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A NITI AAYOG REPORT 1
Working Group Report on
Improving Heritage Management in India
Govt. of India
NITI Aayog IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 2 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 3
Working Group Report on
Improving Heritage Management in India
Govt. of India
NITI Aayog IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 4
2.
Under Fundamental Duties of the Constitution of India, Article 51A.f specifies
“It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to value and preserve the rich heritage
of composite culture.”
Article 49 of the Constitution of India stipulates:
“It shall be the obligation of the State to protect every monument or place or object
of artistic or historic interest, declared by Parliament by law to be of national impor-
tance, from spoilation, disfiguration, destruction, removal, disposal or export, as the
case may be”. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 5
The Constitution of India has divided the jurisdiction over these monuments, cultural
heritage, and archaeological sites as follows:
Union: Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological sites and remains,
declared by Parliament, by law to be of national importance.
State: Ancient and Historical Monuments other than those declared by Parliament
to be of national importance.
Concurrent: Besides the above, both the Union and States have concurrent jurisdic-
tion over archaeological sites and remains other than those declared by law and
Parliament to be of national importance
Article 253 of the Constitution of India, enables Parliament to legislate for the im-
plementation of any treaty, agreement or convention with any other country or
countries, or any decision, made at any international conference, association or
other body. Any such legislation can be enacted even if the subject matter of the
legislation is an item in the State List of the Constitution of India. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 6
3.
“We should be aware of the International Con-
ventions that are relevant to the protection and
conservation of art and cultural heritage and to
which India is a signatory.”
-Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diver-
sity of Cultural Expressions. Paris, 20 October 2005
-Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultur-
al Heritage. Paris, 17 October 2003.
-Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cul-
tural and Natural Heritage. Paris, 16 November 1972.
-Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing
the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cul-
tural Property. Paris, 14 November 1970.
-Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Cultur-
al Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. The Hague, 14
May 1954.
-Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the
Event of Armed Conflict with Regulations for the Execu-
tion of the Convention. The Hague, 14 May 1954. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 7
Vision
“Value, protect, conserve, interpret and foster India’s unique and di-
verse Archaeological and Built Heritage as;
- a channel for continuing cross cultural linkages at the international
level
- a means for nation building and testimony to India’s cultural identity
at the national level and,
- a development tool for socio-economic upliftment at the local level
and sustainability for future generations,
with an all-encompassing, inclusive, multisectoral and multidisci-
plinary approach involving the entire gamut of heritage stakeholders
from the myriad custodians and range of heritage experts to the visi-
tors as well as citizens of India.” IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 8
Executive Summary
India’s cultural heritage and, inparticular, its archaeological and
built heritage is unparalleled in the world.
India has one of the largest geo-political expanses and one of
the greatest volume and diversity in heritage. This vast heritage
repository of India is recognized globally as significant part of its
unique cultural identity. Even beyond India, a number of coun-
tries across the world, house some of the best specimens of our
county’s heritage in their museums often narrating the glory of
Indian culture along with the tales of colonial legacy; while oth-
ers in south east Asia have extraordinary monuments standing as
testimony to the spread of Indian culture.
An initial survey indicates the total quantum of India’s built heri-
tage and archaeological remains may roughly amount to a total
of 400000 plus heritage structures across the country including
the centrally protected monuments, state protected monuments,
heritage buildings under various religious trusts, historic cities and
archaeological sites.
The potential of India’s unsurmountable heritage remains un-
tapped until now – simply because it exists in myriad forms, shapes
and experiences across various states and, no Single Overarch-
ing Vision for Heritage of India has guided its protection/preser-
vation/promotion till date. Unlike other western nations, India’s
Cultural Heritage shows continuity since centuries where age old
traditions continue to be practiced.
Currently, India’s Heritage is underfinanced and, a Compre-
hensive Vision for Heritage Budget and Planning with innovative
means of financing is essential. This heritage does not just con-
stitute the important markers of India’s past but also presents a
unique opportunity for generating employment and incomes
through heritage tourism and local development. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 9
The impact of protecting, conserving, interpreting and showcas-
ing India’s built heritage needs to be recognised at multiple lev-
els:
a. International Level - As part of a Universal Shared Heritage
to build global relations in future by connecting with stories and
routes of cultural exchange through history and, learning from
international practices.
b. National Level - As a tool to Nation Building, and branding of
its unique cultural identity with iconic sites and magnificent mon-
uments in each region of India including its World Heritage Sites
that narrate its rich, complex and layered history.
c. Local Level - To guide sustainable development of its historic
cities and sites at local level linking directly with reuse and so-
cio-economic benefits to the community while addressing the
UN Sustainable Development Goals at the same time
The Vision for India’s immovable Heritage can be stated as”
“Value, protect, conserve, interpret and foster India’s unique and
diverse Archaeological and Built Heritage as;
- a channel for continuing cross cultural linkages at the interna-
tional level
- a means for nation building and testimony to India’s cultural
identity at the national level and,
- a development tool for socio-economic upliftment at the local
level and sustainability for future generations,
with an all-encompassing, inclusive, multisectoral and multidis-
ciplinary approach involving the entire gamut of heritage stake-
holders from the myriad custodians and range of heritage ex-
perts to the visitors as well as citizens of India.”
This report attempts to review the entire built heritage scenario
in India – protected and unprotected. It provides an overview
of the current status of built heritage, protected and unprotect-
ed, structuring and status of institutions involved in heritage man-
agement, existing gaps in conservation, archaeology, heritage
management, outreach, promoting and marketing of India’s
heritage, assessment of various heritage projects under Archae-
ology Departments along with Tourism and Urban Development.
It also assesses the potentials for Capacity Building through var-
ious institutions involved in Heritage Management across India
and, looks at ways of International collaborations for managing
and promoting this heritage.
Between the demarcation of Protected and Unprotected, this
heritage of India is facing serious conservation, preservation,
maintenance and management challenges. The moot point is
whether the mere job of custodians, is administrative, identifica-
tion of monuments and sites and notification with conservation
or is it time for our heritage institutions to look beyond their co- IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 10
lonial mandates in order to collaborate with other government
and non-government organisations to showcase our unique and
vast heritage with best of heritage management practices.
This report by NITI Aayog is an effort to understand these current
challenges for heritage management in India and to provide a
future roadmap along with an appropriate branding of India’s
invaluable Archaeological and Built Heritage.
The implementation of the Vision and its objectives needs to be
multisectoral in nature to be implemented via various ministries’,
State Department and Private Trusts in conjunction with the nodal
body i.e. the ‘Archaeological Survey of India’.
The implementation strategy broadly covers following key points
specified for PMO Working Committee mandate: Restructuring
of ASI, Creating a National Database, Connecting with People,
Defining Byelaws for Prohibited and Regulated Areas around
Monuments, Support to State Government and other organisa-
tions such as Temple Trust, Waqf Boards and others, Heritage as a
tool for development and employment generation and, Capac-
ity Building for Heritage Management at all levels in partnership
with national and international institutions.
A complete overview of the India’s heritage as summarised in
this report provides a fair idea of the existing gaps at various lev-
els. Based on the gap analysis and subsequent recommenda -
tions as per this report, the Key Action Points for each section are
outlined as below:
1. National Database and Documentation
1) National Archaeological Database to be made. National GIS
Database for monuments and sites to be authenticated and val-
idated with ISRO.
2) NMMA to be reactivated with budget and staffing to com-
plete its previous listing of built heritage and antiquities.
3) Extend ongoing initiative for Archives Data to be accessible
digitally and Archives to be stored as per conservation norms
2. Use of Technologies for National Heritage
1) New technology like Photogrammetry & 3D Laser scanning
should be used for documentation, surveys, excavation and
conservation works.
2) LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and Drone Surveys to
document monuments and sites
3) Collaboration with Foreign Universities for introduction of latest
techniques in exploration and excavations should be undertak-
en.
4) Technology is needed for e-governance and one-window for
permissions and clearances as well
5) Advanced Technology for Promotion and Marketing of sites A NITI AAYOG REPORT 11
needs to be actively used to cater to all visitor kinds – school chil-
dren, families, researchers and other segments of society
3. Conservation of National Heritage
1) National Policy on Conservation needs to be implemented
and put into practice vigorously by ASI and State Archaeology
Departments (Refer annexure for National Policy).
