Panaji, May 8 (TOI): The state government on Monday decided to support the Union ministry of tourism’s contentious ‘Adopt a Heritage’ scheme since the scheme would rope in private funds to help maintain and promote Goa’s heritage sites. The decision was taken at a meeting of all stakeholders chaired by archives and archaeology minister Vijay Sardesai.
Sardesai put a rider saying that as long as the ‘Adopt a Heritage’ scheme did not seek ownership or commercial interests in the selected heritage sites, the state would not have any objections to it.

“It was unanimously felt that we should not say no to the scheme,” Sardesai said. “We have discussed all the pros and cons of the scheme. It has been clearly understood that this scheme is not about taking over the monument, but about preserving them in lines with international standards.”

The Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, the Archeological Survey of India, director of archives and Goa Tourism Development Corporation unanimously supported the decision.

The Center has picked 11 churches to be taken up under the ‘Adopt a Heritage’ or ‘Heritage Mitra’ scheme.

Along with the churches, the Aguada light house and fort and two other forts find mention on the list.

To ensure that ownership of the 11 churches remains with the religious institutions, Sardesai has recommended that before the memorandum of understanding is signed between with the private agency, the Church authorities issue a no objection certificate (NOC) clearly spelling out the conditions.

“The NOC will have to be discussed, because we want several conditions included in the NOC which will make further problems impossible. The interest of the state, religious monuments and the institution that runs the monument and the party involved in the upkeep should be protected,” Sardesai said.

He also clarified that access to the core areas of the monuments would not be given to the private agencies. “The question of endangering the monument does not arise. This ‘Adopt a Heritage’ scheme is in the interest of Goa if implemented properly,” he said.

Fr Loiola Pereira was present at the meeting on behalf of Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao. Rector of the Basilica of Bom Jesu, Fr Patricio Fernandes, and parish priest of the Se Cathedral, Fr Alfred Vaz, also agreed with the state government’s decision.

“It was unanimously decided that this scheme should be accepted as it is beneficial to the monuments,” Pereira said. “The monument will not be touched. The core monument will be in the custody of the ASI and owned by the church.”

Pereira did say that Archdiocese of Goa and Daman was unaware of the plan to take up the 11 churches under the ‘Adopt a Heritage’ scheme.