ADOPT
A HERITAGE SCHEME - ART AND CULTURE
News:
A thumbs down for the
‘Adopt a Heritage’ scheme
What's
in the news?
●
Private firms, companies, and public
sector units can enter into agreements with the Union Ministry of Culture to
adopt and maintain State-owned archaeological sites or monuments.
Key
takeaways:
●
The central government is eager that this
scheme, which began in February, leads to the adoption of 500 protected sites
by August 15, and the adoption of another 500 sites shortly thereafter.
●
This number represents a tenfold increase
in the number of sites being brought under the ambit of the controversial
‘Adopt a Heritage’ scheme of 2017.
Revamped
Scheme:
●
The government has set the target to hand
over 500 sites under the revamped
Monument Mitra scheme by the end of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav on 15th August
2023.
●
The revamped scheme would be based on the Corporate Social Responsibility model
and a new website having the names of all the heritage sites, would also be
launched.
●
The Culture Ministry would be projecting
India as a “cultural superpower” during the year-long presidency of the G20.
Monument
Mitra Scheme (Adopt a Heritage Programme):
●
It envisages developing monuments, heritage and tourist sites across India and
making them tourist friendly and enhancing their tourism potential and cultural
importance in planned and phased manner.
●
It was launched in 2017.
Objective:
●
Developing basic tourism infrastructure in and around heritage sites,
monuments, natural sites and tourist sites.
●
Develop facilities and amenities to improve the tourist experience at
heritage sites, monuments, natural sites and tourist sites.
●
Promote cultural and heritage value of the country and develop avenues to
create awareness about the heritage/natural/tourist sites in the country.
●
Develop and promote sustainable tourism infrastructure and ensure proper
operations and maintenance therein.
●
Develop employment opportunities and support livelihoods of local
communities at the heritage, natural and tourist sites.
Features:
●
Under it, Private, Public Sector Companies and Corporate individuals were
invited to adopt heritage sites and to take up responsibility for making them
and promote sustainable tourism through conservation and development under
their CSR activities.
Administrative
Control: Archeological
Survey of India, Ministry of Culture.
Monument
Mitras:
Successful bidders selected for adopting heritage,
natural, tourist sites/ monuments by the Oversight and Vision Committee shall
be called Monument Mitras.