Parliament informed about govt expenditure on heritage sites in last 3 years

The government has spent nearly Rs 950 cr to preserve centrally protected monuments in the last three years, the Culture Ministry informed Parliament on Tuesday. It also said revenue generated through the entry fee to 116 such monuments is Rs 589 crore.

Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha, Minister of Culture Mahesh Sharma said there are 3,691 monuments and sites declared to be of national importance and falls under the jurisdiction of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

He said entry to 116 such monuments is ticketed. The revenue generated through the entry fee for monuments in the last three years was Rs 588.12 cr. The amount was Rs 93.95 cr in 2015-2016, Rs 224.77 cr in 2016-2017 and 269.40 cr in 2017-2018, the minister said.

The amount spent for "conservation, preservation and maintenance of centrally protected monuments and sites" in the country during the last three years was Rs 949.99 cr, he said.

Sharma said it was Rs 237.46 cr in 2015-2016, Rs 301.76 cr in 2016-2017 and Rs 410.76 cr in 2017-2018.