Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday, 18 June 2026, credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's governing philosophy of 'Vikas bhi, Virasat bhi' ('Development as well as Heritage') for steering India away from what she called a colonial mindset and towards its civilisational roots, marking 12 years of that policy direction.

Context

Gupta's post, written in Hindi, describes the past 12 years as an 'uninterrupted journey' that blends cultural pride, nationwide development, and public welfare. She cited the return of 668 ancient artefacts to India and the digitisation of more than 12 lakh antiquities as evidence of the government's commitment to safeguarding heritage. She also highlighted the preservation of UNESCO-recognised heritage sites and the conferment of classical-language status on 11 languages as markers of civilisational fidelity.

The post carries the hashtag #12YearsOfVikasBhiVirasatBhi, suggesting a coordinated social-media campaign timed to the anniversary of the BJP-led central government completing a dozen years in office.

Policy Backdrop

The cultural-heritage thrust Gupta references has a traceable policy lineage. The central government launched the PRASAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive) scheme in 2014-15 to fund infrastructure at major pilgrimage centres across the country. That framework provided a financial backbone for several of the projects she names.

The Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi was inaugurated in 2021, expanding access and facilities for pilgrims at one of Hinduism's most revered sites. The consecration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya followed in January 2024, after a Supreme Court verdict cleared the path for construction. Gupta's post also singles out the revival of Kedarnath, the development of Somnath temple, and the creation of Mahakal Lok in Ujjain — the last developed in phases after 2017 — as milestones that honour the faith of crores of devotees.

On the antiquities front, successive repatriation agreements with foreign governments between 2014 and 2023 have brought back artefacts that had left India through legal and illicit channels over decades. The digitisation drive runs in parallel, aiming to create an accessible public record of India's archaeological wealth.

Stakeholders and Impact

The temple corridor and pilgrimage-site redevelopment projects have generated tangible economic spillovers for local communities. Increased pilgrim footfall at sites such as Varanasi, Ayodhya, and Ujjain has expanded demand for hospitality, retail, and transport services, creating new livelihood opportunities for traders and small businesses in those towns.

The digitisation of antiquities and repatriation of artefacts serve a dual audience: scholars and researchers who gain improved access to India's material history, and a broader public whose sense of national identity is reinforced by the visible return of cultural property. UNESCO recognition of additional Indian sites, pursued through formal nomination processes, adds an international dimension to the domestic heritage agenda.

What's Next

With the 12-year milestone being marked through a visible social-media push, further state and central budget allocations for temple corridor projects are expected in the next annual cycle. New UNESCO nomination files for Indian sites are also being tracked by heritage observers. Gupta's alignment with the campaign signals that BJP-governed states intend to keep the cultural-heritage narrative prominent in public communication ahead of upcoming electoral cycles. India's positioning on the global cultural stage — through repatriated artefacts, restored pilgrimage infrastructure, and classical-language recognition — is set to remain a central plank of the ruling party's identity politics.