Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD)

Subject: Government Schemes

Concept:

The citizens’ committee to save Chamundi Hills and its environment has resolved to press for clearance from the heritage committee before the implementation of development works at the hill top under Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD).
Infrastructure works worth ₹49.5 crore will be taken up ostensibly for providing amenities to the tourists under the PRASHAD Scheme.
Conservationists said that given the heritage and spiritual importance of Chamundi Hills, the subject should be placed before the district heritage conservation committee.
The Chamundi Hills are located 13 km east of Mysore, Karnataka, India. The name comes from the Chamundeshwari Temple at the peak.
The average elevation is 1,060 metres.

PRASHAD Scheme

The ‘National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive’ (PRASAD) was launched by the Ministry of Tourism in the year 2014-15 with the objective of holistic development of identified pilgrimage destinations.
The name of the scheme was changed from PRASAD to “National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD)” in October 2017.
After the discontinuation of the HRIDAY scheme of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, the development of Heritage destinations was included in the PRASAD Scheme, changing it to PRASHAD.
Under the PRASHAD Scheme, several religious cities/sites in have been identified for development such as Amaravati and Srisailam (Andhra Pradesh), Kamakhya (Assam), Parasuram Kund (Lohit District, Arunachal Pradesh), Patna and Gaya (Bihar),

Implementation Agency:

The projects identified under this scheme shall be implemented through the identified agencies by the respective State/ Union Territory Government.

Funding Mechanism:

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.