2) Conservation Plan be prepared for the site before undertak-
ing any conservation works
3) Provision for Work Audit for conservation of centrally protected
monuments needs to be incorporated
4) Region-wise empanelment of crafts persons to be taken up.
5) National Level awards to be given to ASI Circles, State Gov-
ernments and other heritage custodians
4. Excavation and Exploration of Archaeological Sites
1) Draft of Excavation and Exploration Policy to be finalized and
adopted after public discussion within 6 months period
2) ASI Vision Plan for thematic priortisation of exploration and ex-
cavation to be framed and implemented.
3) Use of scientific methodologies and development of laborato-
ries for post-excavation analysis. Collaboration to be established
with concerned laboratories within 6 months.
4) Archaeology to be recognised as a separate Cadre
5) Publication of Excavation Reports to be completed within 6
months period
6) Re-exposing and putting the excavated sites in public domain
with interpretation centre to showcase to visitors
5. Developing Site Museums
1) Budget 2020-21 has proposed five archaeological sites to be
developed as iconic sites with on-site Museums. These should be
completed in next 3 years.
2) The proposed museums are Rakhigarhi (HR), Hastinapur (UP)
Shivsagar (Assam), Dholavira (GJ) and Adichanallur (TN). Clear
Action Plan to be finalized for all.
3) ASI should finalize world class projects for 2 site museums Ham-
pi and Sarnath
within next 3 months. A model site museum should also be set up
at Ahichchhatra archaeological site in UP
4) Guidelines for Museums adopted by ASI in 2013 should be
practiced for Museum Development for all site museum of ASI:
a. Research and Dissemination
b. Preservation and Conservation
c. Interpretation and Presentation
d. Education and Outreach
e. Visitor Services and Amenities
f. Administration and Management
5) Inter-disciplinary team of specialists, archaeologists, curators,
exhibition designers need to be engaged. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 12
6) Financially sustainable and revenue generation models to be
adopted for Museum Operations and Maintenance with cafes
and Souvenir shops.
6. Heritage Tourism, Revenue generation and Marketing
1) Adopt Revenue Generation Model through PPP Schemes
2) Professional and focused marketing effort with Information
Technology and Promotion
3) Each ASI site to be treated as separate profit centre
4) ASI revenues to be ploughed back to the site
5) National Culture Fund to be made autonomous
6) Processing of the pending MoUs under Adopt a Heritage to be
accelerated
7) Crowdfunding/ community funding/ CSR to be targeted
along with Complete Tourist Experience to cater to all segments
of Society and Officials: School students’, families, guides, drivers,
police officials and others. A Domestic Tourists Marketing Strat-
egy needs to be developed and implemented for capitalising
each heritage site to its optimum interlinking both tangible and
intangible benefits, events, programs, performances besides the
built heritage experience of the site.
7. Upgradation of the Archaeological Survey of India
1) Horticulture and Landscape: ASI needs to draft an approach
paper on landscaping and water hydrology and recreation of
traditional water systems.
2) Revive Underwater Archaeology and strengthen Epigraphy
Branch
3) Restructuring of ASI: Induction of best of talents within the or-
ganisation with flexibility in engaging professionals, Pay-packet
at par with the market (instead of government fixed rates) and
flexi-pol system to attract talent for conservation, designing and
creating site museums, world class facilities, nomination dossiers,
etc.; Creation of ICC Model (Cambodia Model) with a Dedicat-
ed Cell for Special Projects – e.g., Ladakh, Fatehpur Sikri, Hampi,
Champaner-Pavagadh, etc (Refer Chapter 8 and Annexure for
detailed note on Restructuring of ASI). UGC scales to be given to
Archaeology and Epigraphy.
8 Urban Heritage – MoHUA and ASI- NMA for encroachments
1) NMA to activate (100 + 200m) boundaries with MoHUA and
town planners
2) ASI to compile and publicise a state wise list of encroach-
ments. At least 2-3 sites across India should be taken up on pilot
basis and encroachments should be removed to serve as model
cases for the rest.
3) Heritage Impact Assessment needs to be conducted for infra-
structure projects in all cities where such projects are undertaken
in the vicinity of Central/State protected/ locally protected mon-
uments, sites or historic city cores. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 13
4) Smart cities heritage projects to follow HRIDAY toolkit model
9. World Heritage
1) Setting up of an independent World Heritage PMU with Minis-
try of Culture: A World Heritage Project Management Unit (PMU)
involving World Heritage Experts, ASI and other stakeholders
needs to be set up to ensure following specific actions for World
Heritage in India.
a. Strengthen conservation and management of 38 World Heri-
tage Sites
b. Strategize World Heritage nominations (National and Transna-
tional) for India
c. Annual calendar for capacity building workshops and activi-
ties with State Government should be developed.
d. Project ‘Mausam’ to be capitalized for transnational nomina-
tions.
e. Establish UNESCO Category II Centre for Cultural Exchange in
Asia-Pacific.
This PMU will also strengthen India’s candidature to be re-elect-
ed in the next elections of the World Heritage Committee due in
October- November 2021.
10. International Collaborations for India’s Heritage
1) Implement more Conservation projects in other countries on
the Cambodia Model
2) Cultural exchange on sea voyage proposed between India
and China at Mahabalipuram to be initiated under Project
Mausam.
3) Collaborate with other countries for Marketing of India’s Heri-
tage Sites
11. Institutional Collaborations and Skill Development
1) Creation of an Indian Institute of Culture (IIC): MoC to establish
this premier National Institution for education, training and skilling
manpower in Archaeology, Conservation, Museology, Archives
and related fields to be located at the Pandit Deendayal Upa-
dhyaya Institute of Archeology, The proposed Indian Institute of
Culture should be a deemed university, wherein there should be
a flexibility to hire experts from other countries
2) Establish Institutional Collaborations with various national and
international institutions and Universities for training and capacity
building
3) Propose the Institute of Archaeology with its enhanced frame-
work and deemed to b e a University to function as UNESCO
Category II Centre on “Shared Heritage for Asia-Pacific region”
4) Skill Development under Hunar se Rozgaar program under
MoT and under Skill Development Ministry. Attempts should be
made to engage local persons and craftspeople in their home
states and, also to support MNREGA Schemes for such employ-
ment, IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 14 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 15
12. Nomenclature and Branding of ASI and India’s Heritage
Considering the extended framework and mandate of ASI, it
is feasible that the nomenclature should reflect more than ‘Ar-
chaeological Survey of India’ in its name.
A number of new names have been presented in the Action Plan
in last section of this report but the most preferred one may be
considered as ASHMI (Archaeological Survey and Heritage Man-
agement of India) with the acronym ‘ASHMI’ in Hindi indicating
‘Rock born, hard and strong’, an adjective suitably applicable
for India’s everlasting, eternal heritage primarily carved in stone.
It also extends to the Hindi term ‘ashmibhut’ meaning fossilized.
The branding tagline for India’s heritage needs to sync with the
Tourism tagline of ‘Incredible India’ which has already made a
strong presence. So, it should be a tagline that may be used in-
dependently or in conjunction with the Tourism Tagline too. A
few options have been suggested in the report, for example ‘liv-
ing legacy’ of ‘Incredible India’ or ‘Vatan-e-Virasat’.
The heritage of India needs to be propagated and dissemi -
nated, for which social media is the most suitable medium. The
Ministry of Culture/ ASI need to launch a ‘Heritage India’ brand
and engage an agency for Digital Medium Planning and Buying
which would drive organic and inorganic traffic with Search En-
gine Optimisations and App Store Optimisations. The MoT’s initia-
tive of Heritage Circuits does not cover the expanse of heritage
variations that exist in India. So, ASI needs to consider packag-
ing the iconic centrally protected sites in specialised circuits that
link thematically in specific historic-cultural groups attracting not
only the general tourist but also specialised academic tours, in-
ternational visitors who selectively visit connected world heritage
sites, historic architectural tours.
Besides above key action points, the annexures to this report pro-
vide all relevant official documents for implementing the action
plan. The annexures also include examples of International Best
Practice and Adaptive Reuse case studies. Adaptive Reuse is
one of the key models in conservation to achieve sustainability
with built heritage. Considering India’s commitment to the UN
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2030 and, the country’s
immeasurable built and archaeological heritage, adaptive re-
use would be an ideal proposition to reintegrate the past fabric
in a meaningful development for the present and future heri-
tage.
