Union Health Minister and BJP national president J. P. Nadda on Thursday, June 18, 2026, hailed twelve years of the central government's dual approach to culture and progress, invoking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's guiding principle of 'Virasat Bhi, Vikas Bhi' (Heritage Too, Development Too) and citing landmark achievements in heritage preservation, pilgrimage infrastructure, and spiritual tourism.

Context

Marking the occasion under the hashtag #12YearsOfVikasBhiVirasatBhi, Nadda stated that 'India's heritage is a source of strength and inspiration for the future.' He pointed to three concrete pillars of this effort: the return of stolen artefacts to India, the preservation of the sacred relics of Bhagwan Buddha, and the recognition of additional UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The post was accompanied by four images underscoring the visual scale of the initiatives.

Nadda also highlighted the 'grand transformation of Ayodhya, redevelopment of Kedarnath, and the successful organisation of Maha Kumbh 2025' as evidence that 'faith and development go hand in hand.'

Policy Backdrop

The PRASAD scheme (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive), launched in 2014–15, laid the programmatic foundation for upgrading infrastructure at identified religious centres across the country. The scheme channelled central funds toward amenities for pilgrims at sites ranging from coastal temples to Himalayan shrines.

The Kedarnath reconstruction and master plan were initiated following the catastrophic 2013 floods with sustained central government support, resulting in widened pathways, new ghats, and improved lodging for pilgrims. The Ayodhya redevelopment gained momentum after the 2019 Supreme Court verdict and reached a symbolic milestone with events in 2024 surrounding the Ram Temple complex. Between 2014 and 2024, the Ministry of Culture facilitated the repatriation of multiple antiquities from foreign collections, a process Nadda referenced as a marker of renewed cultural assertiveness.

Stakeholders and Impact

The direct beneficiaries of these initiatives include tens of millions of pilgrims and devotees who visit major religious sites each year. Improved infrastructure — wider access roads, sanitation facilities, digital ticketing, and accommodation — has reduced friction for first-time and elderly visitors alike.

The hospitality, transport, and handicraft sectors in towns surrounding heritage sites have registered expanded economic activity as footfall has grown. Maha Kumbh 2025 in Prayagraj, one of the largest religious gatherings in recorded history, served as a test case for large-scale logistics management alongside faith-based programming, and is being studied for its downstream employment and revenue effects on the host region.

Nadda's post underscores that these efforts have 'strengthened the bond of millions with India's spiritual and cultural roots,' framing heritage policy as a social-cohesion instrument in addition to an economic one.

What's Next

The government is expected to pursue further UNESCO nominations for Indian sites currently on the tentative list, as well as additional rounds of antiquity repatriation negotiations with foreign museums and private collectors. Economic assessments of post-Kumbh employment and revenue generation in Prayagraj and surrounding districts are anticipated, which could inform the scale of investment in future large religious events.

As the BJP enters its thirteenth year in government at the Centre, the 'Virasat Bhi, Vikas Bhi' framework appears set to remain a defining narrative thread — one that ties civilisational pride to measurable development outcomes and positions cultural heritage as an engine of both identity and economic growth.