JOIN USThe Ministry of Culture is looking up to India Inc to generate resources for preservation and protection of the country’s cultural heritage, following allocation of inadequate funds by the government.
During an an interactive session with the corporate heads at an event here, Culture Minister Chandresh Kumari Katoch on Friday urged them to come forward and invest in preserving the “rich heritage” of India.
“India is home to numerous non-protected sites, museums, forts and havelis that belong to individuals, communities and smaller institutions and are open to the public. These, in particular, have faced the challenge of preservation for many years. They need long term support for sustained conservation, up-gradation and development,” she said.
The minister said the government needed support from the corporate sector to present and make more popular the protected monuments and sites to the national and international audiences. “In the modern context, protection is not enough. For popularising and presenting these monuments and sites to national and international audiences, the government needs ideas and partnerships from the corporate sector to develop visitor facilities- signages, audio-guides, educational programmes, heritage shops, water, rest-rooms and cafeterias,” she said.
This will have many benefits like improvement in visitors’ experience to these monuments and thereby increase footfalls and revenues. It will enhance people’s understanding of the nation’s heritage and allow everyone to appreciate it more.
“It will also instill a sense of pride in us, specially our field officers, and give them confidence to take pride in their heritage in National and International platform,” the minister added. More than 50 representatives from the corporate sector like CII, PHD Chamber of Commerce and HUDCO attended the interactive session. Former chief election commissioner S Y Quraishi also participated in the discussion.