Asfi Mosque, Bara Imambara
Lucknow; Source - wikimedia
commons IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 16
A working group under the chairmanship of CEO, NITI Aayog has
been created by the Prime Minister’s Office (Ref: PMO ID No.
580/31/C/13/2019-ES.2 dated 11 June, 2019; copy of the order
at Annexure I) with the objective to “Improve Heritage Manage-
ment in India” with the following mandate:
• Examine ‘the management of heritage structures and sites in
the country;
• Required institutional changes to improve its management,
• Ways and means to involve the private sector and local com-
munities in the process; and
• Possibilities of enhancing tourism and employment through
heritage management.
The Working Group comprised the following members:
• CEO, NITI Aayog - Chairman
• Secretary, Ministry of Culture - Member
• Secretary, Ministry of Tourism - Member
• Director General, ASI - Member–Convenor
• Member Secretary, INTACH - Special Invitee
• CEO, Aga Khan Trust for Culture - Special Invitee
Setting up of the
Working Group A NITI AAYOG REPORT 17
Methodology Adopted
by the Working Group
The Working Group, in all, met three times for a series of discus-
sions and deliberations. A national workshop on Archaeology
and Conservation in India was also organised by the Working
Group. During these meetings, a series of presentations were
made by ASI to present its activities, gap analysis, allocation and
utilization of funds, recent initiatives and achievements and pro-
posed a road map. Presentations were also made by INTACH for
creating bye-laws for monuments and CEO, Aga Khan Trust for
Culture (AKTC) regarding proposed structure for heritage man-
agement in India. Useful comments were also given by special
invitee Shri Ravindra Singh, IAS (Retd.) and Shri Tarun Vijay, Chair-
man, NMA and ex-officials of ASI and Museums.
In the Workshop ASI, State Archaeology Departments, Region-
al Directors of ASI, NMA, eminent faculty from the academia,
development and Research organization also participated and
provided their valuable inputs.
In addition, Chairman of the WG, CEO, NITI Aayog also invited
representatives and domain experts in the fields of archaeology,
conservation, architecture and heritage management and invit-
ed their comments.
The chronology of meetings of the Working Group held under
the chairmanship of CEO, NITI Aayog is as follows:
• Order for the constitution of the Working Group - 11 June, 2019
• First meeting of the Working Group - 03 July, 2019
• Second Meeting of the Working Group - 19 August, 2019
• Third Meeting of the Working Group - 20 August, 2019
• National Workshop on Archaeology and Conservation in India
– 4th November, 2019 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 18
Cover image - Rani ki Vav - Wikimedia Commons
2. Red Fort, Delhi; Source - dailyhunt.in
3. Ellora Caves, Maharashtra
Image on A NITI AAYOG REPORT 19
Contents
Vision....................................................................................................................................7
Executive Summary............................................................................................................8
Setting up of the Working Group......................................................................................16
Methodology Adopted by the Working Group..............................................................17
Contents.............................................................................................................................19
Acknowledgements..........................................................................................................21
Preface...............................................................................................................................23
.
Ch 1. India’s Built Heritage................................................................................................24
1. Introduction.....................................................................................................................27
2. Categories of Built Heritage in India.............................................................................30
Ch 2. National Database and Documentation...............................................................56
1. Existing Systems of Database and Documentation...................................................59
2. Gaps and Recommendations......................................................................................60
3. Key Action Points............................................................................................................62
Ch 3. Use of Technologies for National Heritage............................................................64
1. Existing Advanced Documentation Techniques........................................................67
2. Gaps and Recommendations......................................................................................69
3. Key Action Points.............................................................................................................71
Ch 4. Conservation of National Heritage........................................................................72
1. Existing Status of Conservation and Preservation in India.........................................75
2. Conservation Projects undertaken by ASI in India.....................................................76
3. Gaps and Recommendations......................................................................................84
4. Key Action Points.............................................................................................................89
Ch 5. Excavation and Exploration of Archaeological Sites..........................................90
1. Existing Status of Excavations and Explorations..........................................................93
2. Gaps and Recommendations......................................................................................93
3. Key Action Points.............................................................................................................97 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 20
Ch 6. Developing Site Museums .....................................................................................98
1. Existing Situation of Museums .....................................................................................101
2. Gaps and Recommendations....................................................................................103
3. Key Action Points...........................................................................................................107
Ch 7. Heritage Tourism, Revenue Generation and Marketing....................................108
1. Existing Revenue Generation .....................................................................................111
2. Existing Schemes and Programs..................................................................................113
3. Gaps and Recommendations....................................................................................127
4. Key Action Points...........................................................................................................131
Ch 8. Upgradation of the Archaeological Survey of India..........................................134
1. Exisitng Situation of the Archaeological Survey of India ........................................137
2. Branches of ASI.............................................................................................................139
3. Gaps and Recommendations....................................................................................144
4. Key Action Points...........................................................................................................149
Ch 9. Urban Heritage – MoHUA and ASI.......................................................................154
1. Existing Schemes and Missions....................................................................................157
2. Gaps and Recommendations....................................................................................168
3. Key Action Points...........................................................................................................173
Ch 10. World Heritage (UNESCO)...................................................................................174
1. Existing Status of World Heritage in India...................................................................177
2. Gaps and Recommendations....................................................................................177
3. Key Action Points...........................................................................................................183
Ch 11. International Collaborations for India’s Heritage.............................................184
1. Existing Bilateral Cooperation – MoUs with ASI for Conservation works Overseas .....
...........................................................................................................................................187
2. Gaps and Recommendations....................................................................................193
3. Key Action Points...........................................................................................................195
Ch 12. Skill Development, Community Employment and Institutional Collaborations
..........................................................................................................................................196
1. Existing Schemes for Skill Development and Community Employment.................199
2. Institutional Collaborations..........................................................................................200
3. Gaps and Recommendations....................................................................................202
4. Key Action Points...........................................................................................................205
Ch 13. Vision, Branding and Marketing Model.............................................................208
1. Framing a Vision for India’s Heritage ........................................................................211
2. Strategy..........................................................................................................................213
3. Branding.........................................................................................................................214
Ch 14. Action Plan for Heritage Management in India................................................218
Bibliography.....................................................................................................................241
List of Annexures ............................................................................................................245 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 21
Acknowledgements
I am thankful to the working group members Shri Yogendra Trip-
athi, Secretary, M/o Tourism, Shri Arun Goel, Secretary, M/o Cul-
ture, Smt Usha Sharma, Director General, Archaeological Survey
of India and Member Convenor, Shri Ravindra Singh, Former Sec-
retary, M/o Culture, Shri Ratish Nanda, Aga Khan Trust and Shri
Divay Gupta, INTACH for their outstanding contribution and pro-
viding their expertise, administrative and technical support in the
implementation of this Report. Without their superior knowledge
and experience, the report would have lacked in quality of out-
comes. Their contribution had been immensely valuable.
Implementation would not have been possible if we did not have
the support of many individuals and officials from several orga-
nizations for their rich inputs. I would like to extend my sincere
gratitude to Shri Ravindra Singh, Ex-Secretary Culture, Shri Tarun
Vijay, Chairman, NMA, Shri B.R. Mani, Director-General, National
Museum (retired) and several senior officials of ASI who shared
their expertise and knowledge. Our special thanks to Shri N K Dik-
shit, Shri R.C Agrawal, Shri R.S.Bisht, Shri B.M Pande, Director, ASI
and Shri Navneet Soni, Member Secretary, NMA for their insights
from their wide-ranging and years of experience in heritage con-
servation, excavation and management.
I would also like to thank Shri Avinash Mishra, Adviser (Tourism
and Culture), NITI Aayog, Shri Janhwij Sharma, Joint DG, ASI, Dr.
