**Executive Summary**
This report, posted on February 9, 2026, by PIB Delhi, details the Ministry of Culture's efforts to preserve tangible and intangible cultural heritage in India. It highlights the role of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA), and Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) in this endeavor. It also mentions the use of JATAN software and the digital repository of museum collections.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Archaeological Survey of India (ASI):**
* Maintains 3686 centrally protected monuments, with conservation work done according to the Annual Conservation Plan.
* Preserves and showcases antiquities and artifacts from archaeological excavations in 52 site museums.
* **National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA):**
* Established in 2007 to prepare national registers on monuments and antiquities.
* Conducts workshops to raise awareness and provide training to universities, colleges, and NGOs.
* Documented and published data for 11,406 Built Heritage & Sites and 12,47,668 Antiquities available on the NMMA website.
* **Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs):**
* Seven ZCCs operate across India to protect, promote, and preserve folk art and culture.
* Organize cultural activities, engaging folk and tribal artists at the national level, providing honorarium, TA/DA, lodging, and transportation to support their livelihood.
* **Declaration of Monuments:**
* The declaration of monuments of national importance is done as per the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958.
* Proposals are evaluated by the Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) of ASI before notification.
* **Digitization Efforts:**
* The Ministry uses "JATAN" software to digitize museum collections.
* 8 National Level Museums and 2 ASI Museums have been digitized.
* A unified web portal (www.museumsofindia.gov.in) contains a digital repository of collections in collaboration with C-DAC, Pune.
* **Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsavs (RSMs):**
* The Ministry organizes RSMs through ZCCs to celebrate India's cultural heritage.
* Since 2015, 14 RSMs and 4 Zonal Level RSMs have been organized, with the participation of 12543 artists.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder:** Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)
* **Impact:** Responsible for conservation and maintenance of protected monuments.
* **Action Required:** Continue conservation work as per approved plans and evaluate monument declaration proposals through the Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC).
**Stakeholder:** Museum Staff/Administrators
* **Impact:** Involved in the digitization of museum collections and management of digital repositories.
* **Action Required:** Utilize JATAN software for digitization and maintain the unified web portal (www.museumsofindia.gov.in).
**Stakeholder:** Folk and Tribal Artists
* **Impact:** Opportunity to showcase talents at national level through ZCC events.
* **Action Required:** Participate in ZCC programs and utilize provided financial support (honorarium, TA/DA, etc.).
**Stakeholder:** Public
* **Impact:** Access to digitized collections and information on national heritage through online portals and RSMs.
* **Action Required:** Explore the museumsofindia.gov.in portal and attend RSMs to learn about and engage with India’s cultural heritage.
Key Entities Referenced
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI): The primary agency responsible for the care, maintenance, and conservation of centrally protected monuments and archaeological sites in India, as mentioned in the policy.
Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958: The legal framework governing the declaration and preservation of monuments and archaeological sites of national importance in India.
National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA): An initiative established by the Government of India to prepare national registers of monuments and antiquities across the country.
Ministry of Culture: The central ministry responsible for the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage, including monuments, art, and culture, as described in the document.
Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs): Seven regional centers established to protect, promote, and preserve various forms of folk art and culture throughout India.
Ministry of Culture
PRESERVATION OF TANGIBLE AND INTANGIBLE
CULTURAL HERITAGE
Posted On: 09 FEB 2026 3:53PM by PIB Delhi
There are total of 3686 centrally protected monuments under the care and maintenance of Archaeological
Survey of India (ASI). The conservation work of these protected monuments is taken up by ASI as per the
needs and requirement of the monument, after the approval of Annual Conservation Plan and all are in
good state of preservation.
Also, ASI preserves and showcases antiquities and artefacts recovered from archaeological excavations
and protected monuments through 52 archaeological site museums across the country. These collections
are systematically documented in museum accession registers as well as digitally, ensuring their
preservation, promotion and proper documentation.
Further, the Govt. of India has established the National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA)
in 2007 to prepare two national registers on Monuments (Built Heritage and Sites) and Antiquities across
the country.
To protect, promote and preserve various forms of folk art and culture throughout the country, the
Government of India has set up seven Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) with headquarters at Patiala,
Nagpur, Udaipur, Prayagraj, Kolkata, Dimapur and Thanjavur. These ZCCs organize various cultural
activities and programmes on a regular basis all over India for which they engage folk/ tribal artists to
showcase their talents at national level. These artists are paid honorarium, TA/DA, local transportation,
boarding & lodging etc. to enable them to earn their livelihood.
The declaration of monuments and areas (sites) of national importance is done as per the section 4 of the
Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958. The proposals,
accompanied with supporting documents in the designated proforma, are evaluated by the Technical
Evaluation Committee (TEC) of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Upon recommendation of the
TEC, Central Government notifies, seeking views of the public. Thereafter, a final notification is issued
declaring the monument(s) to be of national importance.
Ministry of Culture has been using a software named “JATAN” for digitization of museum’s collections
like coin, painting, manuscript, philately, decorative art, archaeology, bead, anthropology, arms and
armour, terracotta, porcelain, central asian antiquity, numismatics, epigraphy manuscripts and artefacts.
Till date 8 renowned National Level Museums and 2 ASI Museums have been digitized through JATAN
Software. The above-mentioned project of digital repository of the collections of these Museums in
technical collaboration with C-DAC, Pune along with a unified web portal at www.museumsofindia.gov.in
on which the details of the collections of these museums along with their image are available. Digitized
Articles till date can be viewed by accessing the following link https://museumsofindia.gov.in/repository
Also, NMMA is conducting workshops in various regions to raise awareness and provide training
programs to universities, colleges, NGO’s and other interested organisations.Ministry of Culture, Government of India through its Zonal Cultural Centres (autonomous organization
under Ministry of Culture), organizes Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsavs (RSMs) to celebrate the spirit of
tradition, culture, heritage and the rich diversity of our incredible country. The broader objective of this
Mahotsav is to preserve, promote and popularize India's cultural heritage, reconnect the younger
generation with our traditions and showcase to the nation and the world our soft power through unity in
diversity. Since 2015, Ministry has organized 14 RSMs and 4 Zonal Level RSMs through its seven ZCCs.
A total of 12543 artists have participated in these RSMs/ Zonal RSMs. These artists were paid
honorarium, TA/DA, local transportation, boarding & lodging etc. to enable them to earn their livelihood.
Also, NMMA has documented and published data for 11,406 Built Heritage & Sites and 12,47,668
Antiquities. The data has been published at the NMMA website: http://nmma.nic.in.
This information was given by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in
a written reply in Lok Sabha today
***
M Annadurai
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