(a) whether the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has started excavations of Sishupalgarh in Odisha since 1960 and the excavation has shown some fruitful results;
(b) if so, the details of the status of the excavation and the reasons for the slow progress; and
(c) the details of steps taken by the Government to set up memorials in honour of legends of freedom movement of the country and statesman like Biju Patnaik?
MINISTER OF HOUSING AND URBAN POVERTY ALLEVIATION AND MINISTER OF CULTURE (KUMARI SELJA)
(a) & (b) Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had carried out excavations at Sisupalgarh in the year 1948 by Prof. B.B. Lal the results of which are published in the Departmental Publication, ‘Ancient India’, No.5. Subsequently excavations were conducted by Deccan College, Pune in collaboration with Costen Institute of Archaeology in the year 2005-2008 and the results were published in ‘Man and Environment’, Vol.XXXI.
Further, a small scale excavation at Sisupalgarh, District Khurda Bhubaneswar, Odisha was carried out during the field season 2011-2012.
The artifacts have brought to light a number of terracotta beads, sealings, iron nails, pestles, ear ornaments etc. datable from circa 1st Century A.D. to 330 A.D.
(c) The setting up of memorials is outside the mandate of the ASI, neither does it come under the purview of Ministry of Culture. The same is undertaken by Ministry of Urban Development if the memorial is to be established is Delhi and by the concerned State Government if the memorial is to be set up outside Delhi.