Days after the Modi-led central government withdrew Delhi’s nomination for a UNESCO World Heritage City tag, a high-level meeting was held at the Secretariat here on Wednesday.
It was attended by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Minister of Culture Jitender Singh Tomar, Chief Secretary K K Sharma, and other Central and State officers, officials said.
At the meeting, Mr. Kejriwal reportedly asked for the reason behind the nomination being withdrawn. Officials from the Union Ministry of Culture and Archaeological Survey of India informed him that Delhi and Mumbai were competing for the nomination and that they had advocated the nomination.
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According to officials, the Chief Minister has now directed the Chief Secretary to talk to officials concerned in the Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Culture to identify the reason behind the withdrawal, what the chances were now and how it could be taken forward. Mr. Kejriwal further directed officials that both the Deputy Chief Minister and he would be happy to meet the Minister for External Affairs or Minister for Culture, if needed, with regard to the issue. The World Heritage status is defined as the “designation for places on earth that are of outstanding universal value to humanity and as such, have been inscribed on the World Heritage List to be protected for future generations to appreciate and enjoy”.
The nomination for the UNESCO tag for Delhi was withdrawn by the state party (permanent delegation of India to UNESCO) on May 21. Officials said the Central government had withdrawn the decision without assigning any reason.
Union Ministry of Culture and Archaeological Survey officials informed the CM that Delhi and Mumbai were competing for the nomination and they had advocated the nomination