Prasad Scheme: Objectives & Selection Criteria

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India is notable for its cultural heritage and spiritual prowess. It houses multiple faiths and consequently contributes to several pilgrimage sites, attracting domestic and international tourists every year. According to IBEF, pilgrimage tourism is one of the most significant contributors to the Indian tourism industry. To boost this, the Ministry of Tourism of the Indian Government introduced Prasad Scheme. Discover more detailed information about this scheme in this upcoming segment.

The Prasad Scheme aims to develop pilgrimage or heritage sites in a sustainable and planned manner by establishing a comprehensive tourism infrastructure that will provide tourists with a convenient experience. This will attract more tourists and create employment opportunities among the local populace.

Go through the following objectives of the Prasad Scheme that it aims to fulfil:

• Develop important global pilgrimage sites sustainably to attract more tourists and boost the tourism sector
• It aims to utilise heritage and pilgrimage tourism to multiply employment opportunities in local communities directly.
• This scheme prioritises community-based development via 'responsible tourism' and Pro-Poor' initiatives.
• It aims to promote local culture, art, handicraft, etc.
• This scheme will collaborate with states or Union Territories and additional stakeholders to create a robust monitoring system for implementing projects in time.
• It aims to improve the quality of services of the tourism sector by creating strong safety and security measures for pilgrimage sites. 
• It envisages converging schemes of the Central and State Governments and private sectors for the integrated development of tourist sites.

The Ministry of Tourism will recognise the important pilgrimage tourist destinations after consulting states and stakeholders.

The authority will select the  tourist location on the basis of the following potential factors:

• Tourist traffic
• Importance of that tourist location as cultural or historical heritage 
• Current status existing development
• The population of the resident in that tourist location
• The credibility of implementation of a project

Besides, the Ministry of Tourism select heritage cities on the basis of the following factors:

• The traffic of tourist
• Accreditation of heritage sites 
• The number of heritage monuments 
• Need for financial assistance of the Government

Twelve cities that have been recognised based on these criteria are:

1. Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh)

2. Kamakhya (Assam)

3. Puri (Odisha)

4. Dwaraka (Gujarat) 

5. Amritsar (Punjab)

6. Gaya (Bihar)

7. Ajmer (Rajasthan)

8. Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh)

9. Mathura (Uttar Pradesh)

10. Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu)

11. Velankanni (Tamil Nadu)

12. Kedarnath (Uttarakhand)

Here are some of the project components that qualify to receive financial assistance from the Central Government:

For Development of Infrastructure

• Develop passenger terminals, including road, water, and railway transport
• Purchase equipment for building environment-friendly modes of transport. Moreover, the improved connectivity of roads that leads to tourist destinations without hassles is also included.
• Usage of clean sources of energy for street lights and equipment required for tourism  activities such as adventure sports and light shows
• Develop amenities such as vehicular breakdown or repair facility
• Construct necessary infrastructure to station caravan vehicles
• Establish Tourism Information Centres along with ATMs and Informatory signage
• Improve water fountains, lighting, sewerage treatment facilities etc., and ensure adequate water supply, drainage, electricity, roads and sewerage
• Access to renewable sources of energy for the development of tourist infrastructure
• Access to eco-friendly technology
• Develop parking facilities for vehicles, toilet, waiting and cloakroom facilities 
• Establish bazaars, amphitheatres and open theatres, nature trails, watch towers etc.
• Establish helipad, ropeways etc. in identified circuits 
• Construct First Aid Centres, which also includes Indian Medical System
• Improve communication through telephone booths, internet connectivity etc. 
• Develop and rejuvenate shorelines, rivers, streams etc.

For Capacity and Skill Development and Management of Knowledge

• Design particular courses to focus on the skill gaps as recognised by the DPP or Detailed Perspective Plan
• Implement short-term skill development training courses under 'Earn While You Learn' or 'Hunar Se Rozgar Tak'.
• Involve Vocational Training Providers for hospitality and tourism education and additional training education
• Focus on tapping the potentiality of local arts and crafts
• Preserve tourism-related data to utilise in future

For Development of Interactive GIS-Based Portal and Mobile Applications Which Provides -

• Location-based content and services 
• Provides booking facility through e-Commerce software applications
• Facility to link applications of existing service providers
• Dashboard support facility for both operator and tourists etc.

For Development of Project Management System

• Track progress of the project through submitting UCs online 
• Through an e-procurement facility, track the status of procurement.
• Track fulfilment of milestones and issues that are escalated

For Development of Permission-Based Knowledge Access

• Create a digital library to preserve tourism-related contents
• Promote supporting research papers to relevant institutions as a future reference 

Moreover, establishing a data reporting and analysis facility is also one of the components that qualify for Central financial support.

For Project Components That Are Not Eligible for Central Monetary Assistance

• Acquisition of land for development purpose
• Investments or improvement of assets of private enterprises
• Package for rehabilitation and resettlement, maintenance and management for the creation of assets

There is no direct application procedure to apply for this scheme. The official authorities  follow the following methods for project implementation under this scheme:

1. The Ministry of Tourism established a Mission Directorate as an implementing agency of this scheme. Its primary function is to recognise projects in the selected cities and cooperate with states or Union Territories to implement the scheme.

2. The State Project Management Unit will prepare the Integrated Plans.

3. After approval of IPs, the State Government will prepare the DPR on the recognised project and submit it to the Mission Directorate for its consent to proceed.

4. The following steps include a presentation by the State Government on the DPR. 

5. PMC visits the identified site to prepare a site observation report.

6. The State Government submits the DPR for assessment by the Ministry of Tourism, PMC and MD.

7. After the evaluation of MD, CSMC considers its recommendation and sends a proposal to IFD for approval. 

8. The Minister of Tourism issues a sanction letter that approves implementing a proposed project.  

The most significant benefit of the Prasad scheme is that it will help to preserve the cultural significance of heritage or pilgrimage sites and provide a comfortable tourist experience. Besides, it will act as a spur to the economic development of local communities. Individuals willing to learn more about it can check the official portal for detailed information.