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NEW DELHI: The conservation of centrally protected Archaeological Survey of India monuments will be opened up soon to the private sector by allowing corporate donors contributing to the ‘National Cultural Fund (NCF)’ to pick up a heritage conservation architect of their choice from an empanelled pool that will be notified by end of this month by the ministry of culture and thereafter engage an executing agency of their choice to carry out the work under the supervision of ASI. A tripartite memorandum of understanding (MOU) will be signed between the NCF, which comes under the purview of the ministry of culture, the donor and ASI. So far ASI was solely executing the conservation work in projects supported by donors under NCF. According to officials, the idea to empanel heritage conservation architects is being cited as yet another model of public- private partnership (PPP) aimed at capacity building to cut down delays and add to the conservation strength of ASI which has under its perview as many as 3,685 monuments across the country. The last date for submission of request for proposal (RFP) for empanelment of heritage conservation architects by NCF, ends on Monday. Nearly 20 heritage conservation architects with the necessary expertise are learnt to have submitted their proposals. After a scrutiny, the selected architects are expected to be empanelled by end of this month. The RFP document on the NCF site highlights that empaneling architects expertise in heritage conservation and restoration and provision of visitor amenities at ASI centrally protected monuments and heritage sites “will not only complement the ASI’s efforts in conservation but also help to create a national talent pool of human resource” and ensure that the work is completed within the time frame fixed by the donor. The NCF has served as a financing mechanism for enabling donors and sponsor institutions to support protect, restore, conserve and develop India’s cultural heritage directly as partners with the govt.
