ADOPT
A HERITAGE PROGRAM – GOVERNMENT SCHEME
News: ASI launches ‘Adopt a Heritage’
programme, allows corporates to ‘adopt’ protected monuments
What's
in the news?
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The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)
launched the ‘Adopt a Heritage 2.0’ programme, which aims to use CSR funds to
improve amenities at several monuments.
‘Adopt
a Heritage 2.0':
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The government has set the target to hand
over 500 sites under the revamped
Monument Mitra scheme.
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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.
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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.
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It was launched in 2017.
Objective:
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Developing basic tourism infrastructure in and around heritage sites,
monuments, natural sites and tourist sites.
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Develop facilities and amenities to improve the tourist experience at
heritage sites, monuments, natural sites and tourist sites.
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Promote cultural and heritage value of the country and develop avenues to
create awareness about the heritage/natural/tourist sites in the country.
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Develop and promote sustainable tourism infrastructure and ensure proper
operations and maintenance therein.
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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: Archaeological
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.
Archaeological
Survey of India (ASI):
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ASI is the premier organization for the
archaeological research, scientific analysis, excavation of archaeological
sites, conservation and preservation of protected monuments.
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It is an attached office under
the Department of Culture (Ministry of Culture).
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ASI was founded in 1861 by Alexander
Cunningham who became its first Director-General.
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It also regulates the Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, 1972.
Features:
●
The Ancient
Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act (AMASR Act), 1958
regulates the preservation of monuments and archaeological sites of national
importance.
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The Act protects monuments and sites that
are more than 100 years old,
including temples, cemeteries, inscriptions, tombs, forts, palaces, step-wells,
rock-cut caves, and even objects like cannons and mile pillars that may be of
historical significance.
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At present, there are 3,693
centrally-protected monuments in the country.
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Uttar
Pradesh (745), Karnataka (506) and Tamil Nadu (413) have the
highest number of ASI-maintained sites.
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Once declared as a protected
monument/site, both the conservation and maintenance of the site will be done
by ASI.