2014 saw World Heritage tag for 2 sites, Samson resigning

Two popular sites getting the World Heritage tag, Leela Samson quitting as Sangeet Natak Akademi chief and several festivals and events kept the Ministry of Culture in news in 2014.
'Rani-ki-Vav', an 11th century stepwell in Gujarat, and The Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area, a rich biodiversity in Himachal Pradesh, were approved as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO under the cultural and natural categories respectively in July.
Gujarat's stepwell is the 31st cultural site in India to be declared World Heritage Sites and Great Himalayan National Park forms the seventh natural property in the country.
In an effort to popularise monuments among students, the culture ministry is tying up with the HRD ministry to help youths explore the country's heritage sites.

Besides, a special drive is also planned in this connection, in which children and youth would explore the treasure hunt of the country.
The government is also contemplating an idea to provide free entry for students, as part of its efforts to carry over the richness of Indian monuments among the next generation.

"No country in the world has the number of monuments India has... We are planning to bring some monuments into the education curriculum and provide free ticketing for students. We are working on it," Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma told PTI.
The ministry is also focusing on the aspects of cleanliness at the monument sites and safety of tourists thronging these sites.

The year also witnessed the exit of Samson as the chairperson of Sangeet Natak Akademi as she tendered her resignation from the post in September.
An eminent Bharatnatyam dancer, Samson was appointed during the UPA regime in August 2010 for a period of five years.
On the flip side, expressing its concern over losing hundreds of monuments to encroachers in the national capital, a parliamentary panel has raised apprehensions that areas adjoining Qutub Minar may also face the same fate.