The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Culture & Tourism Shripad Yesso Naik has said that the Government implements various schemes for protecting and promoting intangible cultural heritage in the country. These schemes do not cover heritage sites which are looked after separately by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). In a written reply in the Lok Sabha today Shri Naik said, India has been elected to the Inter-Governmental Committee for Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage for the period 2014-2018 and would participate in Ninth Session of UNESCO.
He said, with the above inclusion in the Committee, it is hoped that the specific needs and concerns of the country for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage can be raised in international fora. This may inter-alia foster awareness & open ended dialogues with other state parties on issues of Indian interest in Culture. Further, India can play a more proactive role for formulating international cultural policies more suited to our national/ local needs.
The Minister said, protected monuments/sites under ASI are conserved, preserved and maintained by way of structural repairs on need basis, as per archaeological norms, subject to availability of resources. These centrally protected monuments/sites are in a fairly good state of preservation. In addition to conservation, preservation, maintenance and development of environs in and around centrally protected monuments, providing tourist related amenities (e.g. drinking water, toilet blocks, facilities for physically challenged, pathways, cultural notice boards/signage, vehicle parking, cloak rooms, etc.) at the centrally protected monuments/sites are the regular activities which the Archaeological Survey of India undertakes as per need and availability of resources.