Delhi Govt notifies ‘Hamare Samarak, Hamara Gaurav’ scheme for adoption of monuments

The Delhi Government has notified a scheme to allow public sector undertakings (PSUs), public and private sector entities, registered NGOs, trusts and individuals to adopt monuments and voluntarily contribute towards their maintenance and development. The ‘Hamare Samarak, Hamara Gaurav’ scheme will operate under the Delhi Mukhyamantri Smarak Abhigrahan Yojana and came into force on September 7, the date it was published in the Official Gazette.

Under the scheme, participating entities, to be called ‘Monument Mitras’, can adopt any number of monuments from a list prepared by the Department of Archaeology and undertake maintenance or development activities. The initial adoption period will be five years, with no extension after the completion of the term.

The government plans to improve basic amenities and visitor infrastructure at heritage sites through voluntary contributions. The list of permitted activities includes toilets, drinking water facilities, accessibility infrastructure, cleanliness, lighting and illumination, landscaping, signage, benches, dustbins, Wi-Fi, audio guides, AR/VR facilities, souvenir shops, snack counters, security and CCTV systems, tourist facilitation centres, light-and-sound shows, cafeterias, heritage walks, digital kiosks, cultural hubs and battery-operated vehicles.

Monument Mitras can also propose night visits, cultural programmes and adaptive reuse of heritage sites, subject to approval and applicable heritage guidelines. Commercial or semi-commercial activities such as light-and-sound shows and tourist facilitation centres may be permitted, with the revenue generated required to be reinvested in the development, operation and maintenance of the adopted monument.

Under the scheme, applicants must submit a letter of intent (LOI), followed by a detailed vision proposal to the Department of Archaeology. Selection would be followed by the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the department and the selected Monument Mitra. The MoU will specify the activities, expenditure, timelines and maintenance responsibilities of the selected organisation. A comprehensive plan will have to be approved by the Department before execution of development works begins.

The scheme also envisages monthly progress reports, photographs and online/offline monitoring by the Department of Archaeology and its committees. Under Section 15 of the Delhi Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 2004, voluntary contributions received for maintenance cannot be used for any purpose other than that for which they were contributed without the donor’s written consent.

According to the government, the broader objective of the scheme is to improve visitor experience, promote lesser-known monuments, involve communities and the private sector in heritage conservation, create livelihood opportunities and work towards making Delhi a ‘World Heritage City’.

New grant-in-aid

scheme notified

The Delhi Government has notified a new grant-in-aid scheme to provide financial assistance to registered NGOs, trusts, foundations, educational institutions and other eligible organisations for conservation, restoration and development of monuments under the Department of Archaeology.

Notified on September 7, the Delhi Mukhyamantri Virasat Navotthan Yojana was approved by the Cabinet on June 29. It will come into force from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette. Under the scheme, the government will provide 75 per cent of the project cost, with the applicant institution required to contribute the remaining 25 per cent. For important Category A monuments, the government grant will cover 90 per cent of the cost, with the institution contributing 10 per cent. Projects undertaken by government institutions will receive 100 per cent government funding.

The maximum assistance has been fixed at Rs 2 crore per project per financial year, although the ceiling can be enhanced on the advice of the Recommendation Committee depending on the requirements of a monument. A voluntary organisation can submit only one project in a financial year.

Eligible applicants include national and state-level registered voluntary organisations, trusts and foundations, educational institutions, universities, deemed universities and autonomous bodies of the Centre or state governments. Registration of the applicant organisations on the Government of India’s Darpan portal is mandatory.

Applicants will have to submit a detailed project report, concept plan covering proposed public use, visitor management and heritage interpretation, financial details, information on funding sought or received from other agencies, registration documents.

Applications will be invited online through a portal of the Department of Archaeology and advertisements for the same would be published in newspapers and on the department’s website. The grant will be released in four instalments. A Monitoring Committee will oversee implementation, while the Secretary, Art, Culture and Languages Department, will be the final authority responsible for resolving disputes.