Adopt a Heritage: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan

In news 

The Minister of State for Tourism and Culture (I/C)took a review meeting of the “Adopt a Heritage: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan” project recently.

About the project

• The ‘Adopt a Heritage: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan’ project is an initiative of the Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and the Archaeological Survey of India.
• It was launched in September 2017 on World Tourism Day.
• It aims at ensuring quality & inclusive provision of amenities and facilities across heritage, natural, & tourist sites through active participation of private and public sector organizations and individuals. These organizations would be known as “Monument Mitras” for their collaboration initiative.
• They would become ‘Monument Mitras’ through the innovative concept of “Vision Bidding”, where the agency with best vision  for the heritage site will be given an opportunity to associate pride with their CSR activities.
• The project plans to entrust development, upgradation and maintenance of amenities and facilities at the heritage, natural & tourist sites to the Monument Mitras, coupled with innovation and technology interventions to increase awareness of these incredible treasures.
• The project began with 93 ASI monuments and has extended to heritage, natural and tourist sites across India. 
• These sites are classified into various categories based on visibility and footfall. 
• The ‘Monument Mitras’ would take up the sites of varied visibility and footfall as a package, based on their viability, and through CSR. They would get visibility on the monument premises and Ministry of Tourism digital platforms for their initiative.
• Under the project, 27 Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) have been awarded to 12 Monument Mitras for twenty-five (25) sites and two (2) Technological interventions across India.
• Under the MoUs handed over for implementation of amenities includes basic facilities such as Dustbin; Public Conveniences; Clean drinking water facility; Illumination; Ease of Access; Aesthetics and cleanliness of site; Bench Installations, Waste Management; App based Multi lingual Audio Guide; Installation of Digi Kiosk and Ticketing Kiosk; Signage -Descriptive and directional; Wi-Fi.
• Advanced amenities under implementation include Visitor Facility Centre; Sound and Light Show -3D-Projection Mapping (Interior and Exterior); Snack Counter & Souvenir Shop; Augmented Reality Experience and Virtual Reality (360-degree Experience). 

The objectives of the project are :

• Developing basic tourism infrastructure in and around heritage sites, monuments, natural sites and tourist sites.
• Develop facilities and amenities to improve the tourist experience at heritage sites, monuments, natural sites and tourist sites.
• Promote cultural and heritage value of the country and develop avenues to create awareness about the heritage/natural/tourist sites in the country
• Develop and promote sustainable tourism infrastructure and ensure proper Operations and Maintenance therein.
• Develop employment opportunities and support livelihoods of local communities at the heritage, natural and tourist sites.

Who is eligible for adopting a heritage site/monument under the project?

Private and Public Sector Companies, Trusts, NGOs and Individuals are eligible for adopting heritage site (s)/ monument (s) under this project. However, the finalization of this interest, will depend on their evaluation of their proposal and other criteria provided under the project guidelines

List of Monuments/Sites identified and adopted by companies (monument-wise, company-wise and state-wise) under the Adopt a Heritage: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan, Project