(a) whether as per the survey conducted by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, nearly sixty thousand monuments across the country are at nature’s mercy;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the reasons for the same;
(d) the corrective measures taken by the Government for renovating these monuments and the amount estimated to be spent thereon; and
(e) the time by which such monuments are proposed to be renovated?
MINISTER OF TOURISM AND CULTURE (SMT. AMBIKA SONI)
(a) to (c) As per information available from Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural
Heritage (INTACH) the figure of 60,000 monuments is an estimate based on available literature.
INTACH has a catalogue of about 30,000 monuments, largely unprotected.
(d) to (e) No central legislation currently exists for conservation and protection of
unprotected heritage. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) takes care of 3675 monuments
and sites that have been declared as of national importance under the Ancient Monuments and
Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. Besides, the ASI has a scheme for financial
assistance for preservation of monuments less than 100 years old. Various State Governments
also protect monuments under their respective legislations.