In News:

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture has raised concerns over delays in the completion of projects under the Spiritual Tourism Circuits and the PRASHAD Scheme.

It has recommended the establishment of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and emphasized obtaining prior clearances to ensure timely execution of future projects.

About PRASHAD Scheme

• Full Form: Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spirituality Augmentation Drive.
• Launched: 2014–15 by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
• Objective: To promote, develop, and enhance spiritual tourism infrastructure at important pilgrimage sites across India.

Aims and Objectives:

• Improve infrastructure (roads, water supply, sanitation, waste management).
• Enhance connectivity (road, rail, and air) to pilgrimage destinations.
• Preserve and conserve religious and cultural heritage sites.
• Promote eco-friendly and sustainable tourism practices.
• Increase domestic and international tourist footfall through spiritual tourism.
• Generate local employment through skill development and livelihood programmes.

Funding Model:

• 100% centrally funded for eligible components.
• Also includes voluntary contributions through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiatives.

Implementation Challenges and Parliamentary Findings

Spiritual Tourism Circuits under Swadesh Darshan Scheme:

• Launched to promote thematic tourism circuits, including 23 Spiritual Circuits across India.
• Of these, five circuits remain incomplete, with two key circuits in Kerala—
  1. Sabarimala–Erumeli–Pampa–Sannidhanam Circuit
  2. Sivagiri Sree Narayana Guru Ashram Circuit
• Progress Status (as of September 2023):
  • Sabarimala Circuit: 76% complete
  • Sivagiri Circuit: 51% complete
• Original target completion dates: June 2023 and October 2023, respectively.

Reasons for Delay:

• Lack of timely clearances from Temple Authorities.
• Administrative and coordination issues across agencies.

Committee Recommendations:

• Formulate a clear-cut SOP for the execution of spiritual tourism projects.
• Ensure pre-approval and coordination with all concerned stakeholders before initiating construction.
• Strengthen planning at the Detailed Project Report (DPR) stage to anticipate implementation challenges and avoid delays and cost overruns.

PRASHAD Scheme Performance:

• Out of 45 sanctioned projects, only 21 have been completed as of the latest report.
• The committee noted this performance as unsatisfactory, even accounting for disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.