The Government of India is set to redesign the PRASAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive) scheme to further strengthen pilgrim tourism infrastructure across states, Union Minister for Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat informed the Lok Sabha on Monday.
Responding during the Question Hour, the minister said that 54 projects have been sanctioned under the PRASAD scheme over the past decade. With the current financial cycle nearing completion, the Ministry of Culture is now revisiting the scheme’s framework to align it with emerging tourism priorities and state-level development needs.
Launched in 2014–15, the PRASAD scheme was conceived to develop, beautify, and rejuvenate major pilgrimage and spiritual destinations across India. Under the scheme, the central government provides financial assistance to the states for developing amenities and infrastructure aimed at improving the overall experience of pilgrims and tourists.
The redesigned version of PRASAD is expected to focus on integrated destination planning, sustainability, and enhanced visitor management, supporting India’s growing spiritual and cultural tourism sector while fostering local economic growth.