Shikha Jain, Director, DRONAH, Ms Sharmistha Sinha, Deputy Di-
rector, NITI Aayog, Dr. Namrata Singh Panwar and Ms Arunima
Chandra, Young professionals of NITI Aayog for working tirelessly
in every step to ably facilitate the process and contribute in pre-
paring this report. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 22
4. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 23
Padmapani Painting at Ajanta
Caves, Maharashtra; Source -
deccanherald.com IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 24
1. India’s Built
Heritage
500,000+ heritage sites
and monuments 3691 ASI
Protected
Monuments
38 UNESCO
World Heritage
Sites A NITI AAYOG REPORT 25
400,000 +
Religious Heritage
Sites
1800 +
Archaeological
Sites
50
historic cities
6000 + State
Archaeology
Protected
Monuments IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 26
5. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 27
1. Introduction
The rich and vibrant culture of the Indian sub-continent is en-
dowed with, perhaps, the most valuable and diverse built her-
itage along with a significant genre of living monuments in this
world. Amongst India’s rich repository of heritage sites and mon-
uments, of the protected ones include 30 (of 38) cultural edifices
declared as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO, and approximately
3,691 monuments in the custody of Archaeological Survey of In-
dia (ASI) declared as monuments of national importance. Be-
sides this, around 5000 plus monuments are protected under the
Archaeology Departments of various State Governments and a
significant number of temples, mosques, gurudwaras, churches
(around 4,50,000 plus) under the custody of religious endow-
ments and trusts. This still does not account for India’s large re-
serve of urban heritage in its living historic cities, two of which
(Ahmedabad and Jaipur) are also recognised as World Heritage
Sites by UNESCO. Considering the quantum of each historic city
to be approximately 5000 plus historic structures (from 15-20,000
of total dwelling units) and, with more than 60 such historic cities
across India, a tentative number of 300000 can be easily added
to the total. India’s rural heritage (roughly around 80,000 struc-
tures with tribal settlements) is now being further recognised un-
der the category of ‘Cultural Landscape’ with the World Heri-
tage inscription of Kanchendzonga National Park on 2016 on
World Heritage list and, Apatani Cultural Landscape, Cold desert
cultural landscape of Spiti-Ladakh is on the tentative list.
Despite the efforts, a number of heritage structures do not come
under any formal system due to lack of infrastructure and funds.
These unprotected monuments and heritage structures are
brought to public notice and listed mainly due to the intervention
of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), such as Indian Na-
tional Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). Government
organisations like NMMA, IGNCA and ASI’s Village Surveys have
also generated such listings of unprotected heritage in the last
decade which gives us a fair idea of the quantum of our coun-
try’s vast heritage. Between the demarcation of Protected and
Unprotected, this heritage of India is facing serious conservation,
preservation, maintenance and management challenges. The
moot point is whether the mere job of custodians, is administra-
tive, identification of monuments and sites and notification with
conservation or is it time for our heritage institutions to look be-
yond their colonial mandates in order to collaborate with other
government and non-government organisations to sustain the
1
“Among India’s rich repository of heritage sites and monuments, of the
protected ones include 30 (of 38) cultural edifices declared as World
Heritage Sites by UNESCO, and approximately 3,691 monuments in
the custody of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) declared as mon-
uments of national importance.”
Arjuna’s Penance, Mahabalipu-
ram IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 28
“This report by NITI Aayog is an effort to understand the current chal-
lenges for heritage management in India and provide a future road-
map along with an appropriate branding of India’s invaluable Ar-
chaeological and Built Heritage.”
Qutb Minar complex, Delhi; Source - wikipedia A NITI AAYOG REPORT 29
integrity, authenticity and cultural value of our tangible heri-
tage for future generations and also protect, conserve, re-
search and showcase our unique and vast heritage with best
of heritage management practices.
This report attempts to review the entire built heritage scenario
in India and provides an overview of the current status of built
heritage, protected and unprotected, structuring and status of
institutions involved in heritage management, existing gaps in
conservation, archaeology, heritage management, outreach,
promoting and marketing of India’s heritage, assessment of
various heritage projects under Archaeology Departments
along with Tourism and Urban Development. It also assesses
the potentials for Capacity Building through various institutions
involved in Heritage Management across India and, looks at
ways of International collaborations for managing and promot-
ing this heritage.
This report by NITI Aayog is an effort to understand the current
challenges for heritage management in India and provide a
future roadmap along with an appropriate branding of India’s
invaluable Built Heritage including archaeological remains. Af-
ter a comprehensive assessment of the gaps in the protected
and unprotected Heritage Management in India under various
Central and State Institutions along with review of various fund-
ing schemes for heritage under Central Ministries, the report
provides a final recommendation and action plan for India’s
Heritage under following sections:
1. National Database and Documentation
2. Use of Technologies for National Heritage
3. Conservation of National Heritage
4. Excavation and Exploration of Archaeological Sites
5. Developing Site Museums
6. Heritage Tourism, Revenue Generation and Marketing
7. Upgradation of the Archaeological Survey of India
8. Urban Heritage – MoHUA and ASI
9. World Heritage (UNESCO)
10. International Collaborations for India’s Heritage
11. Skill Development, Community Employment and Institution-
al Collaborations
12. Vision, Branding and Marketing Model IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 30
7.
This chapter gives an overview on India’s built heritage and its
current status. This includes the Centrally Protected Monuments
and Sites, the built heritage under State Archaeology Depart-
ments and various Temple Trusts/Religious institutions across In-
dia as well as other protected and unprotected heritage under
public and private sectors like CPWD, national and international
NGOs working in this field like Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC),
Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Inter-
national Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and World
Monuments Fund (WMF).
2. Categories of Built Heritage in India
2.1 Centrally Protected Monuments/ Sites
ASI is the custodian of 3691 monuments and archaeological sites
and remains, all declared Nationally protected monuments, un-
der its AMASR Act, 1958. These include 22 monuments and com-
plexes declared as world heritage properties by UNESCO. The
process of identifying more monuments for protection is a con-
tinuous and an on-going exercise. The 1.03-1.09 sections of the
National Conservation Policy adopted by ASI in 2014 gives an
understanding of a better and wider definition of ‘Monuments’
which is not reflected in the original AMASR Act -
“Monuments” comprise a vast array of human-built edifices,
either standing or underground or still buried, and these reflect
tangible manifestation of India’s rich past. Monuments include
archaeological sites and remains, caves and rock shelters, rock-
cut temples, monoliths, sculptures and bas-relief panels, under-
ground structures and architectural heritage representing various
categories, e.g., religious, secular, defensive, funerary, land-
scapes, etc. The monuments may be ‘functional’ or ‘non-func-
tional’ depending upon whether or not these are functioning as
per their original intended use.
1.04 “Monuments” were often built as part of a wider urban, rural
or natural context / setting and not constructed in isolation. Thus,
monuments should be conceived as inseparable part of their im-
mediate context or setting.
1.05 Monuments reflect myriad applications of building materi-
als, such as, mud, wood, stone, brick, lime, metal, glass, etc., or
composite material application, used under different construc-
tion techniques, often representing different architectural styles
and styles of ornamentation (structural and applied), reflecting
influences from other regions and diverse cultures due to cultur-
al interactions in the past. There are considerable regional and
local variations in monuments in terms of materials, styles and
techniques also due to influence of vernacular (indigenous) ar-
chitecture. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 31
1.06 All Monuments, once declared monuments of national im-
portance, irrespective of their living or non-living status, transcend
their original function and should be valued and conserved in a
spirit of being exemplars of past cultures and represent exempla-
ry human creativity, building crafts tradition, patronization, and
architectural and/or artistic and/or engineering accomplish-
ments. These monuments also serve as tangible manifestation of
historical and cultural events and developments of our past that
spreads over several millennia.
1.07 All monuments that are declared monuments of national
importance are deemed to have high value / significance –
archaeological (including architectural, artistic, scientific, en-
gineering and technological), historical (including events and
association), cultural (including religious and intangible) and
ecological. Monuments can have either a single or a combina-
tion of these values, which contribute to their importance at the
national level.
1.08 All monuments are irreplaceable and non-renewable cul-
tural resource of the country, a by-product of a multi-ethnic and
diverse culture. Irrespective of their scale, location and type,
monuments, once declared so, should be regarded as National
Treasures or National Icons. Utmost care must be taken to pro-
tect and preserve them for posterity.
1.09 The understanding and interpretation of a “Monument” has
changed with time, over the past 100 years, worldwide. Many
more categories of historic buildings and sites are considered
heritage and are being conserved by countries across the world.
The process of identifying monuments of national importance
also representing underrepresented and / or including types,
such as, but not limiting to, for instance, historic gardens, historic
cities (settlements and precincts), industrial heritage, vernacular
heritage, cultural landscapes, cultural routes, etc., should regu-
larly continue.
