Lok Sabha Question No. 102 (STARRED), answered on 2022-07-25
Subject: National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar, Manjulata Mandal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA

STARRED QUESTION NO : 102

Answer Date: 25.07.2022

## NATIONAL MISSION ON MONUMENTS AND ANTIQUITIES

* 102. SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

SHRIMATI MANJULATA MANDAL:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of heritage objects that have been brought back to India from other countries during each of the last eight years;
- (b) whether  there  is  a  substantial  increase  in  bringing  back  heritage  objects  during  the  last  five years,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  bring  remaining heritage objects to India;
- (c) whether the  Government  is  implementing  any  programme  called National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA) for preparing a National Register on Antiquities and if so, the details thereof including the salient features of NMMA;
- (d) whether NMMA has achieved the objective for which it was set up and the manner in which the National Register on Antiquities will be beneficial to the people in the country; and
- (e) whether activity of promoting cultural awareness among people through protection of heritage sites in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu is going on under NMMA and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF CULTURE, TOURSIM AND DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION

(SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

- (a) To  (e) : A statement is laid on the table of the House.

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  PART  (a)  TO  (e)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 102 FOR 25.07.2022

- (a) Total  number  of  229  antiquities  have  been  retrieved  from  other  countries  since  2014. Details may be seen at Annexure 'A'
- (b) five years.
- Yes, Sir. There is a substantial increase in bringing back heritage objects during the last Government of India is committed to bring back the antiquities of  Indian  origin  which were  taken  out  illegally.  Whenever  any  such  antiquity  of  Indian  origin  surfaces  in  any location  abroad,  ASI  takes  up  the  matter  with  the  Embassies/Missions  abroad  through MEA for their retrieval.
- (c) Yes, Sir. The Government of India had launched the National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA) in 2007 to prepare national registers on monuments and antiquities. Documented data and other information is available at NMMA website: http://nmma.nic.in . A note on NMMA is attached  in Annexure 'B'
- (d) Yes, Sir. Under the Mission, data of 16.83 Lakh antiquities and 1.84 Lakh built heritage
- & and sites, including 9998 in Maharashtra & 15009 in Tamil Nadu, beneficial to the public
- (e) including students, colleges, researchers, administrative personnel etc. has been collected. It  is  the  endeavour  of  the  Govt.  to  have  a  comprehensive  database  of  antiquities  and monuments.

National  Mission  on  Monuments  and  Antiquities  (NMMA)  promotes  awareness  and sensitizes people about the benefits of preserving monuments and antiquities through its publications and their publicity.

Annexure A

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  OF  LOK  SABHA  STARRED QUESTION NO. 102 FOR 25.07.2022

ANTIQUITIES  RETRIEVED  FROM  OTHER  COUNTIRES  DURING  THE  LAST  EIGHT YEARS (FROM 2014 TO TILL DATE)

| Year        | Country     | No. of Antiquity   |
|-------------|-------------|--------------------|
| 2014        | Australia   | 2                  |
| 2015        | Canada      | 1                  |
| 2015        | Germany     | 1                  |
| 2015        | Singapore   | 1                  |
| 2016        | USA         | 11                 |
| 2016        | Australia   | 3                  |
| 2017        | USA         | 8                  |
| 2017        | UK          | 1                  |
| 2018        | USA         | 2                  |
| 2019        | UK          | 1                  |
| 2019        | Australia   | 1                  |
| 2020        | Australia   | 3                  |
| 2020        | UK          | 5                  |
| 2021        | UK          | 1                  |
| 2021        | Canada      | 1                  |
| 2021        | USA         | 157                |
| 2022        | Australia   | 29                 |
| 2022        | UK          | 1                  |
| Total - 229 | Total - 229 | Total - 229        |

## Annexure B

## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (c)  OF  LOK  SABHA  STARRED QUESTION NO. 102 FOR 25.07.2022

## NATIONAL MISSION ON MONUMENTS AND ANTIQUITIES

The  National  Mission  on  Monuments  and  Antiquities  was  launched  by  the  Hon'ble  Culture Minister on 19 th March 2007, with following objectives:

1. Documentation  and  creation  of  suitable  database  on  built  heritage  and  sites  through primary survey for information and dissemination to planners, researchers, etc. and for better management of such cultural resources.
2. Documentation  in  a  uniform  format  developed  by  NMMA,  of  all  antiquities  that  are available in different formats in the form of Registered Antiquities, Catalogued Antiquities with Central as well as State Governments, Private museums and Collections, Universities, etc.
3. Promote  awareness  and  sensitize  people  concerning  the  benefits  of  preserving  the historical and cultural aspects of built heritage, sites and antiquities.
4. Extend  training  facility  to  the  concerned  State  Departments,  NGOs,  Universities,  and Museums etc.
5. Help  in  developing  synergy  between  institutions  like  Archaeological  Survey  of  India, State Departments, concerned Institutions and NGOs to generate close interaction.
6. Publication and Publicity.

Bench mark documents have already been created with 21 points on antiquities and built heritage and sites(BHS). These documents are available at the NMMA web site.

National registers of Antiquities and Built Heritages will help the Government at the Centre as well as administrative authorities up to the local level in many fronts.

These will be helpful in controlling the movement of antiquities and their illegal trafficking

Fresh planning of urban settlements and re orientation of new structural edifices with a special emphasis on heritage and tourism sector - which can be a boost to any remote township with few avenues to earn foreign currencies and revenue.

These will create thematic maps, state- specific cultural indices.

These will be helpful in further research and many unseen opportunities for the posterity.

## Antiquities:

| Sl. No.   | Name of Agency                         |   Estimated No ( in lakh) approx. | Data Available withNMMA ( in lakh)           |
|-----------|----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
| 1.        | Archaeological Survey of India         |                                15 | 16.83 ( from different sources)              |
| 2.        | National / State / Govt Museums        |                                25 | 16.83 ( from different sources)              |
| 3.        | Universities                           |                                10 | 16.83 ( from different sources)              |
| 4.        | Private Collections / Individuals etc. |                                 8 | 16.83 ( from different sources)              |
|           | Total                                  |                                58 | 16.83 (12,59,912 templates published so far) |