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Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched various works being taken up under the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) at Sri Varaha Laksmi Narasimha Swamy temple at Simhachalam and under Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme at Borra Caves, by pressing a button virtually from Srinagar, on Thursday.
PRASHAD Scheme
Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) scheme, which is run by the Ministry of Tourism in India.
The PRASAD scheme aims to improve infrastructure and amenities at religious and spiritual sites around India.
This includes things like building better roads, sanitation facilities, and tourist reception centers.
The goal is to make these destinations more appealing to visitors and improve the overall tourist experience.
The scheme was launched in 2014-15 and has been expanded since then to include not only pilgrimage sites but also heritage destinations.
Here are some of the key features of the PRASAD scheme:
Focus on holistic development: The scheme goes beyond just improving physical infrastructure.
It also aims to develop the local economy and create jobs.
This can be done by promoting local crafts and cuisine.
Community-based development: The scheme encourages the involvement of local communities in the development process.
This helps to ensure that the benefits of tourism are shared by everyone.
Sustainable tourism: The scheme is committed to promoting sustainable tourism practices.
This means protecting the environment and cultural heritage of the destinations.
As of December 2023, the Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned a total of 46 projects under the PRASAD scheme with a total cost of Rs 1629.17 crore.
The ministry has also identified 26 new sites for development under the scheme.
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