Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], August 25 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Bharmaur, Dr Janak Raj, on Monday urged the Himachal Pradesh Government to push for the inclusion of the sacred Manimahesh Yatra and associated holy sites in Chamba district under the Centre's Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) scheme.
Raising the issue under Rule 62 in the Legislative Assembly, Janak Raj moved a call attention motion and said the Manimahesh Yatra, currently underway, draws devotees from across India but suffers from inadequate facilities along the pilgrimage route.
"The religious and economic significance of the Manimahesh Yatra has grown immensely. It is our duty to ensure better amenities, safety, and infrastructure for lakhs of pilgrims. The government should immediately send a proposal to the Centre for its inclusion in PRASAD," Janak Raj said in the Assembly.
Speaking later to ANI, Raj said the Yatra, which begins every year from Janmashtami in his constituency, has seen a major rise in scale and footfall in recent years, but facilities "remain almost non-existent".
"I have urged the state government to act quickly. We have spoken to the Central Government, and they have assured us that if the state upgrades and submits this proposal for inclusion in PRASAD, they will allocate the required budget. I raised this in the Assembly so the government sends the proposal to the Centre at the earliest, ideally in time for the next Union Budget," he said.
The Manimahesh Yatra is a pilgrimage to Manimahesh Lake, a chief spot in Himachal Pradesh, where pilgrims bathe in holy water and worship a marble image of Lord Shiva.
Janka Raj also raised the concern over the impact of continuous heavy rain over the last 36 hours, saying roads were blocked and local life disrupted.
"Little children, women, and elderly pilgrims are stranded. Local residents have been helping, but yesterday a pilgrim reportedly died due to a lack of oxygen on the route. Official confirmation is awaited as poor network connectivity is hampering communication. I have requested the administration to temporarily halt the Yatra to manage the crowd and avoid further tragedies. The government should immediately deploy additional forces, including NDRF and SDRF teams, to ensure stranded pilgrims are taken to safe shelters," he told ANI.
Responding in the Assembly, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the Tourism Department is already evaluating the proposal as per the Ministry of Tourism's guidelines.
"We have received a proposal from the Regional Office, Chamba, on June 6, 2025. The evaluation is in progress, and once complete, it will be sent to the Central Government for approval," Sukhu told the House.
He noted that PRASAD is a fully centrally funded scheme, covering all components of the project with 100 per cent central funding. "Under this scheme, Rs 56.26 crore has already been sanctioned for the development of the Chintpurni temple," the Chief Minister said.
The PRASAD scheme, run by the Union Ministry of Tourism, aims to develop pilgrimage sites across India by creating well-planned tourism infrastructure, improving amenities, and promoting sustainable religious tourism.