Lok Sabha Question No. 1696 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-10
Subject: Registration of Properties under ASI Protected Area
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Shri Arup Chakraborty

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOKSABHA UNSTARRED QUESTIONNO.1696

ANSWERED ON 10.03.2025

## REGISTRATION OF PROPERTIES UNDER ASI PROTECTED AREA

## 1696. SHRI ARUP CHAKRABORY:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that many lands under the heritage and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) protected areas are not recorded in the name of Central Government department but registered as an endowed property;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  of  such  registered  God's  post-properties and  central properties that are under maintenance of ASI therefor, State-wise;
- (c) the  reasons  of  non-registration  of  such  central  maintained  properties  in  the  name  of Government to avoid any encroachment and safeguard of the heritage properties thereof;
- (d) the details of properties of Bishnupur, West Bengal which are protected and maintained by ASI and their land record status; and
- (e) whether  the  Government  has  any  proposal  to  register  all  the  ASI  maintained  and protected areas of Bishnupur, an UNESCO world heritage site thereto, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

- (a) There are many protected monuments and areas whose lands are registered in the name of
- & Government; besides some are lying in the name of endowment and private parties. As per
- (b) Section  3  and  Section  4  of  Ancient  Monuments  and  Archaeological  Sites  and  Remains Act, 1958, (AMASR  Act,1958), Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) declares monuments  and  archaeological  sites  as  of  national  importance  without  change  in  their ownership. There are 3698 monuments and archaeological sites and remains declared as of national importance in the country. The State-wise list is at Annexure-I.
- (c) ASI acquires the lands for the better maintenance of the monuments and sites wherever it is feasible. Further, there are provisions for the preservation of protected monuments by agreement  under  Section  6  of  AMASR  Act,  1958.  ASI  takes  necessary  steps  like deployment of watch & ward staff, providing fencing and organizing awareness campaign etc. to safeguard the protected monuments and areas.
- (d) There are 20 numbers of protected monuments and areas in Bishnupur which are being maintained by ASI. The details are at Annexure-II.
- (e) The temples of Bishnupur have already been included in the Tentative List of UNESCO.

ABSTRACT  OF  NUMBER  OF  PROTECTED  MONUMENTS  ANDPROTECTED AREAS UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA IN THE COUNTRY

| Sl.No.   | Name of State          |   Nos. of Monuments and Areas |
|----------|------------------------|-------------------------------|
| 1.       | Andhra Pradesh         |                           135 |
| 2.       | Arunachal Pradesh      |                            03 |
| 3.       | Assam                  |                            55 |
| 4.       | Bihar                  |                            70 |
| 5.       | Chhattisgarh           |                            46 |
| 6.       | Daman &Diu (U. T.)     |                            11 |
| 7.       | Goa                    |                            21 |
| 8.       | Gujarat                |                           205 |
| 9.       | Haryana                |                            93 |
| 10.      | Himachal Pradesh       |                            40 |
| 11.      | Jammu &Kashmir (U. T.) |                            56 |
| 12.      | Jharkhand              |                            13 |
| 13.      | Karnataka              |                           506 |
| 14.      | Kerala                 |                            29 |
| 15.      | Ladakh (U. T.)         |                            15 |
| 16.      | Madhya Pradesh         |                           291 |
| 17.      | Maharashtra            |                           286 |
| 18.      | Manipur                |                            01 |
| 19.      | Meghalaya              |                            08 |
| 20.      | Mizoram                |                            01 |
| 21.      | Nagaland               |                            04 |
| 22.      | N.C.T. Delhi           |                           172 |
| 23.      | Odisha                 |                            81 |
| 24.      | Puducherry (U. T.)     |                            07 |
| 25.      | Punjab                 |                            33 |
| 26.      | Rajasthan              |                           163 |
| 27.      | Sikkim                 |                            03 |
| 28.      | Telangana              |                            08 |
| 29.      | Tamil Nadu             |                           412 |
| 30.      | Tripura                |                            08 |
| 31.      | Uttar Pradesh          |                           743 |
| 32.      | Uttarakhand            |                            44 |
| 33.      | West Bengal            |                           135 |
|          | TOTAL                  |                          3698 |

ANNEXURE-II

ANNEXURE  REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (d) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1696 FOR 10.03.2025.

PROTECTED MONUMENTS AND PROTECTED AREAS IN BISHNUPUR WHICH ARE BEING MAINTAINED BY ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA.

|   Sl. No. | Name of protected monument and Protected Area        | Ownership Status   |
|-----------|------------------------------------------------------|--------------------|
|         1 | Dalmadal Gun and the platform on which it is mounted | Debottar           |
|         2 | Gate of Old Fort                                     | Debottar           |
|         3 | Jore-Bungla Temple                                   | Private            |
|         4 | Jora Mandir                                          | Debottar           |
|         5 | Kala Chand Temple                                    | Private            |
|         6 | Lalji Temple                                         | Private            |
|         7 | Madan-Gopal Temple                                   | Debottar           |
|         8 | Madanmohan Temple                                    | Debottar           |
|         9 | Maleswar Temple                                      | Debottar           |
|        10 | Muralimohan Temple                                   | Debottar           |
|        11 | Nanda Lal Temple                                     | Debottar           |
|        12 | Patpur Temple                                        | Debottar           |
|        13 | Radhabinode Temple                                   | Debottar           |
|        14 | Radhagobinda Temple                                  | Debottar           |
|        15 | Radhamadhab Temple                                   | Private            |
|        16 | Radhashyam Temple                                    | Private            |
|        17 | Rashmancha                                           | Debottar           |
|        18 | Shyam Rai Temple                                     | Private            |
|        19 | Small Gateway of Fort                                | Private            |
|        20 | Stone Chariot                                        | Debottar           |

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