Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD)

In Union Budget 2017-18, INR 100 crore has been allocated for Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD). Under the scheme ‘PRASAD’, the Ministry of Tourism provides Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to State Governments/Union Territory Administrations for development and beautification of the identified pilgrimage destinations.

• Earlier, twelve cities namely Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh), Gaya (Bihar), Dwaraka (Gujarat), Amritsar (Punjab), Ajmer (Rajasthan), Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu), Vellankani (Tamil Nadu), Puri (Odisha), Varanasi (Uttar Prasesh), Mathura (Uttar Pradesh), Kedarnath (Uttarakhand) and Kamakhya (Assam) have been identified for development under Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) by the Ministry of Tourism.
• Recently in 2018, government has included Gangotri and Yamunotri in Uttrarakhand, Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh and Parasnath in Jharkhand under a central scheme to develop pilgrimage and heritage destinations in the country. With the new additions, the number of sites under PRASAD has now become 41 in 25 states.
• The criterion for selection of these cities is their rich heritage and cultural history. To implement the PRASAD scheme a Mission Directorate has been set up in the Ministry of Tourism.
• The scheme aimed at infrastructure development such as entry points (road, rail and water transport), last mile connectivity, basic tourism facilities like Information/ Interpretation Centers, ATM/ money exchange, eco-friendly modes of transport, lighting and illumination with renewable sources of energy, parking, drinking water, toilets, cloak room, waiting rooms, first aid centers, craft bazars /haats/ souvenir shops/ cafeteria, rain shelters, telecom facilities, internet connectivity etc.