In an exclusive interview with PTI Videos on Wednesday, he elaborated that the purpose of this initiative is not only to instill a sense of ownership for cultural and tourism sites among all stakeholders, but also to encourage a movement of ‘jan andolan’ and ‘jan bhagidari’ (mass involvement) within the local community.
Historic cultural landmarks in India, aside from the centrally protected monuments (currently numbering 3,686), often struggle to attract significant tourist traffic due to issues like encroachment, congestion, and insufficient civic amenities in surrounding areas.
Centrally protected monuments, overseen by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), have a 100-metre restricted zone around them, in addition to a further 200-metre regulated area beyond that boundary.
For ASI sites—from the famous Hampi ruins in the south to the Mughal-era Taj Mahal in the north—the responsibility falls on the Centre to preserve their integrity.
The ASI, led by a director general, operates within the cultural ministry’s jurisdiction. In contrast, the maintenance of state-protected monuments is mainly the responsibility of individual states. As there are no legal protections for the areas surrounding these sites, encroachments such as residential areas and urban sprawl can easily occur, Shekhawat, who also serves as the Union culture minister, noted.
He pointed out that similar issues exist in Western nations, where residents have a strong sense of social responsibility and recognize that “this monument serves as an economic driver for our city.” “Hence, it is our duty to enhance the surrounding environment of such sites. The entire ecosystem is interlinked,” the minister remarked. Shekhawat emphasized that Indian society must also progress in this direction.
“This awareness is gradually growing throughout the country. However, the maintenance of tourist destinations should not rest solely on the government. It is a collective responsibility of all stakeholders involved. This is why the prime minister has provided a new vision—suggesting the establishment of destination management authorities to coordinate and integrate the ecosystem around each destination,” he explained.
The minister cited the Ekta Nagar authority, associated with the Statue of Unity near Kevadia in Gujarat, as a prime example of effective destination management.
The infrastructure in Ekta Nagar differs from other urban areas, and drawing lessons from that experience, “we have encouraged states to develop similar Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) for their key destinations,” he added. “Two weeks ago, we convened a meeting with state secretaries, providing detailed presentations on the necessity, implementation strategies, and the powers these DMOs should hold,” the Union minister stated.
“I’m pleased to report that states have embraced this idea with enthusiasm, committing to establish DMOs in their respective locales. Once implemented, it will be a thorough initiative,” he noted.
He mentioned Indore as an example, where all stakeholders collaborated to earn the title of the cleanest city in the country (as per the annual Swachh Survekshan rankings).
When asked about the number of DMOs to be established and who will oversee them locally, Shekhawat responded, “States are expected to set up these DMOs. Each state has envisioned them differently, with some opting to appoint an independent senior bureaucrat from that city.” “I believe that starting with around 100 travel destinations in the country, some of the busiest locations will have senior bureaucrats designated for DMO roles. In other areas, district magistrates have been empowered as DMO authorities. Each state will adapt its own framework,” he added.
Shekhawat concluded by stating that in a diverse country like India, it is impractical to implement a uniform system everywhere, thus each state will form DMOs based on local needs.