Adarsh Smarak
Taking a holistic approach towards conservation, development
of centrally protected monuments, ASI has identified 100 mon-
uments as Adarsh Smarak throughout the country to be con-
served and developed as model monuments in the first phase.
These monuments will be equipped with all basic amenities such
as washrooms, drinking water, signage, cafeteria, interpretation
centres, wi-fi facility, etc. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 32
“Present list of Centrally Protected Monuments/ Sites include 3691
monuments and 143 ticketed monuments ”
S.No.State/UT Wise
Number of Protected Monuments and Sites
Ticketed Monuments
1. Andhra Pradesh and Tel- angana
50003
2. Arunachal Pradesh 7-
3. Assam9605
4. Bihar3005
5. Chhattisgarh5001
6. Delhi17410
7. Goa5105
8. Gujarat317-
9. Haryana2302
10. Himachal Pradesh 0502
11. Jammu & Kashmir 2804
12. Jharkhand03-
13. Karnataka74713
14. Kerala10101
15. Madhya Pradesh 32608
16. Maharashtra24416
17. Manipur49-
18. Meghalaya04-
19. Mizoram53-
20. Odisha21805
21. Punjab61-
22. Rajasthan22703
23. Tamil Nadu8611
24. Uttar Pradesh 14119
25. Uttarakhand21-
26. West Bengal10603
Present list of Centrally Protected Monuments/ Sites and ticketed monuments
Note - Additionally, few more monuments are also ticketed in the Union Territories adding to a total of 143 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 33
2.2 State Archaeology Departments
Besides ASI as the custodian of centrally protected monuments
and a central guiding body for archaeology and conservation,
several states across India have their own Departments of Ar-
chaeology for the State Protected Monuments and Museums. A
number of these State Archaeology Department were formed
pre-independence during the British period as parallels to ASI
for state level works by the Princely States. After Independence,
the earlier State Departments of Archaeology were recognized
under the various newly formed State Governments along with
establishment of new departments of state archaeology across
the country. These departments have adapted and adopted
the AMASR Act to translate as a State Archaeology Act for main-
tenance, preservation and protection of monuments under the
State/ UT. These State Acts for Archaeology were adopted in dif-
ferent years post-independence by various states.
A brief overview of the State Departments of Archaeology is pro-
vided in the table below, the information in the table is tentative
and needs to be verified by ASI.
Vishnudol Joysagar, Assam.
Source - Rofiuddin Ahme, Wiki-
media Commons IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 34
State/ Name of
Archaeological
Department
State Archaeological
Acts
No. Conservation works
Andhra Pradesh
Department of
Archaeology and
Museums
Andhra Pradesh An-
cient and Historical
Monuments and Ar-
chaeological Sites and
Remains Rules 1960.
277 Total Temples Conservation works taken
up : 133 no’s
Total Forts Conservation works taken up :
3 no’s
Total New Museums Construction & Up
gradation of Museum works taken up : 16
no’s
Total Buddhist Sites Conservation works
taken up : 6 no’s
Establishment of New Shilparamam : 6
no’s
The 13th Finance commission grants
were provided in the year 2011-2015 af-
ter which the above given conservation
works were executed.
Arunachal
Pradesh
Directorate of re-
search - archae-
ological section
1.The Arunachal
Pradesh Ancient Mon-
ument, Archaeological
Sites and Remains Pres-
ervation Act, 1990.
2. The Arunachal
Pradesh Heritage Act,
2015
7 Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Assam
Directorate of
Archaeology
1.The Assam Ancient
Monument and Re-
cords Act, 1959
2. The Assam Ancient
Monument and Re-
cords Rules 1964.
117
sites and
monu-
ments
Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Bihar
Directorate of
Archaeology
Bihar Ancient Monu -
ments and Archaeo -
logical Sites’ Remains
and Art Treasures Act,
1976.
42 Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Chhattisgarh
Directorate of
Culture and Ar-
chaeology
The Madhya Pradesh
Ancient Monuments
and Archaeological
Sites and Remains
(Amendment) Act,
1970.
The Above given Act
functions for Chhat-
tisgarh, even though
the Act pertains to the
Govt. of MP.
58 Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Goa
Directorate of
Archives and
Archaeology
1. The Goa Ancient
Monuments and Ar-
chaeological Sites and
Remains Act, 1978 and
Rules, 1980.
51 Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 35
Haryana; Source - archaeol-
ogyharyana.nic.in
Kalyani at Melkote, Karna-
taka; Source - karnatakaar-
chaeology.gov.in
Odisha; Source - odishacul-
ture.gov.in/Archaeology/
Roopmati Pavilion, Mandu,
Madhya Pradesh; Source -
mptourism.in IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 36
State/ Name of
Archaeological
Department
State Archaeological
Acts
No. Conservation works
Goa
2. The Goa, Daman
and Diu Treasure Trove
Rules, 1975.
Gujarat
Directorate of
Archaeology and
Museums
The Gujarat Ancient
Monuments and Ar-
chaeological Sites and
Remains Act, 1965.
361 Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Haryana
Directorate of
Archaeology and
Museums
The Monuments are
maintained under the
1964 Act of Govern-
ment of Punjab.
34 Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Himachal
Pradesh
Department of
Language, Art
and Culture
The Himachal Pradesh
Ancient and Historical
Monuments and Ar-
chaeological Sites and
Remains Act, 1976
8 monu-
ments no-
tified and
are still in
process.
Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Jharkhand03 Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Karnataka
Department of
Archaeology
Museums and
Heritage
1. Mysore Ancient Mon-
uments Preservation
Act, 1925.
2. The Karnataka An-
cient Monuments and
Archaeological Sites
and Remains Act, 1961
860 The Conservation wing in the department
for the conservation of monuments was
established in the year 1974. The upkeep
and maintenance of selected monu-
ments are being
carried out under the action plan ap-
proved by the government of Karna-
taka. At present the conservation of
Chamararajeshwara temple at Chama-
raja Nagara has been happening since
2 years (since 2017) which is currently at
the final phase.
Kerala
Kerala State
Department of
Archaeology
Kerala ancient mon-
uments and archae-
ological sites and re-
mains act
- 1968.
183 The department has studied and followed
the directives of international organi-
sations like United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization(UN-
ESCO)and International Centre for the
Study of the Preservation and Restoration
of Cultural Property
(ICCROM) on how to preserve heritage
structures. In 1964, the department de-
clared East Fort and other forts in the city
of Thiruvananthapuram as Protected
Monuments.
Recently, conservation works were exe-
cuted at the Thripunithara Hill Palace in
the year 2018. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 37
State/ Name of
Archaeological
Department
State Archaeological
Acts
No. Conservation works
Madhya Pradesh
Directorate of
Archaeology,
Archives and
Museums
1.Madhya Pradesh An-
cient Monuments and
Archaeological Sites
and Remains Act, 1964.
2. The Madhya Pradesh
Ancient Monuments
and Archaeological
Sites and Remains
(Amendment) Act,
1970.
497 The conservation & restoration works was
carried out in most of the State Protected
Monuments in the previous years. A num-
ber of Conservation Plans and DPRs were
prepared under funding through 13th FC
with overall project being monitored by
the World Monuments Fund on behalf of
the Department.
The conservation & restoration work on
some important monuments was tak-
en up in the financial year 2009-10 viz.
Narwar Fort Shivpuri, Garkundar Fort Ti-
kamgarh, Raja Mahal & Jahangir Mahal
Orchha, Taj Mahal Bhopal, Jainabad ki
sarai & Masjid Burhanpur, Fort Dhar,Dhar
in Madhya Pradesh.
Maharashtra
Directorate of
Archaeology and
Museum
Maharashtra Ancient
monuments, Antiquity
and remains – 1960.
375 MoU signed between ASI and State for
Raigadh (ASI monument) in 2017 where
state can take up conservation works in
ASI monuments. Conservation of state
monuments being carried out by the de-
partment
Manipur
The Manipur State
Archaeology
051, as per
a report
published
in 2013.
Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Meghalaya
Department of
Art and Culture
The Meghalaya Heri-
tage Act, 2012
9 ancient
remains
declared
while the
rest are in
process
Govt.
Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Mizoram
Art and Culture
Department
Mizoram Ancient Mon-
uments and Archae -
ological sites and Re-
mains Act, 2001
64 Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Nagaland
The Department
of Art & Culture
Not present Not pres-
ent. The
State only
has Cen-
trally pro-
tected
monu -
ments.
Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 38
State/ Name of
Archaeological
Department
State Archaeological
Acts
No. Conservation works
Odisha
Odisha State
Archaeology
Odisha Ancient Monu-
ments Preservation Act
of 1956.
218 Under the Integrated Coastal zone Man-
agement Project (ICZMP), seven monu-
ments having archaeological, architec-
tural, sculptural and historical importance
have been identified for conservation
and improvement.
Conservation of these monuments is un-
der progress. Besides, forty days Capaci-
ty building workshop for traditional stone
masons have been organized.
Punjab
Directorate of
Cultural Affairs,
Archaeology and
Museums
The Punjab Ancient and
Historical Monuments
and Archaeological
Sites and Remains Act,
1964.
85 23 state monuments conservation works
was taken up under 13th FC approx. cost
of 100 crores. The works are in finishing
stage with some monuments also adapt-
ed to reuse.
Rajasthan
Department of
Archaeology and
Museums
The Rajasthan Monu -
ments, Archaeological
Sites and Antiquities
(Act, 1961).
342 monu-
ments, 43
sites and
21 muse-
ums
State Archaeology prepared their own
schedule of rates since 1990s and are
carrying out conservation works through
empanelled conservation architects with
preparation of Conservation Plans/DPRS
using this SoR and including master crafts-
people actively since 2005.
Sikkim
Tamil Nadu
State Department
of Archaeology
Tamil Nadu ancient
and historical monu-
ments and archae-
ological sites and re-
mains Act- 1966.
91 To preserve the regional history of Tamil
Nadu, the Department of Archaeology is
protecting monuments-districts 91 monu-
ments spread all over the
State. These monuments, which contain
historical inscriptions or have architec-
tural & artistic value, throw light on an-
cient heritage. They provide a wealth of
information for the reconstruction of the
State’s history.
Telangana
Department of
Heritage
Telangana Heritage
(Protection, Preserva-
tion, Conservation and
Maintenance) Act,
2017.
347 With the 13th Finance Commission Grants,
the Department has taken up 81 works in
two phases for the conservation of Mon-
uments covering the ten districts of the
State of Telangana. The Department has
submitted proposals for conservation of
Monuments and upgradation of Muse-
ums (61 works) to the 14th Finance Com-
mission (2015-2020) for a sum of Rs.100
crores.
Tripura
Not present
The Tripura Ancient
Monuments and Ar-
chaeological Sites and
Remains Act, 1997
8
All the
monu-
ments are
centrally
protected.
Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 39
Laxmana temple, Sirpur, Chattis-
garh; Source - asiraipurcircle.in
Hill Palace Museum; Source -
archaeology.kerala.gov.in
Akhnoor Fort, Jammu; Source -
asisrinagar.com IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 40
State/ Name of
Archaeological
Department
State Archaeological
Acts
No. Conservation works
Uttar Pradesh
Directorate of
Archaeology and
museums
The U.P. Ancient and
Historical Monuments
and Archaeological
Sites and Remains Pres-
ervation Act, 1956.
143 Limited posts of five Conservation Assis-
tants (Junior Engineers) and one Archae-
ological Enginior are created for the con-
servation of protected monuments in the
department. In view of the number of
protected monuments and sites located
in different parts of the state more posts
should be created to look after them.
Proper training to enhance the expertise
of conservation assistants as per estab-
lished conservation norms is highly need-
ed.
About Rs 36 crore have been released so
far during the last five years for the con-
servation of State Protected monuments
under the 13th Finance Commission. Sev-
enteen monuments are being conserved
with this grant through the Uttar Pradesh
Avas evam Vikas Parishad.
Uttarakhand
Directorate of
Culture
The State follows the
1956 Act of Uttar
Pradesh under the rati-
fication of the Reorgan-
isation Act, 2000.
71 Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
West Bengal
Directorate of
Archaeology and
Museums
The West Bengal Pres-
ervation of Historical
Monuments and Ob-
jects and Excavation
of Archaeological Sites
Act, 1957
100 Several conservation projects of the state
protected monuments are included in
the 13th Finance Commission plan.
Mizoram
Art and Culture
Department
Mizoram Ancient Mon-
uments and Archae -
ological sites and Re-
mains Act, 2001
64 Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Nagaland
The Department
of Art & Culture
Not present Not pres-
ent. The
State only
has Cen-
trally pro-
tected
monu -
ments.
Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 41
Union Territory/
Name of De-
partment
Archaeological ActsNumber Conservation works
Delhi
Department of
Archaeology
Delhi Ancient and His-
torical Monuments and
Archaeological Sites
and Remains Act - 2004.
19 de-
clared
protected
under an
ongoing
survey of
238 in total
Department of Archaeology has com-
pleted two sets of conservation of mon-
uments conserving 33 monuments and
conservation of 3rd set of 18 monuments
is in progress. In addition conservation
work of Dara Shikoh Library Building at
Kashmere Gate and conservation of Sa-
rai of Azim Ganj inside National Zoologi-
cal Park are in progress.
Ladakh
The monuments
in Ladakh come
under the “Direc-
torate of Archives,
Archaeology and
Museums, Jammu
and Kashmir”.
Ancient Monuments
Preservation Act, Sam-
vat 1977.
The monuments in Ladakh come under
the “Directorate of Archives, Archaeolo-
gy and Museums, Jammu and Kashmir”.
LakshadweepInformation to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
ChandigarhInformation to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Daman and DiuInformation to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Andaman and
Nicobar Islands
Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
PondicherryInformation to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Dadra and Nagar
Haveli
Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Jammu and Kash-
mir
Directorate of Ar-
chives, Archaeol-
ogy and Museums
1. Ancient Monuments
Preservation Act, Sam-
vat 1977.
2.Jammu and Kashmir
Ancient Monuments
Preservation (Amend-
ment) Act, 2010.
55 The department has undertaken con-
servation work at number of protected
monuments such as Bahu Fort Jammu,
Hari Parbat Fort Srinagar, Bhimgarh fort
Reasi, Moughal Sarai Chingus Rajouri, An-
cient Temple Kothiar Anantnag, Mehjoor
house Mitrigam Pulwama, Fort complex
Jasrota Kathua Mubarak mandi heritage
complex, etc. The recent conservation
work involves the conservation of Hari
Parbat fort built by Afghan Governor in
1808, Atta Muhammad Khanin Kashmir
which has been conserved since 2006.
Union Territories IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 42
The State Departments and UTs amount to a total of 4,538 (ap-
prox. 5000 no) monuments and sites protected across India. They
have varying capacities for undertaking conservation and ar-
chaeology works and are supported by State tourism depart-
ments for marketing and promotion of their monuments. Most of
the State Archaeology Departments are short of staff and lack
a vision for overall works in archaeology and conservation. Few
like Rajasthan and Karnataka have been very active since their
initiation. Rajasthan is the only State Archaeology Department
which has 3 of its own state protected sites on World Heritage
List. However, with major funding was available to several State
Archaeology Departments under the 13th FC, a number of other
State Departments such as MP, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Kerala etc
have become more equipped and active to handle conserva-
tion works. While Rajasthan probably remains the only depart-
ment to formally adopt the SoR, these have been drafted by
other states such as Punjab, MP and AP though pending for final
approval. Documentation or basic database of monuments with
States in a challenge. Rajasthan has some edge in this where
DoIT, GoR has completed LiDAR survey of its 22 sites, forts and
others with complete walkthroughs including its use for interpre-
tation and games etc. Telangana has linked with AKTC for the
Qutb Shahi Tombs to showcase a role model for holistic conser-
vation approach. More such models may be available with var-
ious states.
2.3 Temple Trusts and Committees
Amid the nineteenth and mid twentieth century a number of
religious monuments related associations got legal recognition
as the Government established different laws, for example, the
Societies Registration Act of 1860, The Religious Endowments Act
of 1863, The Indian Trusts Act of 1882 and the Charitable Endow-
ments Act of 1890. Such institutions gave open acknowledgment
to the intention of the organizers and amplified the security of the
law to their salaries and property; however these authorizations
were fairly gentle and did not force strong regulatory controls.
The British Government later included two more enactments i.e.
the Charitable and Religious Trusts Act, 1920 and (ii) the Trade
Unions Act, 1926.
