New Delhi, March 9 There is "no framework or parameter" to designate any city as a 'heritage city' in India, the government informed the Parliament on Monday.
Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said this in a written response to a query in Lok Sabha.
Jhunjhunu MP Brijendra Singh Ola asked him whether the government has designated any "town/city in Jhunjhunu parliamentary constituency of Rajasthan as a heritage city".
Jhunjhunu district in Rajasthan, located in the Shekhawati region, is known for its old havelis, which feature murals and frescoes and attract a large number of tourists.
The Union culture minister further said that the Archaeological Survey of India is mandated to protect and maintain monuments and archaeological sites of national importance, as per the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMSAR) Act, 1958.
"The Government of India has not designated any town/city in the Jhunjhunu Parliamentary Constituency as a heritage city," he said.
Shekhawat was also asked whether the government, UNESCO, or any other international organization has laid down any criteria or parameters for designating a city as a heritage city.
"No, sir. There are no criteria/parameters for designating a city as a heritage city, either by the government or by UNESCO," he said.
Shekhawat added, "There is no framework/parameters to designate any city as a Heritage City in India."
However, the historic city of Ahmedabad (in 2017) and the Walled City of Jaipur in Rajasthan (in 2019) have been inscribed on the List of World Heritage Sites, under the UNESCO's World Heritage Convention, 1972.