Heritage Management & Conservation: Policy Shift in India

Syllabus: GS1/Culture

Context

• The government plans to open up conservation of protected monuments — so far the mandate of only the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) — to private entities, marking the beginning of a public-private partnership model in heritage management.

Background: ASI’s Exclusive Mandate

• The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) was established in 1861 under the Ministry of Culture, responsible for archaeological research and the protection of India’s cultural heritage.
• It plays a central role in the maintenance, conservation, and preservation of ancient monuments, archaeological sites, and remains of national importance.
• It enforces the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 and the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972.
• Organizational Structure of ASI: ASI operates through 37 regional Circles across India, each responsible for fieldwork, conservation, and research in its jurisdiction. Specialized branches include:
  • Science Branch: Focuses on conservation science and material analysis;
  • Horticulture Branch: Maintains gardens around heritage sites;
  • Underwater Archaeology Wing: Explores submerged cultural heritage;
  • Temple Survey Projects: Documents temple architecture and iconography.

• The ASI has so far been solely responsible for the conservation of around 3,700 protected monumentsacross India.
  • It often led to delays and limited capacity to manage the vast number of heritage structures requiring attention.

New Public-Private Partnership Model

• The new initiative aims to introduce a public-private partnership (PPP) model in heritage conservation. The move seeks to:
  • Enhance capacity for conservation work.
  • Accelerate project timelines that have historically been slow under ASI’s single-agency approach.
  • Encourage private participation while maintaining professional and regulatory oversight.
• All conservation projects will continue to be supervised by the ASI and must comply with the National Policy for Conservation (2014).

Framework and Implementation

• Role of the National Culture Fund (NCF): Funds for all projects will be routed through the NCF, established in 1996 with a government corpus of ₹20 crore.
  • The NCF’s structure allows donors to contribute funds directly for conservation projects while receiving 100% tax exemptions under CSR initiatives.
• Empanelment of Conservation Architects: The Union Ministry of Culture aims to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) to empanel more than a dozen conservation architects across India, as the first step.
  • Donors will select from this panel to guide their conservation projects.
  • The architect and donor will jointly hire external implementing agencies with experience in heritage conservation.
  • The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for each project needs to be approved by the ASI.
  • It effectively means that while the ASI retains its supervisory role, private players can now become implementing agencies.

Track Record of the National Culture Fund

• The NCF has attracted ₹140 crore in donations from corporate and public sector donors, financing over 100 conservation projects, since its inception in 1996.
• Completed Projects: Bhuleshwar Temple (Pune), British Residency (Hyderabad), monuments at Mandu, and works at Purana Qila and Red Fort (New Delhi).
• Ongoing Projects:
  • Deobaloda (Bhilai, Chhattisgarh): funded by SAIL-Bhilai Steel Plant.
  • Tourist facilities at Kala Amb (Panipat) and Singorgarh Fort (MP): funded by Indian Oil Corporation.
  • Excavated remains at Vikramshila (Bihar): funded by NTPC.

Checks, Balances, and Eligibility

• Only qualified conservation architects with proven track records will be empanelled.
• Implementing agencies need to demonstrate prior experience in restoring structures over 100 years old.
• Conservation proposals need to adhere strictly to the National Policy for Conservation (2014).
• Initially, a list of 250 monuments needing urgent conservation will be published.
  • Donors may choose from this list or request specific sites based on regional or thematic interests.

Benefits for Corporates and the Heritage Sector

• For Donors:
  • Direct participation in conservation efforts.
  • Full CSR tax benefits.
  • Public recognition at monument sites for contributions.
• For the Heritage Sector:
  • Increased funding inflow for conservation projects.
  • Expanded implementation capacity beyond ASI.
  • Faster project execution and enhanced accountability.

Comparison with ‘Adopt a Heritage’ Scheme

• Earlier, the government’s ‘Adopt a Heritage’ initiative allowed corporate bodies to act as monument mitras, focusing on developing tourist amenities such as cafes, ticket counters, and restrooms.
• The new plan, however, goes further — allowing private participation in core conservation work, marking a major policy shift in heritage management.

Source: IE