The Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned two new projects under Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD schemes for Kerala and Uttar Pradesh for Rs. 109.21 crore, the ministry said in a statement.

Under the spiritual circuit of Swadesh Darshan scheme, the tourism ministry has sanctioned a project in Kerala named “Development of Sivagiri Sree Narayana Guru Ashram­ Arruvipuram­ Kunnumpara Sree Subrahmania­ Chembazhanthi Sree Narayana Gurukulam for Rs. 69.47 crore.

The ministry said the facilities being developed under the above projects include tourist facilitation centres, beautification and landscaping, meditation/yoga centre, public conveniences , battery operated vehicles, drinking water facility, craft bazaar , bus shelters, audio video virtual reality show, multimedia show, wayside amenities, parking, CCTV and Wi­Fi facilities, cafeterias, open air theatre, signages, drinking water facility, last mile connectivity, illumination of sites and monuments, wayside amenities, sewage treatment plant, etc. at above sites.

The ministry has sanctioned funds for the project development of Goverdhan in district Mathura in Uttar Pradesh under PRASHAD
Scheme for Rs. 39.74 crore. The sites taken up for development in the project includes Govardhan Parikrama Marg, Kusum Sarovar, Chandra Sarovar and Manasi Ganga. The facilities being developed under the above projects includes development of bus stand, toilets, illumination of ghats, parking, pathways, landscaping and beautification, PA System, and benches and toilets.

About Swadesh Darshan Scheme

The Tourism Ministry had launched ‘Swadesh Darshan’ scheme with an objective to develop theme-based tourist circuits in the country. These tourist circuits will be developed on the principles of high tourist value, competitiveness and sustainability in an integrated manner.

Features of Swadesh Darshan Scheme:

1. The scheme is 100% centrally funded for the project components undertaken for public funding.
2. To leverage the voluntary funding available for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives of Central Public Sector Undertakings and corporate sector.
3. Funding of individual project will vary from state to state and will be finalised on the basis of detailed project reports prepared by PMC (Programme Management Consultant).
4. A National Steering Committee (NSC) will be constituted with Minister in charge of M/O Tourism as Chairman, to steer the mission objectives and vision of the scheme.
5. A Mission Directorate headed by the Member Secretary, NSC as a nodal officer will help in identification of projects in consultation with the States/ UTs governments and other stake holders.
6. PMC will be a national level consultant to be appointed by the Mission Directorate.

About PRASAD scheme:

PRASAD scheme aims to create spiritual centres for tourism development within the nation. To implement the PRASAD scheme a Mission Directorate has been set up in the Ministry of Tourism.

Twelve cities namely Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh), Gaya(Bihar), Dwaraka(Gujarat), Amritsar(Punjab), Ajmer(Rajasthan), Kanchipuram(Tamil Nadu), Vellankani(Tamil Nadu), Puri(Odisha), Varanasi(Uttar Prasesh), Mathura(Uttar Pradesh), Kedarnath (Uttarakhand) and Kamakhya (Assam) have been identified for development under Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spirituality Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) by the Ministry of Tourism.