A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for forging partnership between National Culture Fund (NCF) and Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) for heritage initiatives was signed here today in the presence of the Minister of Culture and Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation Kumari Selja.
Through a series of meetings and deliberations with NCF, HUDCO has outlined 5 main areas of interest in developing the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects: Training Programmes and Capacity Building, Heritage and Disaster Management, Up-gradation of Museums, Environmental improvement and Visitor amenities and Conservation and Restoration of Heritage Buildings.
NCF Executive Committee has approved the signing of the MOU with HUDCO and the offer of heritage projects that match their CSR criteria mentioned above. Subsequently a dedicated Memorandum of Agreement will be signed per project between NCF/HUDCO/implementer. The details are as under:
Training Programmes and Capacity Building: Training in Conservation for Professionals with NCF/HUDCO/ASI/AKT (Estimated at Rs. 35 lakhs for Training Cycle for 20 people)
Heritage and Disaster Management: Creation of Website on Heritage and Disaster Management with NCF/HUDCO (Estimated Cost Rs. 5 lakhs per year)
Up-gradation of ASI Site Museums: ASI Site museums in well known Buddhist Sites of Nagarjunakonda and Amaravati Museums, Andhra Pradesh with NCF/HUDCO/ASI (Estimated Cost of the project is Rs.500 lakhs. Time period: Three financial years)
Environmental improvement and Visitor amenities: ‘Clean Basti Programme’ a waste management initiative in Nizamuddin Basti, New Delhi with NCF/HUDCO/ Aga Khan Foundation. (Total Cost approx: Rs 35 lakhs over 2 years)
Conservation and Restoration of Heritage Buildings: Conservation of Three schools in Heritage Buildings, Pondicherry, UT. NCF/ HUDCO/ INTACH Pondicherry Chapter. (Total cost Rs 950 lakhs over a period of 3 years)