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MGMD Scheme Not Linked With ODOP, Govt Tells Lok Sabha

RR Team

This handout photograph taken and released on June 10, 2024 by the Indian Press Information Bureau (PIB) shows India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi (C) holding the first cabinet meeting, in New Delhi. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled on June 10 his coalition government after a surprise election setback lost his Hindu-nationalist party an overall majority. The 71 members of his government took the oath of office after Modi on June 9, with 11 posts going to coalition allies who extracted them in exchange for their support -- including five in the top 30 cabinet posts. (Photo by PIB / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / Indian Press Information Bureau (PIB) " - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

The Union Government on Monday clarified in Parliament that the Ministry of Culture’s Mapping of Cultural Heritage of Villages (MGMD) initiative has no provision for integration with the One District One Product (ODOP) scheme and remains confined to digital documentation of village-level cultural assets.
The clarification was provided by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, addressing concerns related to convergence of cultural mapping with commerce-driven
initiatives.

MGMD’s Scope Limited to Cultural Documentation

According to the government, MGMD functions as a digital repository designed to document
tangible and intangible cultural heritage at the village level, including traditions, art forms, crafts, festivals, and historical narratives.

The initiative operates under the National Mission on Cultural Mapping (NMCM)
and does not engage in commercial activities or livelihood promotion, thereby ruling out any
overlap with ODOP, which falls under the Ministry of Commerce.

“There is no provision under MGMD for integration with the ODOP scheme,” the Minister stated, adding that the programme does not duplicate efforts of trade or export-focused initiatives.

No Infrastructure Funding or Rural Tourism Component

The Centre also clarified that MGMD does not provide for sanctioning or allocation of
infrastructure funds for rural tourism through cultural registries.

Its mandate remains limited to documentation and digital archiving, without extending to
tourism development, product branding, or market linkage activities.

Village Mapping Progress Across States

As per data shared in the Lok Sabha, thousands of villages have already been mapped under
MGMD across the country. In Bihar, 39,563 villages have been uploaded, with Samastipur
accounting for 1,125 villages and Khagaria 262 villages.

Madhya Pradesh has recorded 56,429 mapped villages, including 2,125 in Sagar district, while
Gujarat has mapped 19,271 villages, with Surat contributing 751 villages. Uttar Pradesh leads nationally with over 1.03 lakh villages documented, followed by Odisha,
Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and West Bengal.

Crowdsourcing and Community Participation

The MGMD portal allows periodic updating of information through a crowdsourcing-based ‘Contribute’ feature, enabling local communities, scholars, and individuals to submit cultural data.

All submissions undergo validation and moderation before being incorporated into the
database, ensuring accuracy and authenticity of cultural records.

Clear Separation From Commerce-Led Schemes

The government stressed that MGMD’s non-commercial nature ensures it does not conflict with or duplicate initiatives of the Ministry of Commerce, including ODOP.

The response underscores the Centre’s approach of maintaining a clear institutional boundary between cultural preservation and economic promotion schemes.

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