HRIDAY: Heritage City Development & Augmentation Yojana

What was HRIDAY?

HRIDAY (Heritage City Development & Augmentation Yojana) was a Central Sector scheme launched on 21 January 2015 by the then Ministry of Urban Development, now the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. Its aim was to bring together urban planning, economic growth and heritage conservation so that the historic character of selected Indian cities was preserved even as their civic infrastructure was upgraded.

According to the Ministry, HRIDAY had a total outlay of Rs 500 crore and was fully funded by the central government. The mission ran for about four years and concluded on 31 March 2019. It is no longer operational, and this guide records it for reference rather than as a live scheme.

HRIDAY's distinctive idea was to treat heritage not as isolated monuments but as part of a living city. The mission therefore funded infrastructure in and around the core heritage zones. The streets, ghats, approaches and public spaces that people actually use, rather than only the protected monuments themselves.

Which cities did HRIDAY cover?

HRIDAY covered 12 heritage cities spread across the country:

• Ajmer (Rajasthan)
• Amritsar (Punjab)
• Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh)
• Badami (Karnataka)
• Dwarka (Gujarat)
• Gaya (Bihar)
• Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu)
• Mathura (Uttar Pradesh)
• Puri (Odisha)
• Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh)
• Velankanni (Tamil Nadu)
• Warangal (Telangana)

Each city prepared a HRIDAY City Plan, and specific projects were taken up through Detailed Project Reports approved by the mission's National supported Committee. The Rs 500 crore outlay was allocated city-wise, with larger heritage cities receiving bigger shares.

Who was eligible under HRIDAY, and who could not apply?

HRIDAY was an urban infrastructure mission, not an individual benefit.

• The beneficiaries were the 12 identified cities, and funds were routed through state governments and urban local bodies (municipal corporations and municipalities) that owned and executed the projects.
• Individual citizens could not apply for a personal benefit under HRIDAY. There was no citizen application form, no cash transfer to residents, and no enrolment. Households, shopkeepers and traders in a heritage zone benefited only indirectly, through better streets, sanitation and public spaces.
• With the mission closed since 31 March 2019, no city, body or individual can apply now. Any reference suggesting that HRIDAY is still accepting applications is out of date.

How to apply for HRIDAY funding (historical institutional route)

This process operated only while the mission was live, between 2015 and 2019. It is described here so readers understand how HRIDAY worked; it is not a route that is open today.

1. The Ministry of Urban Development identified the 12 heritage cities and set city-wise allocations within the Rs 500 crore outlay.
2. Each city, through its urban local body and state government, prepared a HRIDAY City Plan identifying heritage assets and infrastructure needs.
3. Cities prepared Detailed Project Reports for individual works, which were appraised and approved by the mission's National supported Committee.
4. Approved projects were executed by the municipal body and monitored by the state and the central mission directorate until the mission closed in

What did HRIDAY fund?

Within the heritage zones, HRIDAY financed civic and tourism-linked infrastructure, including:

• Sanitation — public toilets, drainage and solid-waste facilities.
• Roads, walkways and last-mile connectivity to heritage sites.
• Public transport access and parking near heritage cores.
• Tourist facilities: signage, wayfinding, drinking water and rest areas.
• Heritage asset revitalisation, restoration of the surroundings of temples, ghats, forts and historic streetscapes.

What happened after HRIDAY closed?

HRIDAY was not extended beyond March 2019. Heritage- and tourism-linked infrastructure is now supported through other central programmes. The Ministry of Tourism runs PRASHAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive) for pilgrimage and heritage destinations, while the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs continues to fund urban infrastructure through its broader missions. Cities that seek heritage-linked funding today should approach these current programmes rather than HRIDAY.

Where to get information

Because HRIDAY is closed, there is no live helpline or application portal. For records and any legacy queries, contact the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs at mohua.gov.in, which administered the mission. For current heritage-tourism funding, refer to the Ministry of Tourism's PRASHAD scheme.