New Delhi: The Centre said it has covered 6.23 lakh villages across India under the Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar portal, which operates under the National Mission on Cultural Mapping.
In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said the portal maps rural villages to document India’s cultural heritage. He said the platform organises data village-wise. It does not classify information by State or Union Territory cultural categories.
The minister said the programme documents both tangible and intangible cultural elements. These include oral traditions, beliefs, customs, and historical significance. It also records art forms, local languages, heritage sites, food traditions, fairs, festivals, dress, ornaments, artists, and landmarks.
He said the government has not prepared any specific proposal for a second phase of cultural mapping. However, documentation work continues under the existing framework.
Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar strengthens rural cultural identity
Shekhawat said the government allocated ₹89.99 crore to the programme for the 2021–26 period. It has released ₹54.4351 crore so far. Of this amount, the programme has utilised about ₹53.4351 crore.
The minister clarified that the Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar programme does not provide direct financial benefits to local artisans or institutions. However, he said the initiative strengthens rural identity through authentic village-level cultural profiles.
According to the reply, the single national portal supports planning for rural tourism and school education. It also helps promote sustainable livelihoods and rural economic development by recognising local traditions and heritage assets.