There are approximately 4,50,000 temples under the control of
trusts. This is the largest segment of India’s Heritage and man-
aged through Private Trusts with minimal intervention from Public
Sector. Some of them also provide model cases for Conservation
works and self-sustainability through involvement of stakeholders
which need to be incorporated in living monuments’ conserva-
tion works for Centrally Protected and State Protected Monu-
ments.
The information in the following table is tentative and needs to
be verified by ASI. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 43
State WiseHR & CE/ Temple
Committees/ Tem-
ple trusts
Acts/ Laws Remarks
Jammu &
Kashmir
The Dharmartha
trust is managing
175 temples
The status of -Bill from Kashmiri Hindu
Shrines and Religious Places (Man-
agement and Regulation) Bill to
Shrines and
Religious Places of Hindus of Kashmir
(Management and Regulation) Bill
Ladakh – Buddhist
Monasteries as exam-
ples
Haryana 9 Gurudwara under
SGPC
Shitla Mata Mandi, Gurgaon and
Devi Mandir, Panchkula
9 Gurudwara under
SGPC in Haryana
Himachal
Pradesh
The Himachal Pradesh Hindu Public
Religious Institutions and Charitable
Endowments Act, 1984
Act 18 of 1984
2 Gurudwara under
SGPC in Himachal
Pradesh;
Dalai Lama Trust in Hi-
machal Pradesh (pre-
serves and conserves-
eg- TASHI LHUNPO
MONASTERY)
UttarakhandShri Badarinath Ke-
darnath temple
committee was
formed in 1939 for
worship of the Shri
Badarinath, in which,
in the year 1942 the
other 45 temple in-
cluding Shri Kedar-
nath were included.
The management is
done by the dona-
tion funds received
by the temple com-
mittee.
2018- Uttarakhand High court-
In order to maintain the sanctity of
the temples and for the better ad-
ministration of the Hindu Religious In-
stitutions and Charitable Endow-
ments, including public temples, and
for the protection and preservation
of the properties of such institutions/
Endowments, it is necessary to make
legislation.
The other trusts are- Badri Kedar Tem-
ple Committee, Jageshwar Dham
trust
As per the require-
ment, the BKTC con-
sults ASI in terms of
conservation works (
eg. Kedar nath)but
largely the works at
temples is done by the
PWD department
Uttar
Pradesh
Department of reli-
gious affairs
(Dharmartha
vibhag)
Uttar Pradesh Charitable Endow-
ments Extension of Power Act, 1950
1. Charitable Endowments U.P.
Amendment Act, 1952
2. United Provinces Charitable En-
dowments Rules, 1943
3. Religious Endowments Uttar
Pradesh Amendments Act, 1951
Uttar Pradesh Hindu Religious Insti-
tutions Prevention of Dissipation of
Properties (Repeal) Act, 2000
Dharmarth Karya Vibhag, Uttar
Pradesh was established on 19th De-
cember 1985 with the aim to execute
all work related to dharmarth institu-
tions and temples of Uttar Pradesh
successfully. All temples & religious
places of state comes under the ju-
risdiction of the Department of Reli-
gious Affairs, U.P.
Objective: The main
objective of the de-
partment is to provide
the basic facilities like,
route management,
accommodation, light
management, drink-
ing water facility, food-
ing facility
etc. at several reli-
gious places of Uttar
Pradesh. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 44
State WiseHR & CE/ Temple
Committees/ Tem-
ple trusts
Acts/ Laws Remarks
Punjab 84 gurudwaras THE SIKH GURDWARAS ACT, 1925
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS.
SGPC Act
84 Gurudwaras under
SGPC; Golden Temple
as example for conser-
vation
BiharThe Bihar Hindu Religious Trust
(Amendment) Act, 2013 Act 4 of 2013
Example of Ma-
habodhi Trust manag-
ing the World Heritage
Site of Bodhgaya
JharkhandJharkhand Hindu Religious Trust Act,
1950
Information to be
sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in
their database.
Odisha Over 16000 temples
and 450 mutts
Orissa Hindu Religious Endowments
(Amendment Bill), 2012
Lingraj temple trust,
Mutts of Puri, Jaganna-
tha, and Ekamrashet-
ra, Bhubaenswar;
Arunachal
Pradesh
No act
ManipurGovind ji Temple trustManages the Govind
Ji temple in Imphal
AssamNo act
MizoramNo act
MeghalayaNo act
NagalandNo act
TripuraNo act
Rajasthan 62798Grant in Aid Rules, 1958
Rajasthan Fund Service Rules, 1959,
Rajasthan Public Trust Act 1959, 1962,
Rajasthan Devasthan State and Sub-
ordinate Service Rules, 2000, Rajas-
than Grant In Aid to Temples And
Other Religious and Charitable Insti-
tution Rules, 2010, Rajasthan Religious
Buildings and Places Act, 1954, 1957
GujaratThe Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950Information to be
sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in
their database.
MaharashtraMaharashtra Temples or Religious In-
stitutions (Management and Regula-
tion) Bill, 2012 status?
Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, 1950
Information to be
sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in
their database. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 45
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple,
in Srirangam, near Tiruchirappali;
Source - Wikipedia
The local ladies engaged in res-toration of artworks in the monas-teries in Ladakh; Source - thebet-
terindia.com
Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai; Source - Wikipedia IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 46
State WiseHR & CE/ Temple
Committees/ Tem-
ple trusts
Acts/ Laws Remarks
GoaSI and State Depart-
ment manages the
historic churches while
some of the village
panchyat also are in-
volved in preservation
and conservation of
Biodiversity (Chicalim
committee)- not sure
about the historic
buildings
Madhya
Pradesh
831 temples under
Dharmasva Depart-
ment
Religious Trust & En-
dowments Depart-
ment
Government of
Madhya Pradesh-
Almost 12,000 tem-
ples
Draft rules - Madhya Pradesh public
place (eligious buildings and activi-
ties regulation) rules, 2015
ChhattisgarhChhattisgarh Public Trusts Act, 1951,Information to be
sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in
their database.
Andhra
Pradesh
24, 622The Andhra Pradesh Charitable and
Hindu Religious Institutions and En-
dowments Act, 1987 (Andhra Pradesh
Act No. 30 of 1987)
Need to mention Tir-
upati Trust among oth-
ers
Karnataka 1297Hindu Religious Institutions and Char-
itable Endowments Act, popular-
ly known as ‘Muzrai’ Act, 1997 and
Rules 2002.
Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions
and Charitable Endowments, 2002.
There are 1297 notified temples in
Bellary district, A Grade 7 temples,
B Grade 12 temples, C Grade 1278
temples. The temple income is spent
for the necessary expenditure and
development works.
The information is just
for Bellary district; some
of the websites claim
that there are approx-
imately 2 lakh temples
Kerala 1248 temples under
Travancore Devas-
wom Board (TDB)
Kerala Travancore – Cochin Hindu
Religious Institutions Act, 1950
Tamil Nadu 38,360 temples un-
der HR & CE Depart-
ment
Hindu Religious Institutions and Chari-
table Endowments Act, 1959
TelanganaInformation to be
sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in
their database.
DelhiNo Act A NITI AAYOG REPORT 47
Most of the Temple Trusts, Buddhist Monasteries, Waqf Boards and
others such as SGPC for Gurudwaras are managing their religious
institutions quite well. While each of them has been following in-
structions for maintenance of the religious heritage under their
custodianship as prescribed in their traditional texts; in the last
decade few of these institutions have become very conscious of
built heritage conservation as a new discipline. They have also
realized the historic, artistic and architectural significance of their
religious heritage as a monument along with its strong associa-
tional and religious value for the larger public. As such, a cou-
ple of institutions have engaged in formal conservation works
through professionals within the framework of their Trusts without
disturbing the ritualistic and living nature of this heritage. Such
conservation examples may be supported and guided by ASI,
that show a more inclusive approach to the living heritage which
is the essence of India. However, with the immense quantum of
our religious heritage it is still a challenge for these institutions to
manage their heritage. Except for the few that generate enough
funds through their operations, other lesser known temples and
religious structures are not in a good condition.
Golden Temple, Amritsar; Source - timesofindia.com
Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhgaya;
Source - gettyimages IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 48
2.4. CPWD and other Unprotected Heritage – Public and
Private
CPWD has 50 Built Heritage monuments under its jurisdiction in-
cluding the Rashtrapati Bhawan, North and South Block and
even fewer sites protected by (not owned) by ASI such as Vice-
regal Lodge. A complete list is as shown in the table.
