State monuments up for adoption….Sandeep Ashar
Mumbai: Corporate houses and private individuals will soon be able to adopt historical monuments in the state.The state government has decided to launch adopt-a-monument scheme to encourage public-private participation in conservation of cultural heritage.
Under the scheme,which is being formulated by the department of tourism and cultural affairs,protected monuments in the state such as forts,palaces,pilgrim centres,and temples will be put up for adoption.Business houses,NRIs,private individuals and charitable trusts,interested in playing a role in the conservation and beautification of monuments,could adopt them for a period of five years.
The upkeep and beautification of an adopted monument will be the private partners responsibility.In return,it would be allowed to derive benefits of sponsorship,including the use of the monument’s logo in its letterhead and correspondence.While the state government will reserve the rights to decide the entry fee for tourists,the private partner will be permitted to retain aportion of the collected money for the site’s maintenance.The private entity could also recover money through the distribution of site-related information material and stationary to tourists.
The monuments up for adoption will be state-protected ones under the control of the Mumbai-based directorate of archeology and museum.While there are 249 such monuments in the state,an expert advisory panel,comprising heritage architects and conservationists,has been appointed for shortlisting those which will be made available for adoption.
A senior official from the cultural affairs department said the basic objective behind the scheme was to increase public-private participation in the preservation and development of cultural heritage.The department hopes that an upgradation in hygiene standards and upkeep of the sites will also lead to an increase in tourism,apart from generating incremental revenue.
The state will appoint a supervisory panel comprising senior government officials,NGO representatives,experts and a representative of the private party to oversee the maintainence work.The state finance department approved the scheme on November 19.ajasthan,Orissa and Kolkata have introduced a similar scheme.
CONSERVING HERITAGE
Private Partys Responsibilities
– Upkeep of a monument during the adoption period