The Monument Mitra scheme of the Government invests in adopting a heritage site and maintaining it. It was under the Ministry of Tourism but could not yield the desired results and has been recently transferred to the Ministry of Culture. The Ministry is all set to collaborate with the private sector to enhance the quality and provision of amenities at heritage sites.
The Government is all prepared to hand over 1000 sites that are under the control of the Archeological Survey of India to the Private sector. Under the mission and idea of ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’, the government has set the target of 500 sites to be revamped by 15th August 2023. The scheme focuses on Centrally Protected Heritage properties.
Monument Mitras – A Collaborative Initiative
The Monument Mitra scheme envisages the motto of ‘Adopt a Heritage’. The Government under the Ministry of Tourism has taken up the responsibility of developing and maintaining amenities across the heritage and tourist sites. It was launched in 2017 on the occasion of ‘World Tourism Day’ by the President of India.
The scheme of adopting a heritage will be done through an auction. The successful bidders will be known as ‘Monument Mitra’ and they will be selected by the Oversight and Vision Committee. The Government is looking to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for at least 500 sites by Independence day.
The Corporate sector will take up and do its part in Corporate Social Responsibility. The Private sector under the revamping process will improve the structure of the building, and also provide necessary amenities at all the heritage sites. The monuments will also get sound and lighting systems. It is done to increase tourism potential and enrich the tourist experience.
Under India’s G20 Presidency, the Ministry of Culture is all set to replenish the historical places in the country. The G20 summit, which will be held later this year, will exhibit different historical places in the form of a digital museum to all the leaders.
The Culture Ministry has decided on three locations where it will conduct a thematic exhibition. This is part of the idea of projecting India as the ‘Culture Superpower’ under the G20 presidency. The first location would be Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh and the other two locations would be Bhubaneshwar and Hampi.
Objectives of Monument Mitra:
- Monument Mitra aims at promoting the cultural and heritage value of the country.
- It promotes sustainable tourism infrastructure to keep up with changing times and also protect the environment.
- It aims to provide employment opportunities through public-private partnerships.
- Protection and maintenance of heritage sites will also act as a source of supporting livelihood for the local communities residing in the area.
Under the revamped scheme of Monument Mitra, the monuments will be categorized into three groups based on tourist footfall and visibility. It is a collaborative initiative by the Government to include the private sector in maintaining and protecting structures and heritage sites. The role of the Government is to make it tourist friendly as well as provide a basic structure to preserve the history and culture of our country.