(a) Whether any assessment has been made about the number of inscripts
discovered in the country so far;
(b) If so, the details thereof;
(c) Whether many of these epigraphs are not properly preserved in the offices of Archaeological Survey of India and are getting destroyed;
(d) If so, the details thereof; and
(e) The corrective measures taken in this regard?
MINISTER FOR TOURISM AND CULTURE (SMT. AMBIKA SONI)
(a) to (e) A statement is laid on the table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (A) TO (E) OF LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 416 FOR 24.8.2006 BY DR.R.SENTHIL, HON’BLE
MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT REGARDING “DISCOVERY OF INSCRIPTSâ€
(a) & (b): Yes, Sir.
The Epigraphy Branch (Arabic & Persian at Nagpur and Sanskrit & Dravidan
at Mysore) of the Archaeological Survey of India has so far discovered and
copied 73,901 inscriptions from different parts of the country.
(c) to (e): No, Sir.
The epigraphs that constitute part of the heritage monuments are conserved
and preserved as per the established archaeological norms. Those which are
movable are kept in the safe custody in the site museums and sculpture sheds of the
Archaeological Survey of India. The copies of the inscriptions (stumpages, made
on beaten paper) are preserved by the Epigraphy Branches of ASI, and are periodically
monitored to mend the old and worn out estampages, if any.