• There are 135 Centrally Protected Monuments/Sites in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
• Providing amenities and facilities at centrally protected monuments/sites and upgradation thereof is a continuous phenomenon.
• Three monuments of Andhra Pradesh namely (i) Monuments at Nagarjunakonda, District Guntur (ii) Budhhist Remains at Salihundam, District Srikakulam, and (iii) Veerabhadra Temple at Lepakshi in District Anantapuram have been identified as Adarsh Smarak for providing additional facilities like Wi-Fi, Cafeteria, Interpretation centre, Brail signages, Illumination, etc.
• Further, Fort at Gandikota has been included in the Adopt-a-Heritage scheme of Ministry of Tourism, which is PPP mode.
• Conservation, Preservation and environmental development in and around Centrally Protected Monuments/Sites is taken up according to annual conservation programme drawn on the basis of need and priority.

• The scheme was launched in 2014 for providing improved visitor amenities, especially for the physically challenged.
• The scheme comes under the Ministry of Culture.
• The civic amenities are being augmented at these sites.

Objectives

• To make monument visitor friendly.
• To upgrade/provide washrooms, drinking water, signages, cafeteria, and wi-fi facility.
• To provide interpretation and audio-video centers.
• To streamline wastewater and garbage disposal and a rainwater harvesting system.
• To make the monument accessible to differently-abled.
• To implement Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.