Context: The Monument Mitra scheme, which entails adopting a heritage site and maintaining it, will soon be revamped to enable private firms, to partner for the upkeep of 1,000 ASI monuments.
About Monument Mitra Project:
It aims at ensuring quality and inclusive provision of amenities and facilities across heritage, natural, and 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.
This project is envisioned to fulfill the objective of the Government of India to provide an enhanced tourism experience to all travelers.
The project plans to entrust development, upgradation and maintenance of amenities and facilities at the heritage, natural and 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.
This revised scheme will be led by the culture ministry.
The previous scheme was led by the tourism ministry.
The monuments are separated into three categories depending on tourist footfall and visibility:
Green:
Iconic sites like the Taj Mahal, Qutub Minar, and Red Fort, among others, are categorized as ‘Green’.
Blue:
while Purana Quila and Jantar Mantar fall in the ‘Blue’ category.
Orange:
The Sanchi Stupa is one popular site in the ‘Orange’ category.
Entities are encouraged to adopt from the Blue and Orange category, or a mix of the three.
Adoption of only ‘Green’ category monuments is not allowed.
