There are 3698 centrally protected monuments/sites in the country under the jurisdiction of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The conservation and maintenance of these centrally protected monuments/sites is a regular process and is taken up as per the requirement and availability of resources. Scientific treatment and preservation is taken up as and when required by adopting key steps such as chemical treatment, consolidation, biocidal and hydrophobic treatment for mitigating the adverse effects of environmental factor. All the necessary conservation and development works of centrally protected monuments/sites are attended by following National Policy for Conservation, 2014.

Periodical inspection is conducted by ASI for these monuments and methodology for preservation used by ASI is inspection of monuments, identification of preservation problem, chemical treatment, biocidal treatment, consolidation, strengthening and Hydrophobic treatment etc. The additional funds are allocated for conservation of these monuments as and when required.

Public private partnerships is encouraged by the Government for the preservation, presentation and promotion of monuments through NCF and Adopt A Heritage 2.0 (AAH 2.0).  The National Culture Fund (NCF), a Trust under Ministry of Culture, established in 1996, has the primary mandate to establish and nurture Public Private Partnerships (PPP) in the field of heritage through catalysing relationships between private, public, government, non-government agencies, private institutions & foundations and mobilizing resources for restoration, conservation, protection & development of India's rich tangible and intangible cultural heritage.

The Government has launched revamped version of erstwhile Adopt a Heritage project initially launched in 2017 called Adopt A Heritage 2.0 (AAH 2.0) program on 04.09.2023. Under this program, the stakeholders are permitted to be engaged for non-conservational aspects viz. cleaning of monument premises, providing and maintaining basic tourist amenities like washroom, drinking water, child care room, benches, pathways, garbage bins, signage, sound & light shows, illumination etc. under the guidance and due consultation with ASI. So far 21 MoUs have been signed under the AAH 2.0.

This information was given by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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Sunil Kumar Tiwari

pibculture[at]gmail[dot]com

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