Shimla: Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri today said that state government is taking significant steps to digitally preserve its rich historical and cultural heritage. The first phase of digitization of around 1.7 million pages of rare and valuable records preserved in the Himachal Pradesh State Archives has been successfully completed.
He said that the Himachal Pradesh State Archives houses more than 30,000 historical records dating from 1807 onwards, besides rare books, gazetteers, settlement reports, manuscripts and other important documents.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that, with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, work on the National Manuscript Survey is also underway under the Gyan Bharatam Mission.
Agnihotri said that a modern Digital Archives Portal will soon be developed in collaboration with the Information Technology Department to provide easy online access to the digitised records.
The portal will provide safe, simple and wider online access to Himachal Pradesh’s historical and cultural heritage. It will also support research, academic study, documentation and the dissemination of historical knowledge.