Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY)

At a Glance

• Launch 21 January 2015
• Ministry Urban Development, now Housing and Urban Affairs
• Outlay Rs 500 crore
• Cities 12 heritage cities
• Status Ended 31 March 2019, closed
• Exam link UPSC Prelims, Current Affairs and Government Schemes: Urban Development Schemes

Where Does It Fit?

This is the seventh topic of the macro on urban development. Unlike the missions that cover hundreds of cities, this scheme was small and focused on heritage cities. It sat beside the Smart Cities Mission, covered in Smart Cities Mission, and a tourism scheme of the culture side of the government. Previous topic: Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM). Next topic: National Urban Transport Policy.

Which Cities Were Covered Under HRIDAY?

How Did HRIDAY Work?

• Type of scheme: a Central Sector Scheme, so the Centre met the whole project cost, unlike Centrally Sponsored Schemes where states share
• Outlay: Rs 500 crore over the mission period, which was planned for four years up to March 2019
• Focus: physical infrastructure around heritage assets, such as approach roads, street lights, drinking water, public toilets, parking and tourist information
• City Anchor: a local official or institution was appointed to link city, state and the mission
• Heritage City Plans: each city prepared a Heritage Development Plan, along with a Heritage Asset Mapping using GIS
• Heritage Management: an emphasis on a city wide approach that involves residents, traders and pilgrims
• Technology: use of mapping, apps and digital tools for tourist facilitation
• Implementation: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, with the National Building Construction Corporation reported as an executing agency in some cities

What Else Should You Remember?

• Full name: The Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana, shortened to HRIDAY, is a play on the Hindi word for heart, and the scheme spoke of reviving the heart of heritage cities
• Cost per city: The Rs 500 crore was divided among the 12 cities according to their approved city plans, so allocations differed from city to city
• Knowledge base: Cities were asked to build a record of heritage in the form of maps, photographs and oral histories so that planning could rely on facts and local memory
• Idea: HRIDAY was based on the view that heritage is a living city with people, trade and rituals, and not only monuments
• Difference from archaeology: Monuments are protected by the Archaeological Survey of India, but the city around them had no funding. HRIDAY aimed at that gap
• Launch: The scheme was launched by the then Union Minister for Urban Development, M. Venkaiah Naidu, in Delhi
• Tourism link: Another central scheme, the PRASAD scheme of the Tourism Ministry, covers pilgrimage sites, and the two were meant to be complementary
• Smart Cities link: Several HRIDAY cities, such as Varanasi and Ajmer, were also Smart Cities
• Result: Many basic works were completed in the cities, but a major share of the mission period saw delays. The Ministry closed the scheme on 31 March 2019
• Present: Heritage work in cities now draws on other funds, such as Smart Cities, tourism schemes and state budgets
• UNESCO: UNESCO inscribed Ahmedabad as India’s first World Heritage City in 2017, and Jaipur in 2019. These were not HRIDAY cities
• Capacity: The scheme also funded trained staff in cities for heritage planning, and the idea of a Heritage Management Plan for each city for upkeep after the works, which few cities used fully
• Challenges: Land and encroachment issues, weak coordination among agencies and little funds for upkeep
• Exam trap: HRIDAY is a Central Sector Scheme and is closed. Do not call it a Centrally Sponsored Scheme or a running scheme

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

1. Launch: 21 January 2015, Rs 500 crore
2. Cities: 12, names appear often in Prelims
3. Type: Central Sector Scheme
4. Status: closed after 31 March 2019
5. Ministry: Urban Development, now MoHUA

As an analytical point, heritage protection fails if the living city around a monument is neglected. A city based approach with community involvement and funds for upkeep is better than separate funds for monuments and services. Small schemes need strong local management.

Why Is This Topic Important?

• Cities Names of 12 cities
• Type Central Sector
• Status Closed in 2019

What Came Next?

The next topic covers the national policy that guides urban transport. Next topic: National Urban Transport Policy.

Key People and Terms

• Heritage city City with living heritage
• Central Sector Scheme Fully funded by Centre
• City Anchor Local link person
• HDP Heritage Development Plan
• Asset mapping GIS survey of heritage
• PRASAD Tourism pilgrimage scheme

Exam Corner

Mains Angle

Questions ask about heritage conservation in living cities. These points give a balanced frame.

• Merits City based heritage view, basic services for pilgrims
• Demerits Delays, low upkeep, narrow coverage
• Way ahead Community role, funded upkeep, integration with tourism