Is Red Fort Sold?

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Adopt a Heritage Scheme: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchan


Last year Ministry of Tourism announced "Adopt a Heritage Scheme" to open Indian Heritage Sites for the development and maintenance by Private and Public Sector Companies under their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). 

After which earlier this year a select committee was formed under the Chairmanship of Mr. Derek O' Brien, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha from West Bengal of All India Trinamool Congress Party (AITC). This committee submitted its report with the title 



(Presented to the Rajya Sabha on 6th March, 2018)
(Laid on the table of the Lok Sabha on 6th March 2018)

What Does Report Says about Adopt a Heritage Scheme

Adopt a Heritage
 "The Committee is aware that many of the key monuments even those under the control of ASI, are without basic amenities like clean drinking water, toilet, 48 interpretation centers, cleanliness etc. The Committee was informed that to overcome those deficiencies the Govt. has taken an initiative called adopt a Heritage. There is no expenditure outflow from the Budget for the initiative. Under adoption of Heritage the Govt. is calling for expression of integrate from all corporations, State Corporations, NGOs etc. to adopt a particular tourist site, whether it is ASI's site or any other site, and asking them to take the responsibility of not only creating basic amenities but also taking care of maintenance. The Committee was further informed that the organization/corporate are making their detailed plans for improvement of infrastructure and basic amenities at some of the key tourist sites which they have adopted. The Committee notes that the initiative of Adopt a Heritage is a welcome step on the part of the Ministry of Tourism. The Committee recommends that under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) major corporate may be compelled to adopt heritage sites. The Committee also recommends that the detailed plans for improvement of infrastructure and basic amenities have to be laid down by the Ministry/Govt. agencies and it should not be left at the discretion of the organization which are adopting the Heritage sites. Experience and experimentation in the initial two or three projects will make all the difference in planning for other future projects that the Ministry will take up for development. The Committee also feels that to make a project a world class experience bench marking is a must". 
                                                                                  - Page No. 47-48 of the aforesaid report

UPDATES UNDER THE SCHEME TILL DATE (According to the PIB release)

 In October last year, at the closing ceremony of "Paryatan Parv" or "Tourism Festival" Minister of Finance, Mr. Arun Jaitley awarded 14 Letter of Intents to different organizations for different heritage sites, which are listed as follows:

  1. SBI FOUNDATION  shortlisted for the adoption of - JANTAR MANTAR, DELHI
     
  2. TK INTERNATIONAL LIMITED shortlisted for the adoption of -


  • SUN TEMPLE - KONARK, ODISHA
  • RAJA RANI TEMPLE - BHUBANESHWAR, ODISHA
  • RATNAGIRI MONUMENTS - JAJPUR, ODISHA
      3. YATRA ONLINE PVT. LIMITED shortlisted for the adoption of - 
  • HAMPI - KARNATAKA
  • LEH PALACE - JAMMU & KASHMIR
  • QUTUB MINAR - DELHI 
  • AJANTA CAVES - MAHARASHTRA 
      4. TRAVEL CORPORATION OF INDIA LTD. shortlisted for the adoption of - 
  • MATTANCHERRY PALACE MUSEUM, KOCHI, KERALA
  • SAFDARJUNG TOMB, DELHI
      5. ADVENTURE TOUR OPERATOR ASSOCIATION OF INDIA shortlisted for the             adoption  of -
  • GANGOTRI TEMPLE AREA & TRAIL TO GAUMUKH, UTTARAKHAND
  • MT. STOK KANGRI, LADAKH, JAMMU & KASHMIR
      6. SPECIAL HOLIDAYS TRAVEL PVT. LTD. (With) ROTARY CLUB OF INDIA shortlisted for the adoption of - AGRASEN KI BAOLI, DELHI

      7. NBCC shortlisted for the adoption of PURANA QUILA, DELHI 

after this, recently four Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) are signed, details as follows: 

