Tag Archives: PRASHAD

Ministry of Tourism has recently tweeted that for strengthening tourism in Northeast, under the PRASHAD scheme, Rs 37.87 Crore have been sanctioned for the development Parshuram Kund in Arunachal Pradesh, which has been an iconic destination in the country.

Kishan Reddy, while addressing the recent conference of tourism and culture ministers of North Eastern states. has said that under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, MOT has sanctioned 16 projects in the North Eastern region. He also informed that under the PRASHAD schemes, the MOT has sanctioned number of projects in the region. Approximately Rs 200 crore has been sanctioned for these projects, he added.

A parliamentary committee on transport, tourism and culture has revealed that they are concerned over slashing of budget estimates of MOT, when the travel and tourism industry is reeling from huge losses, owing to COVID-19 pandemic. The panel led by BJP leader T G Venkatesh highlighted that the budgetary allocation of Rs 2,026.77 crore for 2021-22 for the MOT would not be sufficient for the ministry to even run activities related to the Swadesh Darshan scheme, the PRASHAD scheme and others to realise the vision of increasing tourism sector’s contribution to India’s GDP to Rs 8.50 lakh crore, the panel led by noted.

Meenakshi Sharma, Director General, Ministry of Tourism, was on a three-day visit to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, during which she visited Uma Maheshwaram, Mannanur, Farhabad, Alampur and Hyderabad in Telangana, as well as SriSailam in Andhra Pradesh. These sites are being developed by the respective state governments under MOT’s Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD schemes.

K J Alphons, Union Minister for Tourism has inaugurated the project ‘Development of North East Circuit: Rangpo– Rorathang- Aritar- Phadamchen- Nathang-Sherathang- Tsongmo- Gangtok-Phodong- Mangan- Lachung-Yumthang- Lachen- Thangu-Gurudongmer- Mangan- Gangtok-Tuminlingee- Singtam’ implemented under Swadesh Darshan Scheme of Ministry of Tourism in the presence of Ugen T Gyatso, Minister of Tourism & Civil Aviation, Government of Sikkim at Zero Point, Gangtok. This project was sanctioned by Ministry of Tourism in June 2015 for Rs 98.05 crores. One of the many challenges region faces in development of tourism is the absence of quality infrastructure, services and awareness about the array of tourism products region has to offer. The Ministry is carrying out number of activities to handle the issues on above fronts. On one hand, the Ministry has given great impetus to the tourism infrastructure in the region under its flagship schemes of Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD. For development of tourism infrastructure, the Ministry has sanctioned 16 projects for Rs 1349.04 crores covering all North Eastern States under its schemes of Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD.  The Ministry is actively working with other Central Ministries like M/o Culture, M/o DONER, M/o Road Transport and Highways, M /o Civil Aviation, etc for development of tourism in the region. For promotion of North East region Ministry carries out special promotion in domestic and international markets highlighting regions diversity, tourism products and its rich culture. The Ministry of Tourism has also set up hotel managements and food craft institutes for creating skilled manpower in tourism and hospitality sector in the North Eastern Region.  

The Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned four new projects for Rs 190.46 crores under the tourism infrastructure development schemes, Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD in Meghalaya, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. Under north east circuit of Swadesh Darshan Scheme, the Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned the project ‘Development of West Khasi Hills (Nongkhlaw- Krem Tirot – Khudoi & Kohmang Falls – Khri River- Mawthadraishan, Shillong), Jaintia Hills (Krang Suri Falls- Shyrmang- Iooksi), Garo Hills (Nokrek Reserve, Katta Beel, Siju Caves)’ in Meghalaya for Rs. 84.95 crore. Through this project, the Ministry will be developing facilities like festival grounds, tourist facilitation centre, last-mile connectivity, public conveniences, cable suspension bridge, cafeteria, trekking routes, boating facilities, illumination, solid waste management, drinking water facility, caving facilities, visitor centres, adventure sports activities, craft haats, etc. in the state. Development of Gorakhnath Temple (Gorakhpur), Devipattan Temple (Balrampur) and Vatvashni Temple (Domariyagunj) has also been sanctioned for Rs 21.16 Crores under spiritual circuit of Swadesh Darshan scheme. The facilities being developed under this project include tourist facilitation centre, toilet blocks, pathways, shelters, landscaping, gazebos, illumination, CCTV camera, benches, dustbins, informative and directional signages, etc. Under the PRASHAD scheme, the ministry has sanctioned the project ‘Development of Govardhan’ in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh for Rs 39.74 crores. The sites taken up in the project include Govardhan Parikrama Marg, Kusum Sarovar, Chandra Sarovar and Manasi Ganga. The facilities like development of bus stand, toilets, illumination of ghats, parking, pathways, landscaping and beautification, PA system, benches, toilets, etc. are also being developed under the project. The ministry has also sanctioned the project ‘Development of Pilgrimage Amenities at Somnath – Phase II’ for Rs 44.59 crores under the PRASHAD scheme. The facilities being developed …

