The Union Cabinet is likely to give its go-ahead to the setting up of a national commission to manage and administer the hundreds of heritage monuments in the country.A long-pending proposal to establish a National Commission for Heritage Sites (NCHS) is likely to be placed for the consideration of the cabinet on Thursday, sources said. The main objective of the Commission is to formulate policy and make recommendations to both the Central as well as the state governments for protecting and maintaining the heritage sites.Proposed to be set up with an annual budget of about Rs 15 crore and more than 100 staff, the NCHS would strive to bring professionalism into the management of heritage sites by bringing in expert domain knowledge. It will also act as the coordinating body between the Centre and the state Governments as also between the various ministries and departments involved with the maintenance of heritage sites.The cabinet is also likely to clear a number of social welfare schemes including a proposal to provide insurance cover to women engaged in Self Help Groups (SHGs). Pension for employees of Navodaya Vidyalayas, bringing more rural labourers under the Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana and increase in the government support for household sanitation in rural areas are also likely to be cleared.
