There are 1100 monuments and sites (areas) declared as of national importance in South India, which are under the care and maintenance of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The State-wise details are as under:

Periodic inspections are carried out by ASI to assess the status of protected monuments and sites. Based on the requirement, works related to maintenance, preservation, restoration and conservation are taken up as a regular practice, in accordance with the National Conservation Policy, 2014, and subject to availability of resources. Further, no protected monument or site is in a deteriorating condition.

The funds allocated and utilized during last five years on conservation of protected monuments and sites located in southern states under ASI is as follows:

                                                                          (Rupees in Crores)

ASI promotes community participation and awareness through heritage walks, lectures, exhibitions, competitions, guided tours and outreach programmes organised on occasions such as World Heritage Day, World Tourism, and World Heritage Week etc. Further, to enhance tourism while ensuring preservation, ASI has provided visitor amenities like as drinking water, toilets, Braille signage, QR code-based information systems, souvenir shops, and sound and light shows etc. at selected monuments and sites with high visitor footfall.

This information was given by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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 M Annadurai