014-2015 under the Ministry of Tourism. The full form of the PRASAD scheme is ‘Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spiritual Augmentation Drive’. This scheme focuses on developing and identifying pilgrimage sites across India for enriching the religious tourism experience. It aims to integrate pilgrimage destinations in a prioritised, planned and sustainable manner to provide a complete religious tourism experience.
The growth of domestic tourism hugely depends on pilgrimage tourism. For tapping the potential of pilgrimage tourism, there is a need for holistic development of the selected pilgrimage destinations by the government along with the cooperation of other stakeholders. The PRASAD scheme aims at paving the way for the development and promotion of religious tourism in India.
The objectives of the PRASAD scheme are as follows:
The Ministry of Tourism has set up a Mission Directorate for implementing the PRASAD scheme. The Mission Directorate identifies projects in the identified cities and coordinates with the states/UTs and other stakeholders to implement this scheme.
A Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee is set up for sanctioning of the projects submitted by the Mission Directorate. A National Steering Committee is also constituted for the overall review, guidance and monitoring of this scheme.
The Central Government provides 100% funding for the project components undertaken for public funding. This scheme seeks to leverage the voluntary funding available for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for improved sustainability of the projects under this scheme.
The eligible project components for receiving the Central Financial Assistance under the scheme are as follows:
The inadmissible project component for under the scheme that is not eligible to receive assistance are as follows:
The Ministry of Tourism identifies the pilgrimage destinations in consultation with the states and stakeholders. The following cities are identified under the PRASAD scheme:
The PRASAD scheme by the Government of India aims to develop and promote pilgrimage tourism across the country. It focuses on creating world-class infrastructure at identified pilgrimage sites, engaging local communities, and leveraging public expertise and funding. The scheme encourages pro-poor tourism and cultural preservation for sustainable development. The Ministry of Tourism oversees the implementation of the scheme through various committees.