New Delhi, June 8 – The Indian Tourism Ministry has roped in Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to maintain cleanliness and hygiene at six tourist destinations across the country, as part of its Clean India campaign, reports Press Trust of India (PTI).
According to the action plan finalised by the Ministry, ONGC will adopt six monuments – Taj Mahal at Agra, Ellora Caves and Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, Red Fort in Delhi, Golkonda Fort in Hyderabad and Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu.
Tourism Minister K Chiranjeevi, who has taken the initiative for keeping tourist destinations clean and environment-friendly, had met ONGC CMD S Vasudeva and sought the participation of the oil major in the campaign.
Chiranjeevi has also invited other big PSU corporates and private sector giants to adopt several other monuments in the country.
The Ministry held detailed discussions with Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which is the custodian of monuments in the country. ASI agreed to the proposal of ONGC adopting six monuments under ‘Campaign Clean India’, a senior Tourism Ministry official said.
In order to expedite the process, the Ministry worked out the details with ASI regarding cost estimates, identification of executive agencies and nomination of nodal officers for each monument.
ONGC is adopting these six monuments as part of its corporate social responsibilities. The ‘Campaign Clean India’ is aimed at undertaking sensitisation and action at field-level for bringing tourism destinations and their surroundings to an acceptable level of cleanliness and hygiene.
The campaign will ensure that these levels are sustained through ownership and involvement of private and public sector stakeholders. It will be part of the government’s strategy of the 12th Five-Year Plan for improving the quality of services and environs in and around tourist destinations across India.
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