Overview
- The Cabinet approved a State-Level Committee chaired by Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar to remove and prevent encroachments at forts and state-protected monuments.
- The move expands a January 20, 2025 resolution that was limited to forts to now cover all state-protected monuments referenced in the state’s heritage inventory.
- The committee includes ministers for Revenue, Rural Development, Tourism, PWD, Forests and Ports Development, senior secretaries from key departments, and four special invitees.
- District-level committees will be set up in every district, with District Collectors leading operations in coordination with land-owning departments and supported by local expert members.
- Funding will flow directly from the Planning Department to District Collectors, with additional spending allowed from District Planning and Development Funds to support conservation, tourism and local development goals.