In a first, India is to head the World Heritage Committee, the body that selects UNESCO World Heritage Sites. A convention of the World Heritage Committee will be held in India.
The union minister for Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that India will be to chair this committee in which 126 countries are the members. “ In the coming days, a conference of all these countries of World Heritage Committee will be held in India. This will be a golden opportunity for Rajasthan also, where our heritage will get recognition on the world stage," said Shekhawat to the media in Jodhpur on Sunday.
The World Heritage Committee is a committee of the UNESCO that selects the sites to be listed as UNESCO World Heritage. It prepares the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger, defines the use of the World Heritage Fund and allocates financial assistance upon requests from States Parties.
Shekhawat also informed about the new National Museum in Delhi and said that the new National Museum of India will be built in North and South Block under the Central Vista Redevelopment Project. This museum will be developed in collaboration with France.
“The museum will be a testament to India's rich heritage and unwavering spirit of progress, as it draws inspiration from its past,” said the minister.
The union minister desired to increase the contribution of tourism in the GDP of the country and said that tourism contributes 6.2 percent to the country's GDP, and we'll work to increase it up to 10 percent. He said, "we will soon hold meetings with all the states to get their plans and proposals for the development of tourism in their states.”
Talking about the verticals in the tourism sector in the country, the minister said that India is a big hub of tourism and there are many verticals of tourism like culture, nature, wildlife, activity, adventure, and many others. The ministry will work to further develop these verticals so that, along with increasing the contribution of tourism to the country's GDP, employment opportunities can also get a boost.
