Petroleum ministry reviews IOF CSR projects

Indian Oil Foundation is a non-profit Trust formed back in the year 2000 with an initial corpus of Rs 25 crore and a recurring annual contribution of Rs 10 crore to protect, preserve and promote national heritage monuments in collaboration with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and National Culture Fund (NCF) of the Government of India. The following sites have been identified in the first phase for developing tourist friendly facilities in the monument complex:

• Konark Sun Temple, Odisha in Eastern Zone
• Vaishali, Bihar in Eastern Zone
• Kanheri Caves, Maharashtra in Western Zone
• Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh in Central Zone
• Warangal Fort, Andhra Pradesh in Southern Zone

The Minister of State (I/C) for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan chaired the 14th Trust meeting of the Indian Oil Foundation (IOF) held on 10th June 2015. The projects for developing tourist friendly facilities at the above sites are in various stages of planning/execution. All on-going projects at 5 sites being undertaken by IOF were reviewed. The minister stressed on timely and expeditious completion of the projects in close collaboration and co-operation with Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and National Cultural Fund (NCF). Two new sites ´ Rani Ki Vav in Gujarat and Swatantra Jyot in Andaman and Nicobar were adopted during the course of the meeting. It was decided that IOF will also adopt non-ASI sites. Identification of such sites should be completed in a time-bound manner.