The Hindu Editorial Analysis- 1st March 2023 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Context

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. Businesses that enter such agreements are going to be known as Monument Mitras. 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.

What is Adopt a Heritage Scheme?

• The President of India launched the scheme on World Tourism Day, i.e., 27 September 2017. The Adopt a Heritage Scheme allowed public and private sector enterprises to acquire top heritage areas of India and enhance tourism activities there.
  • It is described that Adopt a Heritage Scheme PIB is effectively a non-revenue producing project.
  • The agency, Monument Mitras, will be picked based on the unique idea of a vision proposal, and no monetary offer is applied to the scheme.
  • The reaction to the scheme was optimistic as some agencies that came forward for adoption were schools and law enterprises.

Features of the Adopt a Heritage Scheme

The President of India affirmed the Adopt a Heritage Scheme on 27 September 2017, celebrated as World Tourism Day. The initiative enables commercial and public sector enterprises to adopt most of India’s key heritage sites and promote tourism.

• In non-obedience with regulations and indications of interest (EoI) or any other grounds for non-implementation, the Ministry of Tourism has the control to end the Monument Mitras MoU.
• According to a release from the Ministry of Tourism, the government has signed 27 Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with 12 public/private groups for 25 key heritage sites throughout the nation.
• The government has also inked two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to permit technology interventions at a few heritage sites under the initiative, according to the administration.

Objectives of the Adopt a Heritage Scheme

• Enabling the growth of tourism infrastructure
• Promoting the country’s culture and heritage
• Increasing the site’s tourism appeal sustainably by installing world-class infrastructure
• Creating jobs via the active participation of local communities
• Making use of tourism’s potential for job creation and economic growth
• To develop long-term tourist infrastructure and ensure that it is appropriately operated and maintained.

Significance of the Adopt a Heritage Scheme

• The Adopt a Heritage Scheme initiative has received a positive response from many public and private organizations, colleges, and legal firms expressing their interest in adopting it.
• The adopting companies would be in charge of constructing, running, and maintaining tourist infrastructure at the 105 memorials and untouched heritage spots for acquisition.
• Some monuments and heritage sites are under corporate hands, allowing for more professional supervision and functions.
• The organization with the most remarkable vision for heritage property would get a chance to connect to its CSR measures.
• The ‘Adopt a Heritage Scheme’ is a one-of-a-kind initiative of the Ministry of Tourism, in partnership with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Ministry of Culture.
• The project seeks to develop heritage sites, tourist sites, and monuments across the country to make them more tourist-friendly, thereby increasing tourism possibility and artistic significance in a phased and planned manner.

Benefits of Adopt a Heritage Scheme

• An association with the most promising concept for the heritage zone was given a chance to associate fulfillment with its Corporate Social Responsibility activities.
• The business would also bring restricted observability on the property and the website of Incredible India.
• Corporate management of a few monuments and heritage places secures that their supervision and procedures could be addressed more professionally.

Adopt a Heritage Scheme List

The table below illustrates a list of monuments embraced by companies under the Adopt a Heritage scheme:

Adopt a Heritage Scheme – Amenities

The Archaeological Survey of India delivers essential facilities to those who visit the heritage sites shielded centrally.

The amenities include

• Pathways
• Toilet units
• Drinking water dispensers
• Parking of Vehicle
• Facilities for physically disabled people.

Depending upon the need and feasibility, monuments recognized as “Adarsh Smarak” will get facilities that will include:

• Interpretation center
• Wi-Fi
• Braille signage for visually impaired individuals
• Cafeterias
• Modern toilets, etc.

Adopt a Heritage Scheme – Surveillance and Vision Committee

• Monument Mitras (public and private sector institutions and people) shall have to organize a resilient concept for every heritage site under the project.
• The corporates requesting adoption must investigate the place to develop a vision evolution plan for every heritage site.
• The Oversight and Vision Committee will assess the research based on defined parameters

Adopt a Heritage Scheme: Challenges

Various challenges in the implementation of Adopt a Heritage Scheme are listed below.

• Selection of Monument Mitras through a fair and transparent process.
• Conservation activities must be ensured to be carried out by professionals only.
• Retaining of ethical values of the monuments while doing the beautification and conservation.
• Monitoring of progress on various development initiatives undertaken by adopters.