**Executive Summary**
This document addresses questions regarding the conservation of protected monuments and heritage sites in India by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). It provides a state-wise overview of the ASI's work, the funds allocated and utilized for conservation, and the status of UNESCO nomination proposals. The information covers the last five years and the current financial year (up to January 27, 2026).
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **ASI's Role:**
* The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) undertakes conservation, preservation, protection, restoration, and maintenance of protected monuments and heritage sites across India.
* There are 3686 centrally protected monuments under ASI, including 286 monuments in Maharashtra.
* ASI conducts regular inspections to assess the condition of protected monuments and conservation work.
* **Funding and Conservation:**
* Conservation and preservation are continuous processes for all protected monuments.
* Adequate funds are allotted as per monument requirements and approved Annual Conservation Programmes (ACP).
* The document includes a statement with details of state-wise allocation and expenditure for the last five years and the current year (up to January 27, 2026), in Annexure I.
* No approved work is incomplete or pending due to a shortage of funds or administrative delays.
* **UNESCO Nominations:**
* There are no pending UNESCO nomination proposals with ASI.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)**
* **Impact:** The ASI is responsible for continuing its conservation, preservation, protection, restoration, and maintenance efforts for protected monuments and heritage sites across the country. The provided data reflects the work of the ASI and its funding requirements.
* **Action Required:** Continue regular inspections and conservation efforts, and ensure funding is allocated and utilized as per approved Annual Conservation Programmes (ACP).
**Stakeholder: Ministry of Culture**
* **Impact:** The Ministry of Culture oversees the work of the ASI. The document is in response to questions posed to the Minister of Culture.
* **Action Required:** Review provided data and continue to support the ASI through appropriate funding and oversight.
**Stakeholder: State Governments (Maharashtra, West Bengal, etc.)**
* **Impact:** The State Governments are stakeholders as the monuments are within their jurisdiction, the states' heritage preservation efforts depend on ASI.
* **Action Required:** Support ASI conservation efforts in their states and cooperate with ASI on projects.
**Stakeholder: Public**
* **Impact:** General public is impacted as these protected sites are maintained for historical/cultural purposes.
* **Action Required:** None stated.
Key Entities Referenced
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI): The primary agency responsible for the conservation, preservation, protection, restoration, and maintenance of protected monuments and heritage sites across the country.
Ministry of Culture: The government ministry responsible for the ASI and overseeing the conservation of protected monuments and heritage sites.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the questions regarding conservation were raised.
Maharashtra: One of the states specifically mentioned concerning the monuments and heritage sites.
West Bengal: One of the states specifically mentioned concerning the monuments and heritage sites.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CULTURE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †1396
TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.02.2026
CONSERVATION OF PROTECTED MONUMENTS AND HERITAGE SITES
†1396. DR. SHIVAJI BANDAPPA KALGE:
MS SAYANI GHOSH:
SHRI AZAD KIRTI JHA:
SMT. GENIBEN NAGAJI THAKOR:
Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) does the work of
conservation, preservation, protection, restoration and maintenance of
protected monuments, heritage sites across the country, State/UT-wise
including Maharashtra, irrespective of the dynasty they belong to;
(b) if so the details and numbers thereof monuments/site-wise along with
present conservation status and the funds sanctioned, allocated, released and
utilized thereon project-wise in the country, State/UT-wise especially in
Maharashtra and West Bengal during the last five years and the current year;
(c) whether the condition of some of these monuments has deteriorated;
(d) the details of the steps taken by the Government for the conservation and
strengthening heritage preservation in West Bengal;
(e) whether any approved works remain incomplete or pending due to shortage
of funds, administrative delays or other reasons from the Government, if so,
the details thereof;
(f) whether the Government has conducted any inspection, audit or assessment
of ASI conservation works in West Bengal; and
(g) whether any UNESCO nomination proposals are currently pending?ANSWER
MINISTER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM
(SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)
(a) There are total of 3686 centrally protected monuments under the care and
maintenance of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) including 286
monuments in the State of Maharashtra. ASI takes up conservation work of
these protected monuments/sites including provision of amenities as per the
need and availability of resources.
(b) Conservation and preservation of the protected monument is a continuous
to process and all protected monuments are in good state of preservation
(d) including in the State of Maharashtra and West Bengal. Adequate Funds are
allotted as per the requirements of the monuments and approved Annual
Conservation Programme (ACP) for the upkeep of the monuments. The
state-wise details of funds allocated and expenditure incurred during the last
five years and the current year is given at Annexure I.
(e) No approved work is incomplete or pending due to shortage of funds or
administrative delays
(f) All protected monuments are regularly inspected by the ASI official/officers
from time to time to assess the present condition and conservations works.
(g) No such proposal is pending with ASI.Annexure-I
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b) to (d) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †1396 FOR 09.02.2026
DETAILS OF ALLOCATION & EXPENDITURE INCURRED FOR CONSERVATION, PRESERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL
DEVELOPMENT OF PROTECTED MONUMENTS DURING THE LAST FIVE YEARS AND CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR.
