Heritage policy will be a game-changer, but success hinges on professional implementation
In a significant development for Goa, the state cabinet approved the State Heritage Policy 2025, which envisages the preservation of over 200 sites of historic and archaeological importance, besides some 100-odd public and private buildings and houses that have heritage value.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the policy provides financial and technical support to private heritage homes and encourages their adaptive reuse for tourism. It covers 14 core areas, recognises 46 folk art forms, and acknowledges 61 traditional occupations. It is a comprehensive policy formulated by a committee headed by expert Dr Pandurang Phaldesai. The draft policy was made public in December 2024. Global best practices were studied by the committee.
The policy covers every aspect of heritage, as it aims at protecting, conserving, and promoting Goa’s unique historical, natural, and cultural heritage besides intangible heritage. It seeks to protect eco-cultural landscapes such as sacred groves, khazan lands, and biodiversity-rich ecosystems. For a long time, conservationists and heritage activists have spoken about the need for a heritage policy. Hopefully, it will help sustain oral traditions, folk music, arts, festivals, and culinary heritage.
The policy also addresses legislative reforms, the integration of private heritage homes into broader heritage preservation, and tourism-related purposes. Goa has a vast array of heritage assets. Many times, we are unable to recognise their worth. In fact, over the decades, it seems we have ignored our varied heritage. The political setup hardly thought heritage had value. Probably, some knew, but hardly did anything. Several archaeological monuments are on the state list. It is lamentable that the government department concerned hardly had funds to maintain them, let alone take other steps towards their conservation. As far as promoting heritage houses for tourism purposes is concerned, the initiative was taken two decades ago, and a scheme was formulated under the tourism department.
Our leaders and officials have been going abroad on ‘study tours’ for over two-three decades, but it seems heritage conservation hardly struck them. Probably, it was tourists and other visitors who noticed Goa’s varied valuable heritage and decided to be part of it; many others wrote about it. It is heritage activists, some history teachers, and naturalists who tried to create awareness of the heritage goldmine we posses. One doesn’t have to go to Western countries to know how important one’s country’s heritage is for tourism purposes. A visit to some countries in Asia—such as Cambodia, Vietnam, Japan, Nepal, Indonesia, or even Sri Lanka—tells us that we missed the bus long ago. However, it’s not too late to work on it and put it on the map. Goa has much more and better heritage assets than some of these countries, and they need to be properly turned into attractions for boosting the local economy and conserving them.
The Pramod Sawant government needs to be complimented for taking the initiative and giving a push to heritage conservation and more. The Heritage Policy can be a game-changer for the tourism industry if implemented in a professional manner. It will also change Goa’s image. Undoubtedly, the next phase is important: drafting rules and regulations and implementing them. The government will have to bring in reforms to create heritage-specific zoning and eco-sensitive regulations. Fund requirements will be huge, but the investment will be worth it. The proposed Goa Heritage Council will have to play a pivotal role to ensure that the objectives of the policy are achieved.
