A parliamentary panel has expressed its dismay over the slow progress of projects under the Ministry of Tourism's Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) and Swadesh Darshan schemes in 2014-15.
In PRASHAD scheme, out of 45 sanctioned projects, only 20 have been completed, indicating a significant delay, said the panel in a report tabled in Parliament.
The schemes were launched for developing infrastructure at tourist destinations, including religious sites, across the country.
“There are a total of 45 sanctioned projects under this PRASHAD scheme out of which only 20 have been completed. Nine projects under this Scheme are still pending completion with only upto 60 per cent progress. There are still 16 projects yet to be developed under this scheme. Considering the fact that this scheme was initiated in 2014-15, the progress is very slow,” said the report.
It further noted that all the projects, both completed and ongoing, under PRASHAD have had delays of at least one year. Some projects like the development of Mathura-Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh as Mega Tourist Circuit (Ph-II) and development of Basic facilities at Vishnupad temple, Gaya, Bihar have had a delay of 4 years.
“The Committee also observes that some of the Targets in the EFC proposal of October 2021 pertaining to this Scheme have not been achieved,” said the report.
The Committee led by MP V Vijayasai Reddy also observed that under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme 1.0 initiated in 2014-15, as of now only 59 of the 76 projects have been completed. “As per the Outcome Budget 2022-23 of the Ministry, all the projects under this Scheme were to be completed by December, 2022. However, 17 projects, i.e. about 22% of the projects under this Scheme are still pending after release of nearly 90 % of the overall budget of the Scheme.”
While appreciating the Ministry’s initiatives to take up the matter of selecting 25 tourist sites as pilot projects for formation of a separate police unit in the States/UTs, the panel at the same time also expressed dismay that only 14 States have till date, deployed tourist police in one form or the other.
With all eight functioning overseas promotion offices being shut down, the Committee noted that “this would be a setback to the Ministry’s plans for global campaigns for promotion.”