Lok Sabha Question No. 1441 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-09
Subject: Preservation of Tangible and Intangible Cultural Heritage
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Dr. Alok Kumar Suman

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO. 1441

TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.02.2026

## PRESERVATION OF TANGIBLE AND INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE

## 1441. DR. ALOK KUMAR SUMAN:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) the present status of preservation, promotion and documentation of India's tangible and intangible cultural heritage across the country;
- (b) the details of the Government schemes and initiatives being implemented for conservation  of  monuments,  archaeological  sites,  museums,  libraries  and heritage precincts;
- (c) the details of the measures taken/being  taken by the Government to promote traditional  art  forms,  folk  music,  dance,  crafts  and  indigenous  languages, including support to artists and cultural institutions;
- (d) whether  any Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)  are in place for protection, restoration and sustainable management of cultural heritage sites;
- (e) the details of the steps undertaken to leverage culture for tourism, education and  community  participation,  including  digital  initiatives  and  international cultural exchanges; and
- (f) the  details  of  the  additional  policy,  financial  and  institutional  measures proposed by the Government to strengthen cultural infrastructure, encourage youth  participation,  ensure  inclusive  representation  and  safeguard  India's diverse cultural legacy for future generations nationwide?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) There are  total  of  3686  centrally  protected  monuments  under  the  care  and
- & maintenance  of  Archaeological  Survey  of  India  (ASI).  The  conservation
- (b) work of these protected monuments is taken up by ASI as per the needs and requirement  of  the  monument,  after  the  approval  of  Annual  Conservation Plan and all are in good state of preservation.

Also, ASI preserves and showcases antiquities and artefacts recovered from archaeological excavations and protected monuments through 52 archaeological  site  museums  across  the  country.  These  collections  are systematically  documented  in  museum  accession  registers  as  well  as digitally, ensuring their preservation, promotion and proper documentation.

Further, the Govt. of India has established the National Mission  on Monuments  and  Antiquities  (NMMA)  in  2007  to  prepare  two  national registers on Monuments (Built Heritage and Sites) and Antiquities across the country.

- (c) To  protect,  promote  and  preserve  various  forms  of  folk  art  and  culture throughout  the  country,  the  Government  of  India  has  set  up  seven  Zonal Cultural  Centres  (ZCCs)  with  headquarters  at  Patiala,  Nagpur,  Udaipur, Prayagraj,  Kolkata, Dimapur and Thanjavur. These ZCCs organize various cultural activities and programmes on a regular basis all over India for which they  engage  folk/  tribal  artists  to  showcase  their  talents  at  national  level. These artists are paid honorarium, TA/DA, local transportation, boarding & lodging etc. to enable them to earn their livelihood.
- (d) The  declaration  of  monuments  and  areas  (sites)  of  national  importance  is done  as  per  the  section  4  of  the  Ancient  Monuments  and  Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958. The proposals, accompanied with supporting  documents  in  the  designated  proforma,  are  evaluated  by  the Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).  Upon  recommendation  of  the  TEC,  Central  Government  notifies, seeking  views  of  the  public.  Thereafter,  a  final  notification  is  issued declaring the monument(s) to be of national importance.
- (e) Ministry  of  Culture  has  been  using  a  software  named  'JATAN'  for digitization of museums collections like coin, painting, manuscript, philately, decorative art, archaeology, bead, anthropology, arms and armour, terracotta, porcelain, central asian antiquity, numismatics, epigraphy manuscripts  and  artefacts.  Till  date  8  renowned  National  Level Museums  and  2  ASI  Museums  have  been  digitized  through  JATAN Software. The above-mentioned project of digital repository of the collections of these Museums in technical collaboration with C-DAC, Pune along  with  a  unified  web  portal  at  www.museumsofindia.gov.in  on  which the  details  of  the  collections  of  these  museums  along  with  their  image  are available.  Digitized  Articles  till  date  can  be  viewed  by  accessing  the following link https://museumsofindia.gov.in/repository

Also, NMMA is conducting workshops in various regions to raise awareness and  provide  training  programs  to  universities,  colleges,  NGO's  and  other interested organisations.

- (f) Ministry of Culture, Government of India through its Zonal Cultural Centres (autonomous  organization  under  Ministry  of  Culture),  organizes  Rashtriya Sanskriti  Mahotsavs  (RSMs)  to  celebrate  the  spirit  of  tradition,  culture, heritage  and  the  rich  diversity  of  our  incredible  country.  The  broader objective  of  this  Mahotsav  is  to  preserve,  promote  and  popularize  India's cultural  heritage,  reconnect the  younger  generation with our traditions and showcase  to  the  nation  and  the  world  our  soft  power  through  unity  in diversity. Since 2015, Ministry has organized 14 RSMs and 4 Zonal Level

RSMs through its seven ZCCs. A total of 12543 artists have participated in these  RSMs/  Zonal  RSMs.  These  artists  were  paid  honorarium,  TA/DA, local  transportation,  boarding  &  lodging  etc.  to  enable  them  to  earn  their livelihood.

Also, NMMA has documented and published data for 11,406 Built Heritage &  Sites  and  12,47,668  Antiquities.  The  data  has  been  published  at  the NMMA website: http://nmma.nic.in.

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