Clean India Campaign ‘sweeps’ Taj Mahal
With ONGC coming forward to adopt as many as six monuments, K Chiranjeevi, Minister for Tourism, is hopeful that Clean India Campaign will gather more pace.
The Ministry of Tourism is keen to put its ambitious Clean India Campaign in top gear as part of its overall objective of undertaking all possible measures to ensure that a tourist in India gets the most incredible experience. In fact, with the initiative of Ministry of Tourism, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has agreed to the proposal of ONGC for adopting six monuments under the Clean India Campaign which include Taj Mahal, Ellora & Elephanta Caves – Maharashtra, Red Fort – Delhi, Golkonda Fort – Hyderabad and Mahabalipuram – Tamil Nadu.
“I remember that my predecessor and friend Subodh Kant Sahai had initiated the Clean India Campaign, where I was also present. On taking up the charge of Ministry of Tourism, I spoke to my team at the ministry and realised that there were communication snags holding back this initiative. It had not taken off at the pace as it should have otherwise. It is an important proj- ect to grow tourism. Hence, I spoke to ONGC, and its Managing Director Sudhir
Vasudeva expressed his desire to adopt as many as six monuments. Moreover, I am hopeful that this campaign will gather more pace,” said Chiranjeevi in Agra.
“All stakeholders need to acknowledge that cleanliness and a hygienic environment will ensure that tourists extend their stay and also revisit often. This will help maximise revenues from tourism. In first phase of Clean India Campaign, we have identified 36 monuments that can be adopted by corporates as part of their CSR initiative. It’s my appeal to the corporate sector to come forward and make their CSR contribution to the Clean India Campaign. I have been told that some of them had stepped back due to the levy of tax on the CSR activity. I will take the initiative of talking to the government that there should be no tax levied on CSR initiatives which are directly or indirect- ly helping to create employment in India,” he added.
The Ministry of Tourism launched Clean India Campaign as part of the Government’s strategy for the 12th Five Year Plan to improve quality of services and the environs in and around tourist destinations across India. It entails a comprehensive strategy to ensure acceptable level of cleanliness and hygiene practices at tourist destinations through involvement of private and public sector stakeholders.
Here, Parvez Dewan, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, said, “Tourists in India should have an incredible experience from the airport or railway station to their chosen destination, and in and around the surroundings of the destination. The Campaign Clean India is one such initiative that is aimed at improving the overall appeal and addresses concerns pertaining to cleanliness and hygiene for good.”
K Chiranjeevi, Minister of Tourism, along with other dignitaries took Clean India Campaign to Taj Mahal, Agra recently. Taj Mahal is the second heritage site to be covered under this project. In fact, at the initiative of Ministry of Tourism, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has agreed to the proposal of ONGC adopting six monuments under the Clean India Campaign. The first was Qutub Minar in New Delhi which has been adopted by India Tourism Development Corporation in June 2012.