Training youngsters as tourist guides will create employment, says Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday pitched for people's participation in preserving India's archaeological legacy and questioned the rules which prohibit them from clicking photographs at certain monuments.

He said training young people as tourist guides will help generate employment and also enhance the interest of people in archaeological sites, thereby boosting tourism. Addressing a gathering at the inauguration of a new building at the Archaeological Survey of India's headquarters in New Delhi, Modi said people's participation is a must to preserve and protect the archaeological legacy of the country.

"The legacy can't be protected if people are not proud of it... The corporate sector can also be roped in where people can contribute some hours as volunteers," he said.

Modi suggested that in 100 cities which have historical sites, school syllabus can include information on local archaeological places so that students grow up learning about them.

He also wondered why the ASI was prohibiting people from clicking photographs at certain monuments. He said when technology allows satellites to take pictures from far away, restricting people from clicking photographs is not correct.