Parliament Question: Conservation and Protection of Monuments of National Importance

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTIONNO.4967 ANSWERED ON 23.03.2026 CONSERVATION AND PROTECTION OF MONUMENTS OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE 4967. SHRI ESWARASAMY K: Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state: (a) the details of the number of monuments declared as ‘Monuments of National Importance’ by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as on date, State/UT-wise; (b) whether the Government maintains data on the revenue generated through entry fees and other sources from these monuments, if so, the details of income generated during the last three years, State/UT-wise and if not, the reasons therefor; (c) the details of funds allocated, sanctioned and actually utilised on the conservation, preservation and environmental development of these monuments during the said period, year-wise; (d) whether the Government has the details of “untraceable” monuments and if so, the action taken thereon; and (e) the details of the number of cases of illegal encroachments reported within prohibited and regulated areas of such monuments along with the steps taken to remove them? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT) (a) There are 3686 protected monuments and protected areas (Archaeological sites) across the country, which are looked after by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). State/UT-wise numbers are given at Annexure-I. (b) The details of revenue generated through sale of entry tickets at ticketed monuments and from other sources during the last three years, State/UT-wise are at Annexure-II. (c) The details of funds allocated and expenditure incurred on the conservation, preservation and environmental development of 3686 protected monuments and protected areas during the last three years as under: (amount in crore) Year Allocation Expenditure 2022-23 392.71 391.93 2023-24 443.53 443.53 2024-25 313.43 313.04 2025-26 375.28 333.92 (up to 05.03.202 6) (d) At present, no protected monument or protected area (sites) is untraceable. (e) On notice of instances of unauthorised constructions in the prohibited and regulated areas around protected monuments action/steps are has taken as per the Act and related rules, which includes issuance of notices, police complaint, stoppage of construction, demolition of illegal structures through district administration and coordination with local authorities to prevent further violations. In total, 36083 cases of illegal constructions have been reported within prohibited and regulated areas.ANNEXURE-I ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4967 FOR 23.03.2026. STATE-WISE DETAILS OF PROTECTED MONUMENTS AND PROTECTED AREAS (SITES) UNDER THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA IN THE COUNTRY. Sl.No. Name of State / U.T. Number of Protected Monuments and Protected Areas 1. Andhra Pradesh 135 2. Arunachal Pradesh 03 3. Assam 55 4. Bihar 70 5. Chhattisgarh 46 6. Daman & Diu (U.T.) 11 7. Goa 21 8. Gujarat 205 9. Haryana 91 10. Himachal Pradesh 40 11. Jammu & Kashmir (U.T.) 56 12. Jharkhand 14 13. Karnataka 506 14. Kerala 30 15. Ladakh (U.T.) 15 16. Madhya Pradesh 291 17. Maharashtra 286 18. Manipur 01 19. Meghalaya 08 20. Mizoram 02 21. Nagaland 04 22. N.C.T. Delhi (U.T) 170 23. Odisha 82 24. Puducherry (U.T.) 07 25. Punjab 33 26. Rajasthan 161 27. Sikkim 03 28. Tamil Nadu 412 29. Telangana 08 30. Tripura 08 31. Uttarakhand 43 32. Uttar Pradesh 734 33. West Bengal 135 TOTAL 3686ANNEXURE-II ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4967 FOR 23.03.2026. DETAILS OF REVENUE EARNED FROM THE PROTECTED TICKETED MONUMENTS AND OTHER SOURCES UNDER ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA DURING THE LAST THREE YEAR AND CURRENT YEAR (Amount Rs. in rupees) SI. States 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 .2025-26 No (up to January,26) Revenue Revenu Revenue Revenue Revenue Revenue Revenue Revenue generate e generate generate generated generate generate generated d from generat d from d from from d from d from from tickets e from tickets other tickets other tickets other other sources sources sources sources Andhra 855963 294771 8499205 102242 8724450 208836 7774455 1413812 1 Pradesh 5 2 3 5 Assam 163578 -- 1173840 26281 12364135 269 1022155 2898 2 95 6 5 Bihar 388616 261790 4934217 538650 52026465 494240 4680544 213800 3 35 0 8 0 0 Chattisgarh 149783 12156 1928535 16334 1952490 12242 1661315 7548 4 5 5 Delhi 328610 5445105 352016 57699053 664968 4438817 59241300 394788 91 90 85 2 12 13 502 Gujarat 400231 755432 4364216 121809 40228445 199900 3035545 1135534 6 00 0 6 5 0 Himachal 455950 75000 5509465 500000 4254315 75000 3208535 325000 7 Pradesh 5 Jammu & 140894 100000 1616103 350000 1456970 -- 813445 50000 8 Kashmir 0 1264182 846365 1551796 675362 14307790 635389 1293109 11981828 9 Karnataka 85 0 13 7 0 8 30 Kerala 229118 241826 2297230 617080 22402400 273081 2270440 2523569 10 50 4 0 2 0 Ladakh 160593 50000 3938960 -- 3611940 -- 4152210 -- 11 0 Maharashtra 2474088 103750 2730485 122125 27246882 138714 2374469 13919918 12 90 68 17 58 0 09 35 13 Madhya 657109 279874 8064873 264062 87980630 103747 6650192 2672775 Pradesh 75 0 6 6 5 5 14 Odisha 1102050 155930 1550576 678548 17889593 705949 1434742 150998 95 42 0 85 15 Punjab 166087 52805 1703075 678425 1844895 360555 1639015 387500 (Haryana) 0 16 909979 448019 1118408 587990 12134136 678379 1331706 6501188 Rajasthan 45 6 22 5 0 2 05 17 902749 660071 8909669 100203 77029380 980910 7192452 6745845 Tamil Nadu 65 0 7 68 2 5 18 677951 104306 7757835 110785 10810698 109065 7180493 558962 Telangana 50 4 2 5 0 0 019 Union 277265 -- 3188837 -- 37464425 -- 3028172 -- Territory 75 5 5 (U.T) 20 Uttar 11169508 113260 1462022 625975 14842685 700566 1084168 50756762 Pradesh 05 15 752 1 99 3 720 21 West 429220 942755 4745760 903604 45522280 478369 3708309 451472 Bengal 85 2 5 22 Goa -- 962455 -- 118417 -- 193087 -- 207226 23 Tripura -- -- -- 80200 46784 -- -- 24 Mizoram -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 113108 (Aizawl) *****