Under the PRASHAD Scheme, the Ministry of Tourism has identified 26 religious sites in 19 states for development which inter-alia include Amaravati and Srisailam (Andhra Pradesh), Kamakhya (Assam), Patna and Gaya (Bihar), Dwarka and Somnath (Gujarat), Gurudwara Nada Saheb (Haryana), Hazratbal and Katra (Jammu & Kashmir), Deogarh (Jharkhand), Chamundeshwari Devi (Karnataka), Guruvayoor (Kerala), Una (Himachal Pradesh), Omkareshwar (Madhya Pradesh), Trimbakeshwar (Maharashtra), Puri (Odisha), Amritsar (Punjab), Ajmer (Rajasthan), Kanchipuram and Vellankani (Tamil Nadu), Varanasi and Mathura (Uttar Pradesh), Badrinath and Kedarnath (Uttarakhand) and Belur (West Bengal). MOT provides central financial assistance to state governments/Union Territory (UT) administrations under the schemes of Swadesh Darshan, National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) and Assistance to Central Agencies for the development of tourism-related infrastructure in the country.

KJ Alphons, Union Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism has said that the Ministry is targeting to increase India’s share of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in world’s international tourist arrivals to 1 per cent by 2020 and to 2 per cent by 2025. The share of India’s FTAs in during 2016 was 0.71 per cent, while the share of India’s International Tourist Arrivals (which includes Foreign Tourist Arrivals and arrival of Non Resident Nationals) in world’s International Tourist Arrivals during 2016 was 1.18%. Ministry of Tourism has two flagship schemes – Swadesh Darshan – Integrated Development of Theme Based Tourist Circuits, and PRASHAD – Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive for creation of tourism infrastructure, generating pro-tourism culture in the people. MOT has launched Social Awareness Media Campaigns with the objective of sensitising stakeholders in the tourism industry as well as the general public about the importance of good conduct and behaviour towards tourists and reinforce the spirit of ‘Atithi devo Bhava’.

An amount of Rs 5638.87 crore has been sanctioned with release of Rs 2148.17 crore since 2014-15 till date under the Swadesh Darshan scheme of Ministry of Tourism. Under the scheme, 13 thematic circuits have been identified for development namely, North-East India Circuit, Buddhist Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Krishna Circuit, Desert Circuit, Tribal Circuit, Eco Circuit, Wildlife Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, Ramayana Circuit and Heritage Circuit. Meanwhile, under the PRASHAD scheme, 23 projects have been sanctioned to 15 states for a total amount of Rs 687.92 crore with release of Rs 241.28 crore since 2015-16 till date. The objective of the ‘National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive’ (PRASHAD) is of holistic development of identified pilgrimage and heritage destination.

The Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned projects worth over Rs 203 cr for Uttar Pradesh alone for the development of Ramayana and Krishna circuit in UP, Haryana and Rajasthan under the Swadesh Darshan scheme. Under the Ramyana Circuit, the sites of Ayodhya, Nandigram, Shringverpur & Chitrakoot (Uttar Pradesh), Sitamarhi, Buxar & Darbhanga (Bihar), Chitrakoot (Madhya Pradesh), Mahendragiri (Odisha), Jagdalpur (Chattisgarh), Nashik & Nagpur (Maharashtra), Bhadrachalam (Telangana), Hampi (Karnataka) and Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu) have been included. The Krishna Circuit involves the sites of Dwarka (Gujarat); Nathdwara, Jaipur & Sikar (Rajasthan); Kurukshetra (Haryana), Mathura, Vrindavan, Gokul, Barsana, Nandgaon & Govardhan (Uttar Pradesh) and Puri (Odisha). The projects sanctioned under the scheme have a gestation period of 18-36 months and are subject to availability of funds, submission of suitable Detailed Project Reports, adherence to scheme guidelines and utilisation of funds released earlier. No proposal has been received in the Ministry for the development of Sita Circuit. The Ministry also has the PRASHAD scheme (National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive) for holistic development of identified pilgrimage destinations in the country. Under the scheme, 25 sites have been identified for development.