Parliament Question: Cultural mapping in Jharkhand

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 674 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.02.2026 CULTURAL MAPPING IN JHARKHAND 674 # SHRI DEEPAK PRAKASH: Will the Minister of Culture be pleased to state:- (a) the number of villages covered so far under the "Mera Gaon, Meri Dharohar" programme; (b) the types of cultural and heritage elements being documented under this programme in Jharkhand; and (c) the manner in which this programme is helping to strengthen rural identity and contributing to local economic development, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT) (a) Under Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar (MGMD) Programme, 6.23 lakh villages have been covered so far. This data is available on MGMD Portal (https://mgmd.gov.in/.). (b) As part of documentation activities, MGMD, covers a wide range of cultural elements, both tangible and intangible, including oral traditions, beliefs, customs, historical significance, art forms, local languages, heritage sites, traditional food, prominent artists, fairs and festivals, traditional dress, ornaments and local landmarks of villages across India including Jharkhand. (c) The MGMD Programme leads to strengthening of rural identity by creating authentic, village-level cultural profiles that recognise local traditions, practices and heritage assets. The availability of structured cultural data on a single national portal supports planning for cultural promotion and documentation. However, the MGMD Programme has been envisaged as a digital documentation initiative, and no specific provisions relating to direct economic benefits or livelihood support have been incorporated under the programme so far. *******