Parliament Question: Digitisation and record management of artefacts

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 33 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29/01/2026 DIGITISATION AND RECORD MANAGEMENT OF ARTEFACTS 33. SHRI KESRIDEVSINH JHALA: Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:- (a) whether Government has received grievances from public or legal bearers of artefacts regarding incomplete or inadequate transfer records; (b) if so, the details thereof, State-wise; (c) the steps being taken to ensure that complete and certified records are promptly made available to the concerned; (d) whether Government proposes to establish a uniform, State-wise digitisation and single- window system for record management to prevent recurrence of such delays; and (e) by when the national digital archive and digital map would be completed and made accessible for administrative, academic and public use? ANSWER MINISTER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT) (a)&(b) Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) deals with matters related to antiquities as per the provisions of the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972. As far as transfer records are concerned, no such grievances are lying with the ASI. (c) The record of registered antiquities is provided to the owner of the antiquities. (d)&(e) The ASI has designated Registering Officers in its circle offices to facilitate the public for registration of the antiquities. The ASI maintains proper records of the registered antiquities in its Central Data Bank. The National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA), established in 2007, has published data for 12,47,668 Antiquities. The data has been published at the NMMA website: http://nmma.nic.in. *****