In order to lure tourists to the country, tourism minister K. Chiranjeevi launched “Clean India Campaign” on Wednesday at Taj Mahal. The campaign aims to improve cleanliness and hygiene at tourist destinations.
The tourism minister said, “Clean India Campaign has been initiated by the ministry of tourism with the objective to increase tourist arrivals to the country and to improve quality of services and provide a hygienic environment in and around tourist destinations across the country.”
As a part of its corporate social responsibility, ONGC has taken up the responsibility of maintaining the environs of Taj Mahal complex. This will include services such as providing drinking water facilities, cleaning, providing uniform signage’s in and around the premises, placing of garbage bins, various repair/replacement work, management and garbage clearance, landscaping, tourist help desks and deployment of volunteers for better management.
Besides the Taj Mahal, the ONGC has pledged to adopt five other monuments — the Ellora and Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, Red Fort in Delhi, Golkonda Fort in Hyderabad, and Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu.
ONGC will directly fund the works covered under the Clean India Campaign.
“Tourism is the most understated and under utilised industry in the country...We at ONGC spend about Rs. 400-500 crore on CSR activities, which is about 2per cent of our profit,” ONGC CMD Sudhir Vasudeva said.