National Heritage City Development Yojana
The National Heritage City development Yojana is also known as the HRIDAY scheme. It is launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in 2015. The scheme was launched to preserve and revitalize the rich cultural heritage of the country. The scheme helps in the conservation of the heritage, urban planning, and increasing the economic growth of the heritage cities.
The objective of the scheme
- The National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana emphasize accessibility, security, safety, livelihood, cleanliness, and faster service delivery in the heritage cities.
- The development of infrastructures like drainage, approach roads, footpaths, electrical wiring, landscaping, sanitization, maintenance of streetlights, water supply, waste management, and allied citizen services like tourist convenience, or security are the focus areas of the HRIDAY scheme.
- The development of an aesthetically appealing, accessible, informative, and secured environment in heritage cities.
- Promoting the economic activities for enhancing the avenues of employment for the people who are residing near heritage cities. It is consisting of skill development and the making of public or cultural spaces accessible.
- Making of the cities informative using modern ICT tools and making cities secure using modern security devices like CCTV etc.
- Creating a link between tourism and cultural facilities along with the conservation of heritage and capacity building of local industries based on heritage.
HRIDAY Scheme Cities List
Below are the cities that are listed under the HRIDAY Scheme
- Ajmer
- Amravati
- Badami
- Gaya
- Mathura
- Puri
- Varanasi
- Velankanni
- Warangal
- Dwarka
- Kanchipuram
- Amritsar
Indicative Components of the Scheme
HRIDAY Scheme is broadly based on the following four components for renewing and rejuvenating the spirit of the heritage cities
- Physical Infrastructure
- Institutional Infrastructure
- Economic Infrastructure
- Social Infrastructure
Expected outcomes of the HRDAY Scheme
The HRIDAY Scheme has been formed with very clear ideas of outcomes. Some of these are mentioned below.
- Providing a clean and sanitized environment that also includes safety and convenience to the citizens and the tourists.
- Conserving and rejuvenating the heritage sites and the monuments.
- Encourage the locals for participating in boosting tourism and the employment opportunities thereof.
- To boost or promote tourism by providing excellence in the services offered which will result in an increased inflow of tourists with the extended stay.
- To provide social safety and reducing the crime rate in the tourist sites.
- Achievement of overall improvement in the local economy and the general standard of living of the locals.
HRIDAY completed 4 years in January 2019 and has an outlay of funds pegged at Rs.685758 crore. The initially planned outlay was Rs 500 crore. Out of this project’s worth about Rs 422 crore have been approved, and projects worth Rs 140. 14 crores have been completed.
