During an exclusive interview with PTI Videos on Wednesday, he stated that the purpose of this initiative is not only to instill a sense of ownership among all stakeholders connected to heritage and tourism sites but also to encourage a sense of ’jan andolan’ and ’jan bhagidari’ (community involvement) within the local populace.
Historic cultural sites in India, aside from the centrally protected monuments (currently totaling 3,686 nationwide), although possessing significant tourism potential, frequently struggle to attract large numbers of visitors due to encroachment, overcrowding, and/or insufficient civic amenities in surrounding areas.
Centrally protected monuments, overseen by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), have a 100-metre prohibited area around them and an additional 200-metre regulated zone beyond that.
For ASI sites, from the renowned Hampi ruins in the south to the Mughal-era Taj Mahal in the north, the Centre is responsible for preserving their integrity.
The ASI, led by a director general, operates under the culture ministry. Conversely, the maintenance of state-protected monuments falls primarily to state governments. Due to the absence of legal regulations to safeguard the peripheries of these sites, issues such as encroachment, including human settlements and urban clusters, arise, Shekhawat, who also serves as the Union culture minister, noted.
He pointed out that similar challenges exist in Western countries, where citizens exhibit social consciousness and awareness that “this monument generates economic activity, serving as an economic asset for our city.” ”Thus, it is our duty to enhance the environment surrounding it (the destination). The entire ecosystem must function in its favor,” the minister emphasized. Shekhawat insisted that Indian society must also advance in this regard.
”A growing sense of awareness is emerging nationwide. However, it is no longer solely the government’s charge to maintain the destination. Managing a destination is a collective responsibility. That is why the prime minister has provided us with a new vision and path, advocating for the establishment of destination management authorities to coordinate and unify the entire ecosystem related to a destination,” he stated.
According to the minister, a prime example of effective destination management is the authority associated with Ekta Nagar, the location of the Statue of Unity near Kevadia in Gujarat.
The development of Ekta Nagar differentiates it from other populated areas, yet lessons learned from that experience have led us to encourage states to form such DMOs (Destination Management Organizations) for their key destinations,” he concluded. ”Two weeks ago, we convened a meeting with state secretaries where detailed presentations were delivered on the necessity, methodology, roadmap, implementation strategy, and the necessary powers, including any quasi-judicial authority that should be granted, all of which were conveyed to state representatives,” the Union minister remarked.
”I am pleased that states have embraced this concept with significant enthusiasm and committed to establishing them at their respective destinations. I believe once implemented, it will be a thorough initiative,” he added.
He referenced Indore, where stakeholders united to ensure their city claimed the title of the cleanest city in the nation (based on the annual Swachh Survekshan ranking).
When asked about the number of DMOs to be established nationally and who would oversee them at the local level, Shekhawat replied, ”States are responsible for establishing these DMOs. Each state has its own vision. Some have opted to appoint a senior bureaucrat from that city.” ”I assert that when we initiate with approximately 100 travel destinations across the country, in certain areas, particularly the most frequented ones, senior bureaucrats may be appointed as responsible officers. In some instances, a district magistrate has been given authority as a DMO head. Each state has crafted its implementation framework tailored to its particular context,” he explained.
Shekhawat mentioned that in a nation as diverse as India, it is unfeasible to implement a universal system; therefore, each state will create DMOs for their selected destinations based on local frameworks.
