Lok Sabha Question No. 324 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-02
Subject: Conservation and Promotion of Local Culture in Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Shri Mani A

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.324 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.02.2026

## CONSERVATION AND PROMOTION OF LOCAL CULTURE IN DHARMAPURI, TAMIL NADU

## 324. SHRI MANI  A:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has identified and documented heritage sites, folk art traditions and tribal cultural practices in Dharmapuri district under any Central cultural preservation schemes;
- (b) the details of the number of projects sanctioned and the funds released for conservation, documentation and promotion of local culture during the last three years and the current year;
- (c) whether  cultural  infrastructure  such  as  museums,  cultural  centres  or  craft  clusters  are being proposed for the district; and
- (d) the details of the steps taken/being taken to link cultural preservation with tourism and sustainable income generation for local communities?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF CULTURE AND  TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

- (a) There is 01 centrally protected monument namely Chennaraya Perumal Temple under the
- & jurisdiction  of  Archaeological  Survey  of  India  (ASI)  in  Dharampuri  District  of  Tamil
- (b) Nadu  State.  ASI  takes  up  conservation  and  preservation  works  as  per  the  need  and availability  of  resources  subject  to  the  National  Policy  for  Conservation  and  it  is  a continuous  process. The  details of funds allocated and expenditure incurred for conservation, preservation and maintenance of Chennaraya Perumal Temple in Dharampuri district during last three years and current year are given as under:-

## (Amount in Rupees)

|   S. No. | Year                        | Allocation   | Expenditure incurred   |
|----------|-----------------------------|--------------|------------------------|
|        1 | 2022-23                     | 1,94,996     | 1,94,996               |
|        2 | 2023-24                     | 1,60,502     | 1,60,502               |
|        3 | 2024-25                     | 7,14,560     | 7,14,560               |
|        4 | 2025-26 Up to December 2025 | 35,67,778    | 35,67,778              |

To protect,  promote  and  preserve  various  forms  of  fork  art  and  culture  including  local culture  throughout  the  country,  the  Government  of  India  has  set  up  7  Zonal  Cultural Centres (ZCCs). South Zone Cultural Centres; Thanjavur is catering to the cultural needs of Tamil Nadu including Dharmapuri district.  ZCCs organise various cultural activities and  programmes  on  a  regular  basis  all  over  India  for  which  annual  grant-in-aid  is provided to them.  The grant-in-aid released to all the 7 ZCCs during the last 3 years is as under:-

## (Amount in Lakhs)

|   S. No. | Year    |   Amount released |
|----------|---------|-------------------|
|        1 | 2022-23 |           6572.06 |
|        2 | 2023-24 |          11967.6  |
|        3 | 2024-25 |          11121.7  |

Details  of  projects  undertaken  by  Ministry  of  Tourism  under  different  schemes  for conservation and promotion of local culture are given in Annexure-I.

- (c) At present, there is no such proposal under consideration.
- (d) All the ZCCs organize workshops, exhibitions and exchanges. These not only preserve local  art  forms  but  bring  tourists  into  rural  and  regional  areas,  helping  artists  and communities to earn directly from cultural exchanges.

Also,  the  Ministry  of  Tourism  has  been  undertaking  a  range  of  initiatives  to  link cultural preservation with tourism and sustainable income generation for local communities  through  the  Swadesh  Darshan  Scheme,  Swadesh  Darshan  Scheme  2.0, Challenge Based Destination Development (CBDD) sub-scheme and the 'Development of Home-stays in Tribal Areas' sub-scheme under Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan (PM-JUGA). Further, under the 'Development of Home-stays in Tribal Areas' sub-scheme, 100%  Central financial assistance is provided for construction and renovation of rooms and for village community requirements, enabling local households to offer home stay facilities to tourists and earn supplementary income while promoting local culture, traditions and heritage.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) & (b) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 324 FOR 02.02.2026

Under  Swadesh  Darshan  (SD),  projects  sanctioned  under  Heritage,  Tribal  and  Rural Circuits  focus  on  conservation  of  heritage  assets,  development  of  cultural  infrastructure, interpretation  centers,  craft  bazaars  and  visitor  amenities,  thereby  enabling  local  artisans, performers  and  community  groups  to  derive  livelihood  from  tourism.  Following  projects  are sanctioned and completed with respect to heritage circuits:

1. Heritage Circuits - Tezpur - Majuli - Sibsagar (Assam)
2. Ahmedabad - Rajkot - Porbandar - Bardoli - Dandi (Gujarat)
3. Vadnagar - Modhera (Gujarat)
4. Gwalior - Orchha - Khajuraho - Chanderi - Bhimbetka - Mandu (Madhya Pradesh)
5. Franco-Tamil Village, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam (Puducherry)
6. Anandpur  Sahib  -  Fatehgarh  Sahib  -  Chamkaur  Sahib  -  Ferozpur  -  Khatkar  Kalan  Patiala (Punjab)

Under  Swadesh  Darshan  2.0  and  Challenge  Based  Destination  Development  (CBDD), experience-based projects such as cultural haats, heritage and cultural centers, heritage villages, immersive  heritage  experiences  and  tribal  cultural  experience  zones  are  being  developed  to showcase  living  traditions,  local  crafts,  music,  dance  and  cuisine  while  creating  employment opportunities for local communities.

Following projects are sanctioned under SD 2.0 which promotes heritage and culture:

1. Mechuka Cultural Haat, Arunachal Pradesh
2. Heritage and Cultural Centre, Champhai, Mizoram
3. Tribal Cultural Experience at Midway Retreat, Chumoukedima, Nagaland
4. Gangtok Cultural Village, Sikkim
5. Tripura Heritage Village & Sangeet Experience, Agartala, Tripura
6. Immersive Experience at Shore Temple, Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu

Further under CBDD scheme, following projects are sanctioned pertaining to culture and heritage:

1. Enriching  Buddhist  Heritage  and  Cultural  Experiences  at  Nagarjuna  Sagar,  Andhra Pradesh
2. Transformation of Sharmishtha Lake: Light & Culture, Vadnagar, Gujarat
3. Development of Kaza, Himachal Pradesh
4. Development of Bidar as a Heritage Tourism Destination, Karnataka
5. Mandu - A Medieval Wonder, Madhya Pradesh
6. ⁠Development of Ancient Capital of Manipur, Langthabal Konug, Manipur
7. ⁠Mawphlang Cultural & Heritage Centre, Meghalaya
8. ⁠White Town Development, Puducherry
9. ⁠Cultural Landscape at Mahoba, Uttar Pradesh

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