To preserve and promote the rich cultural heritage of India, the Ministry of Culture has established the National Cultural Mapping Mission (NMCM).
The mission aims to document the country’s rich cultural heritage, revive rural economies and ensure preservation of historical sites for future generations.
National Cultural Mapping Mission (NMCM):
Launched by the Ministry of Culture in 2017, it aims to document, preserve and promote India’s cultural heritage by creating a comprehensive database of cultural assets, artists and art forms to enhance cultural vibrancy across the country.
Main Objectives:
To define and document the distinctive cultural characteristics of each village.
Initiate cultural awareness programmes such as “Our Culture Our Identity.”
Using cultural mapping to empower rural communities and promote economic development.
Setting up of a National Cultural Workplace (NCWP) portal for information sharing, participation, performance and awards in all art forms.
Identification of venues for art village, craft fair and other cultural centres for exchange of ideas and promotion of cultural tourism.
Implementation:
NMCM is administered by the Ministry of Culture, implemented under the guidance of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).
Common Services Centre (CSC) e-Governance Services India Limited (CSC) a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) under the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MEITY) has been tasked by the Ministry of Culture to implement the NMCM.
Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar (MGMD):
As part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav in the year 2023, NMCM launched Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar (MGMD) portal, which documents the cultural heritage of 6.5 lakh villages of India.
Under MGMD, information is collected in seven broad categories:
Arts and crafts village,
Ecologically oriented village,
Educational village associated with the textual and classical traditions of India,
Epic village associated with Ramayana, Mahabharata and / or mythology,
Historical village associated with local and national history,
Architectural heritage village,
Any other features that may need to be highlighted, such as fishing villages, gardening villages, shepherd villages, etc.
Currently, 4.5 lakh villages are present on the portal, showcasing elements such as oral traditions, art forms, food, festivals and local landmarks.
This initiative strengthens cultural identity, empowers rural communities, and promotes economic development through documentation and promotion of cultural assets.
CSC e-Governance Services India Limited:
CSC e-Governance Services India Limited, an SPV established under the Companies Act, 1956, oversees the implementation of the CSC scheme, and provides a framework for service delivery to the citizens.
CSC aims to build an Information Technology (IT) enabled network that will connect the local population with essential services and promote a socially, financially and digitally inclusive society, especially in rural areas.
The cultural map:
Cultural mapping records the unique cultural aspects of an area, including local stories, rituals, art, languages, heritage and cuisines, which define the local culture.
It documents both tangible and intangible assets to create cultural resource mapping.
Monuments of National Importance:
The monuments are relics of India’s rich past, showcasing culture, art and architecture.
These include a variety of sites, such as prehistoric sites, rock shelters, temples, churches, mosques, tombs, forts, etc., that represent our diverse cultural heritage across the country.
The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958 (as amended in 2010) provides for declaration, conservation and protection of ancient and historical monuments, archaeological sites and remains of national importance.
A monument or site must be at least 100 years old to be considered in this position.
The process of declaration:
The Central Government notifies its intention to declare a site of national importance and invites public objections within two months. After considering the objections, it can officially announce the venue through a gazette notification.
MNI in India:
At present, 3697 ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains have been declared of national importance in the country.
Attempts to protect MNI:
Directive Principles of State Policy:
Article 49 of the Constitution of India provides that the State shall protect monuments, places and objects of national importance from destruction, defacement, removal or export in accordance with laws made by Parliament.
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI):
ASI, under the Ministry of Culture, is responsible for the conservation and maintenance of multinational archaeological sites.
The perimeter of 100 metres around the monument is the ‘prohibited area’, where construction is prohibited, while the perimeter of the next 200 metres is the ‘regulated area’, where construction is prohibited.
ASI can remove those monuments from the list (under Section 35 of the AMASR Act, 1958) if they are no longer of national importance, which means they will no longer be protected or maintained.
Once removed from the list, construction and urbanization activities can be started around the site.
National Monuments Authority (NMA):
The NMA, established under the AMASR Act, 2010, allows construction in prohibited and regulated areas in the vicinity of centrally protected monuments to ensure their safety and conservation.