  1. MoU between Ministry of Tourism, Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) and Government of Jammu and Kashmir for Mt. Stok Kangri in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir.
  2. MoU between Ministry of Tourism, Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) and Government of Uttarakhand for Trail to Gaumukh in Uttarakhand.
  3. MoU between Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Culture, Archaeological Survey of India and Dalmia Bharat Limited for Red Fort, Delhi and Gandikota Fort in Andhra Pradesh
The Priority areas of Programme are listed as under: 
  • Developing basic Tourism infrastructure;
  • Promoting cultural and heritage value of the country  to generate livelihoods in the identified regions; 
  • Enhancing the tourist attractiveness in a sustainable manner by developing world-class infrastructure at the heritage monument sites;
  • Creating employment through active involvement of local communities;
  • Harnessing tourism potential for its effects in employment generation and economic development; 
  • Developing sustainable tourism infrastructure and ensuring proper Operations and Maintenance therein. 
Further a clarification was also issued "The Memorandum of Understanding signed for 'Red Fort' is 'only' for the development , operations and maintenance of tourism amenities in and around Red Fort. It envisages limited 'access' of non-core areas and 'no handing over of monument' is involved. 


WHY CLARIFICATION WAS ISSUED, THAT TOO ONLY IN THE CASE OF RED FORT - WHAT IS THE HUE AND CRY?

Opposition Party members, Historians, Academicians criticizing this move of the government, as they believe that giving National Heritage Monuments into the Private hands will be detrimental, and its like selling nation's property. 

"Why can't the Government even take care of our historic Lal Qila? Red Fort is a symbol of our nation. It is where India's flag is hoisted on Independence Day. Why should it be leased out? Sad and dark day in the history".
                                                                             - Mamata Banerjee (Chief Minister of West Bengal)
"Stop Privatising India's Heritage: The Parliamentary Committee that went into the issue of handing over heritage sites to private corporate had decided against this unanimously. Govt should reverse its decision of privatising the Red Fort".
                                         - Sitaram Yechury (Secretary General, Communist Party of India- Marxist)

"There's a huge difference between Dalmia adopting, say, a haveli in Old Dilli and adopting the Red Fort itself. Tier 1 monuments are a nation's crown jewels. They should not be played around with. Its even more worrying that corporates cannot be held responsible for any damage".
                                                                                           - William Dalrymple (Writer and Historian)

To this Minister of Tourism, Government of India, Mr. Alphons KJ, who is also in talks with Google to take virtual tour of all heritage sites, responded via tweet:
"We need to protect and preserve our heritage. Otherwise who will visit them? Citizen has to own it up. need to create world class facilities".
Well it seems Government of India don't want to step back in this case. Also, opposition parties also seems to divided in perspectives as Mr. Derek O' Brien and the standing committee under his chairmanship hailed this move to restore the greatness of our National Heritage monuments while his own party Supremo Ms. Mamata Banerjee criticized the move.

IN A NUTSHELL: Government of India is not selling National Property and just on-boarding Private and Public Sector Companies for their better maintenance and as per the PIB releases its quite clear that no one can claim the ownership of these monuments.

GS Pointers to remember: 

Facts about Gandikota Fort: 

 Location - Near Tatireddy Narasimha Reddy Dam, Penna River and Gandikota Dam along with the proximity to Kadapa Stone Quarry, lies in the district of Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh.
Distance from Important Places - From Kadapa: 92 kms
                                                      From Hyderabad (Capital of Telangana) - 372 kms
                                                      From Amaravathi (New Capital of Andhra Pradesh) - 413 kms

 Facts about Monuments of Odisha which for which Letter of Intents are issued: 

 Ratnagiri Monuments - Located near Jajpur District of Odisha near Brahmani River.
Konark Sun Temple - is located near Balukhand-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary and Turtle Beach which was recently in the news for hatching of protected Ridley Turtles (there is conservation centre for these turtles on this beach)
Rajarani Temple - is in the proximity of Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneshwar near the banks of Kuakhai River (which is a tributary of Mahanadi River) and also close to Udayagiri Caves.

Facts about Hampi: 
It is an ancient village of Karnataka dotted with numerous ruined temple complexes (7th Century Hindu Virupaksha Temple) of Vijayanagara Empire on the South Bank of Tungabhadra River (which is an important tributary to Krishna River) in Karnataka. A carved stone chariot stands in front of the huge Vittala Temple site. Daroji Bear Sanctuary which is home to Indian Sloth Bear located in the Southeast of Hampi.

Facts about Leh Palace: 
Located near Leh Airport near the banks of Indus River.

Facts about Mattancherry Palace: 
Situated opposite to the Cochin Harbour Terminus along side the Inland Waterway System used for Kochi-Ernakulam Ferry.
JAI HIND !! 
Location: India

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