What is PRASHAD Scheme, is it really sustainable?

The PRASHAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive) scheme was launched by the Government of India in 2014 to promote pilgrimage tourism across the country. The initiative aims to enhance the spiritual and cultural experience for visitors by improving infrastructure and amenities at key sites. It seeks to preserve India’s cultural heritage while boosting local economies through tourism. The scheme has attracted attention due to its approach to tourism development, but questions regarding its long-term sustainability and effectiveness remain.

What is the PRASHAD Scheme?

The PRASHAD scheme, under India’s Ministry of Tourism, focuses on developing pilgrimage sites and heritage cities to improve tourism infrastructure. It aims to enhance physical infrastructure, promote sustainable tourism, and preserve cultural and natural heritage. The scheme prioritises world-class amenities, such as transportation, accommodations, sanitation, and security, to enrich the experience for pilgrims and tourists. By making pilgrimage sites more accessible and comfortable, the PRASHAD scheme aims to increase tourist footfall and contribute to local economic growth.

The Ministry of Tourism allocates central financial assistance (CFA) to states and union territories to implement development projects. These projects improve infrastructure like roads, railways, and water transport and establish modern tourist facilities. The scheme encourages community participation to benefit local populations. The goal is to make pilgrimage tourism a major contributor to India’s economy while preserving the country’s cultural and spiritual heritage.

The scheme aims to enhance the pilgrimage experience and promote responsible and sustainable tourism. The focus on environmentally friendly practices and infrastructure development ensures tourism growth doesn’t harm the environment or culture. The PRASHAD scheme encourages eco-friendly transport, waste management, and energy-efficient facilities.

Is it really sustainable?

The PRASHAD scheme is designed to promote sustainable tourism practices and preserve the natural and cultural environments around pilgrimage sites. Its core objective is to develop and revitalize pilgrimage destinations in a planned, prioritized, and sustainable manner, enriching the religious tourism experience.

While the scheme promises to boost tourism and local economies, questions about its long-term sustainability remain. The PRASHAD scheme aims to foster responsible tourism, but the scale of some projects could create challenges for the environment and local communities. Infrastructure development, though essential, may lead to overcrowding, waste management issues, and pressure on local resources, especially in areas unprepared for large tourist numbers.

The success and sustainability of the scheme depend on its ground-level implementation. Local government bodies and agencies must ensure infrastructure development aligns with responsible tourism principles. Challenges like delays, lack of resources, or poor coordination could undermine long-term benefits. Without a robust monitoring and accountability system, the PRASHAD scheme risks falling short of its sustainability goals.

The scheme’s financial sustainability will require private sector involvement and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Public-private partnerships (PPPs) can secure funding and resources for infrastructure and facilities maintenance. However, careful planning and management will be necessary to balance private sector interests with local communities and the environment.

How are pilgrimage sites chosen for PRASHAD scheme?

The PRASHAD scheme uses a comprehensive methodology to select pilgrimage sites and destinations, prioritising those with high tourism development potential. The selection process considers six key parameters, each assigned a specific weight:

1. Pilgrims' footfall: This parameter assesses average daily footfall and peak procession footfall, with higher weightage for destinations with greater visitor numbers.

2. Cultural, historical, & heritage value: Destinations are categorised as high, medium, or low based on their cultural, historical, and heritage significance, with higher weightage for greater significance.

3. Status of existing development level: This parameter evaluates the existing infrastructure at the destination, with lower priority given to already developed destinations.

4. Resident population of the destination: Destinations with higher resident populations are prioritised, indicating greater potential for tourism sector employment.

5. Parity for pan-India development: This parameter prioritises destinations from states not covered by the scheme, ensuring balanced geographical distribution.

6. Credibility of implementation: This parameter assesses the state's track record in implementing tourism projects, prioritising states with no pending utilisation certificates.

By combining these parameters and their weightages, the PRASHAD scheme ensures a transparent and objective selection process, prioritising destinations with the greatest potential for tourism development and economic growth.

PRASHAD scheme guidelines

• Targets national and international pilgrimage sites with cultural, religious, and historical significance.

• Emphasizes improvements in roads, rail, water transport, sanitation, accommodation, telecom, and last-mile connectivity.

• Promotes eco-friendly transportation, waste management, and preservation of cultural and natural resources.

• Involves local communities in planning and development, ensuring grassroots benefits.

• Showcases local handicrafts, food, and heritage to support local economies and cultural tourism.

• Encourages government-private sector collaboration for sustainable project implementation.

• Ensures safety and security of pilgrims and visitors through improved infrastructure and amenities.

• Promotes integrated development in heritage cities to enhance the tourism experience.

• Focuses on training and skill development for locals to improve tourist services.

Expected Outcomes of the PRASHAD Scheme:

• Expected rise in domestic and international pilgrimage site visitors.

• Generation of employment opportunities in hospitality, transportation, and tourism management sectors.

• Contribution to local economies through growth in hospitality, retail, and tourism services.

• Enhanced amenities like roads, accommodations, sanitation, and transport for better tourist experiences.

• Increased awareness of local traditions, arts, and heritage, benefiting artisans and local businesses.

• Active local participation improves income and living standards.

• Improvement in local tourism industries’ capacity to deliver quality services meeting international standards.

• Encouragement of private sector contributions to infrastructure development and sustainable tourism.

• Holistic development of historic and religious sites for organized and sustainable tourism.

Support us to keep independent environmental journalism alive in India.

Keep Reading

Watch: Kashmir experiences first snowfall of season after dry spell

Amarnath Yatra: Tackling rising death toll from extreme weather events

Tourists arrival in Kashmir break records, a need to regulate it?

From tourist paradise to waste wasteland: Sindh River Cry for help

Follow Ground Report on X, Instagram and Facebook for environmental and underreported stories from the margins. Give us feedback on our email id [email protected]. 

Don't forget to Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, Join our community on WhatsApp, and Follow our YouTube Channel for video stories.