The Punjab government on Friday asked the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) to formulate a heritage conservation policy for the state. A delegation from UNESCO led by co-chairpersons Richard Engelhardt and Sudha Pillai called on chief minister Parkash Singh Badal to discuss the project that is likely to be finalised by May 31 next year.Recently, the Punjab government has imposed 1% cess on upcoming infrastructure projects for raising funds for preservation of cultural and heritage monuments. Badal said the initiatives for the promotion of art and culture would act as a link between Punjab’s glorious past and the future generations.
Meanwhile, principal secretary (cultural affairs) SS Channy apprised the CM that a pact had been signed between the state government and Unesco in 2010, and the department had already constituted a panel of experts and eminent art personalities to approve and clear documents from time to time.
Director, Cultural Resource Conservation Initiative (CRCI), Gurmeet Rai hoped the policy would safeguard heritage, while Unesco co-chairperson Pillai told the CM that the state should seek funds from the Finance Commission to implement the heritage policy.