Question : CENTRALLY PROTECTED MONUMENTS

(a) the criteria for declaring a monument as State or Centrally protected one;

(b) the details of the Centrally protected monuments and sites in the country, State/UT-wise along with their state of preservation and conservation;

(c) the details of funds allocated and utilised for maintenance of the said monuments / sites during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise;

(d) the steps taken to provide security and various facilities to visitors at the said monuments/ sites during the aid period along with the amount spent for the purpose;

(e) the amount of revenue earned from these protected monuments/ sites during each of the last three years and the current year;

(f) whether the Government has received proposals from various States for protection of more monuments;

(g) if so, the details along with the status thereof; and

(h) the steps taken for maintenance of these monuments / sites including protecting them from encroachment and indicating the schemes in vogue for the purpose?

MINISTER OF HOUSING AND URBAN POVERTY ALLEVIATION AND MINISTER OF CULTURE (KUMARI SELJA)

(a) Ancient and historical monuments and sites are declared centrally protected as of national importance by the Central Government. The criterion for such declaration as laid down under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 is that it is of historical, archaeological or artistic interest and which has been in existence for not less than one hundred years.

The State Governments also declare monuments as protected under their respective Acts.

(b) to (d) There are 3,677 monuments/sites declared as of national importance in the country. The State-wise/UT wise list is at Annexure-I. These monuments/sites are in a fairly good state of preservation.

The expenditure incurred on conservation, preservation and environmental development, including providing of tourist amenities on centrally protected monuments/sites in the country, during the last three years and the allocation for the current year is at Annexure-II. In addition to conservation, preservation, maintenance and development of environs in and around centrally protected monuments, providing amenities (e.g. drinking water, toilets, facilities for physically challenged, pathways, cultural notice boards/signage, vehicle parking, cloak rooms, etc.) to the tourists visiting the monuments and sites are also regular activities which the Archaeological Survey of India undertakes, as per needs and resources. Basic public facilities are available at all World Heritage Sites and ASI’s ticketed monuments, as also at the majority of those protected monuments that are visited by large numbers of tourists. Archaeological Survey of India has deployed regular watch & ward staff, and has engaged the services of private security guards and State Police personnel for the safety and protection of centrally protected monuments and the tourists visiting the monuments/sites. In addition, CISF personnel have been deployed at Taj Mahal, Agra and Red Fort, Delhi. The expenditure incurred towards security at centrally protected monuments/sites during the last three years and current year is as under:

Rupees in lakhs
2009-10	2691.29
2010-11	1718.37
2011-12	3932.00
2012-13
(upto July,2012)	1136.00

Rupees in crores
2009-10	78.58
2010-11	85.72
2011-12	93.14
2012-13	23.76#