MANGALORE: The preservation and restoration of six major monuments in India is all set to get a major boost with oil major ONGC Ltd evincing keen interest in this endeavour. Spurred by the interest shown by K Chiranjeevi, Union minister of state for tourism, ONGC will fund the project at Bodh Gaya temple in Bihar, Sun Temple at Konark, Taj Mahal at Agra, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus at Mumbai and Ajantha and Ellora Caves in Maharashtra.
While the Archaeological Survey of India under the Union ministry of culture will be in-charge of preservation and restoration, ONGC will use a portion of its annual 2% outlay for CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) activities for it. Incidentally, Chiranjeevi who happened to meet Sudhir Vasudeva, CMD, ONGC at the Hyderabad airport on Thursday, pushed for the project.
“We’re upbeat about doing it (preservation and restoration),” Vasudeva told reporters here on Friday.
“We’re in touch with Chandresh Kumari Katoch, Union minister of culture, as ASI comes under her. ONGC is always on the lookout for good CSR projects”, he said, adding that the tourism ministry had sought its help in developing physical infrastructure leading to these monuments. “Our intent is to be a holistic partner in this project,” he said.
With around Rs 520 crore earmarked annually for CSR activities, Vasudeva said, “We’re identifying NGOs which can handle this CSR initiative.” There is a request to fund the Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, Unesco World Heritage Site in Panchmahal district in Gujarat, he said.
Incidentally, ONGC as part of its structured CSR initiatives, signed an MoU last June with ASI to preserve the historical Ahom monuments in Assam.
ONGC will fund the preservation and restoration project at Bodh Gaya temple in Bihar, Sun Temple at Konark, Taj Mahal at Agra, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus at Mumbai and Ajantha and Ellora Caves in Maharashtra.
(Times of India News Network)
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