(Amount Rs. in Crore)
Sl. Name of Circle / Branch 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26
No. State/UT (Number of (up to 27.01.2026)
Monuments)
Allocation Expenditure Allocation Expenditure Allocation Expenditure Allocation Expenditure Allocation Expenditure Allocation Expenditure
1. Uttar Pradesh Agra 13.00 12.96 19.35 19.35 21.27 21.15 23.52 23.52 15.90 15.90 17.00 13.36
Jhansi 1.00 1.00 4.15 4.15 7.00 7.00 5.82 5.82 6.10 6.10 9.50 7.65
Lucknow 3.88 3.88 10.44 10.44 19.03 19.03 16.93 16.93 8.91 8.91 7.95 7.41
Sarnath 4.38 4.38 5.50 5.50 10.15 10.15 11.32 11.32 7.62 7.62 9.75 6.89
Meerut 0.00 0.00 2.80 2.80 6.20 6.20 7.95 7.95 6.70 6.64 6.50 4.61
2. Maharashtra Aurangabad 3.16 3.16 8.00 7.99 18.70 18.70 26.80 26.80 8.60 8.60 11.00 9.18
Mumbai 11.00 11.00 12.00 12.00 15.35 15.35 15.56 15.56 18.19 18.19 17.50 13.12
Nagpur 4.00 4.00 4.50 4.50 5.00 4.99 10.18 10.18 10.60 10.60 15.00 12.21
3. Karnataka Bangalore 5.27 5.27 9.75 9.75 19.85 19.85 17.34 17.34 8.55 8.55 12.00 8.96
Hampi 9.10 9.10 8.00 8.00 10.00 10.00 12.25 12.25 6.52 6.52 8.75 7.14
Dharwad 6.40 6.40 7.32 7.32 10.08 10.08 9.57 9.57 7.46 7.46 6.25 5.18
4. Madhya Pradesh Bhopal 11.50 11.50 11.50 11.50 14.90 14.90 17.22 17.22 12.30 12.30 13.50 11.55
Jabalpur 3.50 3.50 4.75 4.75 8.00 8.00 9.27 9.27 7.00 6.99 6.00 4.80
5. Odisha Bhubaneswar 3.63 3.63 8.23 8.23 13.18 13.17 12.29 12.29 11.50 11.37 11. 6.74
And Puri
6. West Bengal, Kolkata 6.03 6.02 7.67 7.57 10.16 10.16 9.10 9.10 6.01 6.01 4.75 3.92
7. West Bengal, Raiganj 1.35 1.35 5.00 5.00 7.00 7.00 8.00 8.00 6.10 6.10 8.00 7.11
Sikkim
8. Tamil Nadu, Chennai 5.25 5.25 8.00 8.00 11.45 11.45 12.95 12.95 13.15 13.14 13.00 9.50
Puducherry Trichy 2.00 2.00 4.00 4.0 8.50 8.50 9.55 9.55 5.80 5.80 6.50 4.77
9. Punjab Chandigarh 0.80 0.80 1.50 1.50 6.53 6.53 11.00 11.00 8.40 8.40 11.00 10.19
Haryana
10 Himachal Shimla 1.25 1.25 1.15 1.15 8.90 8.90 5.00 5.00 2.80 2.79 2.00 1.88
Pradesh
11. Delhi Delhi 20.82 20.82 19.10 19.08 30.50 30.35 36.14 36.14 24.95 24.94 39.92 33.99
(NCT)
Delhi Mini Circle 3.69 3.69 -- -- -- -- -- --
12. Goa Goa 3.70 3.70 7.00 7.00 10.45 10.45 9.90 9.90 9.00 9.00 5.06 5.05
13. Assam Guwahati 3.04 3.04 3.30 3.30 7.44 7.44 8.78 8.78 5.72 5.71 4.66 3.35
Meghalaya
Nagaland
Arunachal
Pradesh
14. Manipur Aizawl 1.31 1.31 1.25 1.25 2.00 2.00 1.29 1.29 1.26 1.25 1.20 0.93
Mizoram
Tripura
15. Rajasthan Jaipur 7.40 7.40 7.53 7.53 10.28 10.28 12.75 12.75 10.91 10.91 8.00 6.66
Jodhpur 4.10 4.10 4.50 4.50 7.65 7.65 10.65 10.65 9.25 9.24 9.00 6.89
16. Telangana Hyderabad 2.80 2.80 7.00 6.80 15.50 15.50 14.38 14.38 6.80 6.77 12.00 9.58
17. Andhra Pradesh Amravati 4.57 4.57 5.75 5.75 11.60 11.60 14.70 14.70 12.90 12.90 14.00 11.64
18. Bihar Patna 1.23 1.23 3.35 3.35 9.00 9.00 16.00 16.00 8.73 8.73 14.50 11.77
19. Jammu & Srinagar 0.80 0.80 2.55 2.55 6.11 6.03 7.17 7.17 4.90 4.89 5.75 4.97
Kashmir (U.T)
20. Ladakh (UT) Mini Circle Leh 0.20 0.20 0.43 0.43 1.92 1.92 3.50 3.50 2.20 2.20 4.50 3.71
21. Kerala Thrissure 2.03 2.03 6.82 6.82 7.50 7.50 7.09 7.09 6.30 6.30 4.25 3.55
22. Gujarat Vadodara 6.35 6.35 8.00 8.00 11.00 11.00 12.00 12.00 7.70 7.69 10.50 7.58
Daman & Diu (UT)
Gujarat Rajkot 0.99 0.99 2.50 2.50 3.09 3.09 2.50 2.50 3.00 3.00 4.00 2.62
23. Uttarakhand Dehradun 4.60 4.60 3.75 3.75 4.85 4.85 5.42 5.42 5.10 5.10 6.50 4.74
24. Chhattisgarh Raipur 2.89 2.89 4.78 4.78 7.50 7.50 5.94 5.94 8.19 8.19 12.25 9.21
25. Jharkhand Ranchi 0.88 0.88 1.18 1.16 2.00 2.00 2.15 2.15 2.25 2.25 2.37 2.50
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