The famous 18th century Hawa Mahal in the Rajasthan capital will get a helping hand for its upkeep from the state's diaspora in the US.

The Rajasthan Association of North America (RANA) has expressed a desire to adopt the state's most photographed monument under the government's Adopt a Monument scheme, official sources here said.

RANA officials in the US met visiting Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and also expressed a desire to adopt more such monuments in the state. Raje, who is on a tour of the US and Britain, is trying to hard sell the desert state to potential investors both in information technology and in education.

However, state officials refused to divulge details of the proposal to adopt the Hawa Mahal.

The estimated cost of conservation of the monument is around Rs.50 million, sources in the state's department of art and culture said.

Under the Adopt a Monument scheme a monument will be entrusted to the caretaker for a minimum period of 10 years. The conservation work, however, would be carried out by a government agency.
 
By way of incentives the state government has offered to put up plaques advertising the name of the donor at the site and also give tax rebates on the donated amount.

The Department of Archaeology has identified 268 protected monuments for sponsorship.

The Amber and Nahargarh forts in Jaipur and the Gagron fort in Jhalawar, more than 330 km from here, have been offered for sponsorship under the scheme.