Adopt A Heritage Scheme: Assam sees protests over Kaziranga National Park, Ahom-era monuments

               Fig: Kareng Ghar

• Centre’s decision to engage corporate houses for maintenance of tourism infrastructure in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park (KNP) and Ahom-era monuments in Sivasagar district has angered many organisations, triggering protest in different parts of the state.
• This comes at a time when the government is being critisized for involving a private company to look after tourist amenities in the 17th century Red Fort.
• State tourism department on Wednesday ruled out “privatisation” of heritage sites, asserting that misinformation is being spread on the Adopt a Heritage Scheme.
• The Ahom kingdom (1228–1826) – a kingdom in the Brahmaputra Valley in Assam – successfully resisted Mughal expansion in Northeast India.
• It was established by Sukaphaa, a Tai prince from Mong Mao.

Adopt a Heritage Project:

• What is it? The ‘Adopt a Heritage Scheme’ of Ministry of Tourism was launched on World Tourism Day i.e. 27th September, 2017. This project is a key initiative of Ministry of Tourism in close collaboration with Ministry of Culture and Archeological Survey of India (ASI), to develop the heritage sites / monuments and making them tourist-friendly to enhance the tourism potential and their cultural importance in a planned and phased manner.
• How it works? The project plans to entrust heritage sites/monuments and other tourist sites to private sector companies, public sector companies and individuals for the development of tourist amenities. The project aims to develop synergy among all partners.
• Monument Mitras: Successful bidders selected for adopting heritage sites / monuments by the Oversight and Vision Committee shall be called as Monument Mitras. The basic and advanced amenities of the tourist destinations would be provided by them. They would also look after the operations and the maintenance of the amenities. The ‘Monument Mitras’ would associate pride with their CSR activities.

By: Ziyaur Rahman