Context: Having made little progress since its launch in 2017, the National Mission on Cultural Mapping has now been handed over to the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).

Current Status

• The Culture Ministry approved the mission in 2017.
• Culture Ministry was working on the cultural mapping mission to build a comprehensive database of artists, art forms and other resources from organisations under the Ministry.
• So far 14.53 lakh artists/artisans have been registered on NMCM portal through secondary sources State/Union Territory-wise.
• However, no direct benefit or assistance has been extended through this Mission to the registered artists/institution. 
• Therefore, it has now been handed over to the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA)

About National Mission on Cultural Mapping

• It is a mission mode project of the Ministry of Culture. It was incepted in 2015.
• It is aimed to address the necessity of preserving the threads of rich Indian Art and Cultural Heritage, convert vast and widespread cultural canvas of India into an objective Cultural Mapping while creating a strong “Cultural Vibrancy” throughout the nation.
• It will identify, collect and record cultural assets and resources. It correlates this to planning and strategizing.
• A portal and a database listing organisations, spaces, facilities, festivals and events will be created.
• This database can be used to preserve culture and provide or ameliorate livelihoods.

Objectives of the Mission
Under this Mission, at broad-level, there are three important objectives as follows:

• National Cultural Awareness Abhiyan: Hamari Sanskriti Hamari Pahchan Abhiyan (Our Culture Our Identity)
• Nationwide Artist Talent Hunt/Scouting Programme: Sanskritik Pratibha Khoj Abhiyan
• National Cultural Workplace: Centralised Transactional Web Portal with database and demography of cultural assets and resources including all art forms and artists.

Significance of the mission

• Revival and safeguarding of oral traditions
• Fostering Cultural Awareness
• Cultural Preservation
• Sustainable Employment to creative industries

Optimal Resource Allocation and Utilization

• Creation of objective Database for inclusive growth of cultural heritage