Ministry of Culture
ASI takes up conservation and maintenance work of 3,685 ancient monuments and archaeological sites of national importance
National Culture Fund (NCF) with an objective to mobilize extra resources through Public Private Partnerships (PPP) mode towards conservation and development of heritage sites
प्रविष्टि तिथि:
04 DEC 2025 4:21PM by PIB Delhi
A total of 655 antiquities has been retrieved from foreign countries since 1976. Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) takes up conservation and maintenance work of 3,685 ancient monuments and archaeological sites of national importance including provision of amenities like drinking water, toilet blocks, pathways and landscaping etc. across the country. Maintenance of these monuments and sites is a continuous process and is taken up as per the need and availability of resources.
The National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities, established in 2007, has documented and published data for 11,406 Built Heritage and Sites, and 12,46,211 Antiquities. The data has been published at the NMMA website www.nmma.nic.in
Government has set up National Culture Fund (NCF) in 1996 as a Trust under the Charitable Endowment Act, 1890 with an objective to mobilize extra resources through Public Private Partnerships (PPP) mode towards conservation and development of heritage sites, and overall promotion of India’s cultural heritage
A donor/sponsor while making contributions to the NCF can indicate a project to be taken up for conservation or developing amenities around any monument. The conservation of protected monuments is carried out by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the same is maintained by them. All donor agencies comply with the norms set up by NCF and ASI.
The progress of projects approved by the NCF under PPP mode for Centrally Protected Monuments are regularly monitored by the Project Implementation Committee involving ASI, Donor and NCF.
No Pilot Project has been initiated to allow private players, including corporate, PSUs or non-profit organizations, for conservation of Centrally Protected Monuments.
This information was given by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in written replies in Rajya Sabha today
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M Annadurai
pibculture[at]gmail[dot]com
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