Jharkhand, a state which is expanding its administrative powers through empowering Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) can now escalate its archaeological conservation with the help of gram panchayats. For the sake of Cultural sustainability, Mukhiya at every PRI has the authority to allow survey in their shell for heritage preservation.
Stressing on the Resolution on empowerment of Panchayati Raj announced in 2002 during the tenure of Atal Bihari Vajpayee the then Prime Minister, former Deputy Director of State Archaeology department Ajit Kumar Prasad at the inaugural function of two day symposium on Cultural and Heritage Conservation and its Sustainable Development said, “Every government department is supposed to contribute its 40 per cent to the gram panchayat wherein the Mukhiya has the administrative power to conduct heritage value conservation.”
“The purpose of organizing this programme is to send recommendations to the state government on how it can work more effectively in conservation of archaeological monuments and sites,” Amitabh Kumar, Deputy Director of State Archaeology department said.
As per the 2013 Financial Year Planning, the state government is preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of 26 heritage areas with the help of a New Delhi based agency named Intact. This DPR prominently includes Audrey House, Itkhori and Palamu.
Statues of the temples from eighth to twelfth century, monuments of 13 to 17 century, forts of the mughal period and temples of colonial period are included in the ongoing search for archaeological existence in the state.
Adding interesting input to the archaeological scenario of the state, Ajit Kumar said, “The survey conducted yet reveals after 12th century temples in this region were made of bricks but before that stone made temples existed.”
The scholars discussed on the potentiality of the state such as tourism and technical aspects of conservation of heritage assets. Ranchi University (RU) Vice Chancellor Dr. lN Bhagat, the Chief Guest here spoke on inculcating archaeology conservation topic in small size books in school’s curriculum.
Students of RU Archaeology and Museulogy department were the audience of this session.