The Government of India has strengthened efforts to preserve and promote the country’s cultural heritage through the National Culture Fund, which supports conservation and cultural projects across multiple states while encouraging participation from the private sector and public institutions.
Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat informed the Lok Sabha that several projects supported through the National Culture Fund have been implemented across the country over the past three years. These initiatives span a wide geographical area, including states such as Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and several states in the North East region. The status of these projects, including those completed and those currently under implementation, has been documented along with details of funding support and state wise distribution.
The National Culture Fund was established to facilitate public private partnerships in the conservation and promotion of India’s cultural and heritage assets. Through this framework, the government enables corporate entities, public institutions and individuals to contribute to cultural initiatives, thereby supplementing government resources dedicated to heritage preservation and cultural promotion.
According to the Ministry of Culture, the fund has played a significant role in mobilising resources and encouraging collaborative participation in heritage conservation projects. Since its inception, the National Culture Fund has mobilised approximately Rs 140 crore through Corporate Social Responsibility contributions and other funding sources to support cultural initiatives across the country.
To expand participation and strengthen the partnership model, several outreach initiatives have been undertaken. In January 2025, the National Culture Fund organised a symposium titled CSR opportunities for Central Public Sector Enterprises in Culture and Heritage in collaboration with the Department of Public Enterprises. The event aimed to highlight potential areas where public sector companies could support heritage conservation and cultural initiatives through CSR contributions.
Further engagement with potential donors and corporate stakeholders was carried out during the CSR Annual Summit held in October 2025. During the summit, the National Culture Fund showcased opportunities for organisations and institutions to contribute to heritage conservation and cultural promotion projects.
In order to facilitate informed participation by corporates and other donors, the National Culture Fund has also placed detailed information about more than 250 identified conservation and cultural projects on its official website. These projects offer opportunities for private entities and philanthropic organisations to support the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage across the country.
The Ministry of Culture has also put in place a structured monitoring mechanism to ensure effective implementation of projects supported through the fund. A Project Implementing Committee mechanism has been established for periodic review of ongoing initiatives. The committee includes representatives of all stakeholders, including donors and implementing agencies, and regularly reviews progress to ensure timely execution of projects.
For projects undertaken in collaboration with the Archaeological Survey of India, meetings of the Project Implementing Committee are chaired by the Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India. For other projects supported through the National Culture Fund, reviews are conducted by officials of the National Culture Fund and the Ministry of Culture to ensure transparency and smooth implementation.
In addition to monitoring project progress, financial accountability has also been ensured through regular audits. The accounts of the National Culture Fund are audited annually by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
The Ministry clarified that while projects supported under the fund are implemented across different regions of the country, there are no specific initiatives designed exclusively for any particular state or constituency. Instead, the focus remains on supporting heritage conservation and cultural promotion projects wherever opportunities arise and where collaboration with donors and implementing agencies is possible.
Through its public private partnership model, the National Culture Fund continues to support conservation of heritage sites, preservation of cultural traditions and promotion of artistic heritage across the country. By enabling individuals, institutions and corporate entities to contribute directly to cultural initiatives, the fund has created an important platform for collective participation in safeguarding India’s rich and diverse cultural legacy.
