NEW DELHI: A sum of Rs 340.92 crore was spent on the conservation, preservation, and maintenance of centrally protected sites during 2022-23 till March 1, parliament was informed on Monday.

Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy shared the data in a written response to a query in Lok Sabha.

He was asked to share details of the centrally protected heritage sites, temples, and monuments in the country, including in Rajasthan, and measures taken to beautify, maintain and develop them.

Reddy, in his response, shared details of the amount allotted and spent on the conservation, preservation and maintenance of 3,696 centrally protected monuments and sites during the last three years and the current year.

According to the data shared, Rs 435.39 crore was spent in 2019-20, Rs 260.83 crore in 2020-21, Rs 269.57 crore in 2021-22, Rs 340.92 crore in 2022-23 till March 1, 2023, Reddy also shared data on the number of adult tourists who visited protected ticketed monuments and the revenue generated from the sale of entry tickets, during the last three years.

In 2019-20, 4.83 crore tourists visited such sites generating revenue of Rs 336.2 crore, while the corresponding figures were 1.32 crore and Rs 48.30 crore in 2020-21, according to the data shared.

In 2021-22, as many as 2.61 crore tourists visited such sites generating revenue worth Rs 101.50 crore.

"Conservation, preservation and maintenance of protected monuments/sites is taken up by ASI as per need, priority, and availability of resources, which is a regular phenomenon.

"Besides this, amenities like toilet and drinking water and facilities like pathways, ramps, signages, dust bins, wheelchairs, sound and light shows, publication sale counter, are provided at protected monuments," he said.

On a query on UNESCO World Heritage Site, Reddy said, there is no specific scheme for inclusion of the Heritage Sites in the World Heritage List.

"Each property is selected based on its Outstanding Universal Value, authenticity and integrity in addition to the quality of available dossier about the site, which are as per Operational Guidelines 2021 of UNESCO.

"The site must remain in Tentative List for one year before inclusion in World Heritage. Presently, India has 52 sites in Tentative List which include two from Rajasthan," he shared in his written response.

These 52 sites in the Tentative List, include the ancient Buddhist site, Sarnath, Varanasi (added in 1998), Mughal Gardens in Kashmir (added in 2010), the Iconic riverfront of the historic city of Varanasi (added in 2021), and Vadnagar a multi-layered historic town, Gujarat (added in 2022).

On a query on the Rakhigarhi site in Haryana, Reddy said the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has undertaken work to develop the Harappan site as an "Iconic Site".

The excavation at the site is an ongoing process. The on-site museum to be developed by the Haryana government with the technical support of the ASI is underway. The tentative timeline for accomplishing this work is 2025, he said.

Asked whether any funds have been released to the Haryana government to assist in the redevelopment project of the site, the minister said, "no funds have been released to the Haryana government, to date".

In a response to a separate query, the Union culture minister, said, "The National Monuments Authority (NMA), in terms of Section 4A of Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958, makes recommendations to the government from time to time, for classifying protected monuments and protected areas of national importance as per categories prescribed under Schedule to Rule 6 of NMA Rules, 2011, having regard to the outstanding universal value, including the historical, archaeological, architectural value, and such other relevant factors".

The central government, thereafter, notifies the same in the official gazette and also exhibits it on its official website and also in such other manner as it may deem fit, for the benefit of the public and agencies in the interest of the protection and preservation of these protected monuments and protected areas of national importance, he said.