Adopt a Heritage 2.0

Why is in news? Deadline for Submission of Applications for “Adopt a Heritage 2.0” Program – December 31, 2023

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is a premium government agency that has 3696 monuments under its protection which are spread throughout the country.

These monuments not only exhibit the rich cultural heritage of India but also play a significant role in fostering the economic growth.

ASI states that “Interests have been received from various private and public sector entities for participation and contribution in this initiative.”

Last date of submission of application for the current phase has been decided as 31st December 2023.

The organisations are encouraged to submit the letter of intent along with a vision statement, an action plan, an implementation plan, and the proposed value addition for the selected monument before the deadline.

About Adopt a Heritage 2.0 programme:

ASI had launched the “Adopt a Heritage 2.0” programme on 4th September 2023.

The programme seeks collaboration with the private/public sector companies / trusts / societies / NGOs etc. through their CSR funding who intend to provide, develop, and maintain ‘amenities’ at centrally protected monuments and sites.

The programme is a revamped version of the earlier scheme launched in 2017 and clearly defines the amenities sought for different monuments as per AMASR Act 1958.

The stakeholders can apply for adopting a monument or specific amenity/ amenities at a monument through a dedicated web portal with URL www.indianheritage.gov.in, which contains details of monuments sought for adoption along with gap analysis and financial estimation of amenities.

The ‘Adopt a Heritage 2.0’ programme seeks to foster collaboration with corporate stakeholders through which they can contribute in preserving these monuments for our upcoming generations.

The process for selection will be carried out after due-diligence and discussions with various stakeholders and assessing the economic and developmental opportunities at each monument.

About:

The ‘Adopt a Heritage: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan’ scheme is an initiative of the Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and the Archaeological Survey of India.

The scheme was launched 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.

The sites/monuments are selected on the basis of tourist footfall and visibility and can be adopted by private and public sector companies and individuals — known as Monument Mitras— for an initial period of five years.

As per the latest reports, Adopt a Heritage scheme has covered 106 tourist places with more than 600 Monument Mitras registered and 27 MoUs being signed.

The Ministry of Tourism has the power of termination of MoU of Monument Mitras in case of noncompliance of guidelines and expression of interest (EoI), or any other reason of non-performance.

Objectives of the Scheme:

Development of basic tourism infrastructure in and around historic sites, monuments, natural sites, and tourist attractions.

Enhancing tourism experience by developing facilities and amenities at historic sites, monuments, natural sites, and tourist attractions.

Promote the cultural and heritage significance of the country and create awareness about them.

Benefits of participation:

Long Term CSR Objectives - Meet your corporate social responsibility objectives with a 5-year partnership which may be extended for another 5-year term based on performance review

Tourism and Economic Activities - Well maintained sites attract more tourists, leading to economic benefits of the surroundings

Brand Awareness - Lakhs of visitors, both local and foreigners, visit these monuments every year