In the last 5 years, CPWD has undertaken rigorous conservation
works in coordination with ASI, INTACH and engagement of con-
servation professionals. MoHUA has also published CPWD man-
ual for heritage conservation and an audit of its conservation
works which are exemplary documents. Besides CPWD, State
PWDs and Urban local bodies or Panchayats also have signif-
icant heritage buildings which are unprotected heritage. All
such government bodies require sensitization and training to val-
ue and conserve this heritage while continuing its use/ adaptive
reuse as the case may be. It is finally the examples of heritage
conservation undertaken by the Public Sector which will inspire
the private historic house owners to retain their heritage homes
and historic character of our old cities.
INTACH as an all India level Ngo has played an important role in
last 30 years in providing guidance for listing and conservation
of unprotected heritage. It has even evolved a Charter on Un-
protected Heritage of India which is a good reference base also
quoted by CPWD in their various works, Besides this, INTACH Her-
itage Academy is also providing training programs in heritage
for officials at various levels – IAS Academy at Mussoorie, Local
bodies for Smart City Heritage and PWD officials in various states.
More recently, urban heritage of India i.e. its historic city cores
are being taken up for major urban conservation works through
MoUD programs of HRIDAY, SMART and AMRUT and, also as part
of UNESCO World Heritage City (Ahmedabad and Jaipur). This
aspect if further explained under the MoHUA programs for heri-
tage in Section IV.
There are other heritage properties with Railways and State Pub-
lic Works Departments and Municipal Corporations which require
to be further listed and added in the database for protection,
conservation and reuse.
“In the last 5 years, CPWD has undertaken rigorous conservation works
in coordination with ASI, INTACH and engagement of conservation
professionals.” A NITI AAYOG REPORT 49
Restoration of courtyards by
CPWD; Source - Conservation
and Audit of Heritage Buildings,
CPWD
Replacement of stone on the
walls and the corridors in the
North and South Block, New Del-
hi; Source - Conservation and Au-
dit of Heritage Buildings, CPWD
Greenery Work in the Courtyard of the Ministry of Finance at North Block by CPWD; Source - Con-servation and Audit of Heritage Buildings, CPWD
Next Page - Rashtrapati Bhavan
illuminated for Republic Day;
Source - https://www.goodfon.
com/ IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 50
S.
No.
Heritage Buildings
New Delhi
1. Rashtrapati Bhawan11.Jaipur House
2. Parliament House12.Bikaner House
3. Building within the President Estate 13.Faridkot House
4. Jaipur Column14.Darbhanga House
5. North & South Block15.Naval Officer Mess (Kota House)
6. Hydeabad House & Complex16.Jaiselmer House
7. Gandhi Sadan Smriti17.Patiala House
8. Teen Murti House18.Bahagal Pur House
9. Indira Gandhi Memorial
10 Vice President’s House
NCT of Delhi
19. Session House at North End Road
20. Press Building & DC Office at 5 Sham Nath Marg
21. Delhi Vidhan Sabha
Shimla Central Division - 1
22. The Bernloe Cottages27.The Cedar
23. Eddleston28.Railway Board Building
24. Earmeston29.Kennedy College Building
25. Grand Hotel30.Claiiriount Building
26. Vice Regal Lodge31.Garon Castle Building
Kolkata
32. Indian Museum38.Passport Office at Gurusaday
33. Asiatic Society39.Passport office at Ballygunge Palace
34. National Library40.Victoria Memorial Hall
35. India Govt. Mint41.Central Govt. Office at 5 Esplanade
East Kolkata
36. GSI (HQ) Main Building42.Fort William
37. BSF (HQ) Office at Gurusaday
Mumbai
43. Nav Bhavan49.Exchange Building, Ballard Pier
44. Scindia House50.NOMA (CJ), Hall Port
45. Exchange Building
46. Old Custom House
47. New Custom House, Ballard Pier
48. Nav Bhawan, Ballard Pier
List of Heritage Buildings under the jurisdiction/maintenance of CPWD A NITI AAYOG REPORT 51 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 52
2.5 NGOs in Heritage Conservation and Management in
India
2.5.1 Aga Khan Trust for Culture
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) focuses on the physical,
social, cultural and economic revitalisation of communities in the
developing world. It includes the Aga Khan Award for Archi-
tecture, the Aga Khan Historic Cities Programme, the Aga Khan
Music Initiative, the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada, the
on-line resource Archnet.org and related programmes. Cultural
activities in India are undertaken by the the Aga Khan Trust for
Culture (AKTC). The largest cultural project to date has been
the restoration and revitalisation of Humayun’s Tomb, including
its gardens. These activities have since expanded to social and
cultural programmes in the neighbouring Nizamuddin area, as
well as to Sunder Nursery and a number of monuments in the his-
toric district. In Hyderabad, a project to restore the Qutb Shahi
tombs is also underway.
2.5.2 Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage
The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH)
was founded in 1984 in New Delhi with the vision to spearhead
heritage awareness and conservation in India. Today INTACH is
recognized as one of the world’s largest heritage organizations,
with over 190 Chapters across the Country. In the past 31 years
INTACH has pioneered the conservation and preservation of not
just our natural and built heritage but intangible heritage as well.
Headquartered in New Delhi, it operates through various divi-
sions such as Architectural Heritage, Natural Heritage, Material
Heritage, Intangible Cultural Heritage, Heritage Education and
Communication Services (HECS), Crafts and Community Cell,
Chapters, INTACH Heritage Academy, Heritage Tourism, Listing
Cell and Library, Archives and Documentation Centre.
INTACH’s mission to conserve heritage is based on the belief that
living in harmony with heritage enhances the quality of life, and
it is the duty of every citizen of India as laid down in the Constitu-
tion of India.
2.5.3 International Council On Monuments and Sites
ICOMOS works for the conservation and protection of cultural
heritage places. It is the only global non-government organisa-
tion of this kind, which is dedicated to promoting the application
of theory, methodology, and scientific techniques to the con-
servation of the architectural and archaeological heritage. It is
a network of experts that benefits from the interdisciplinary ex-
change of its members, among which are architects, historians,
archaeologists, art historians, geographers, anthropologists, en- A NITI AAYOG REPORT 53
Huma yun’s T omb Conser vation
Restoration of tilework at Humayun’s Tomb (top)
required four years of experimentation. The skills
acquired by local youth will be used to restore tile
work on all monuments that stand in the setting of
Humayun’s Tomb, such as Nila Gumbad (centre).
Youth and w omen groups ha ve been tr ained in diverse
skills ranging from computer operations to paper cutting
(bottom pictur e) to create economic opportunities
A prominent intervention was the removal of cement plaster and the restoration
of the decorative star-shaped patterns on the facade of the 68 mini-mausoleums
on the ground level where 160 Mughal family member s, including Dara Shikoh,
are buried.
For the Mughal builders, the tiles on the roof canopies represented a reminder of
their Persian ancestr y. In the 21
st
century, however, the tiles represented a craft
skill lost in India. The conservation process required four years of experimentation,
which was started under the guidance of master craftsmen from U
zbekistan – who
trained y outh from the adjoining Nizamuddin Basti in tile making.
URBAN LANDSCAPE APPROACH
The outstanding universal value of the Humayun’s Tomb complex is also derived
from it it being at the heart of an ensemble of 16
th
century garden tombs. Together
with conservation works on Humayun’s Tomb, the adjoining monuments of Nila
Gumbad, Isa Khan’s garden-tomb, Bu Halima’s garden- tomb, Arab Serai gateways,
Sundarawala Mahal and Burj, Batashewala group of Monume nts, Chausath
Khambha, Hazrat Nizamuddin Baoli and adjoining monuments are all part of the
on going project. In all cases, the setting of these monuments is also undergoing
conservation, and landscaping or/and urban improvements .
CULTURE AS A TOOL FOR DEVELOPMENT
The resident communities of Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti are beare
rs of living
cultural traditions that have survived for over seven centuries. Yet many
residents here did not have access to basic urban services. The project, through
improvements in education, health, sanitation and infrastr ucture, has aimed to
improve the quality of life. Physical upgrading has always been accompanied by
training and empowering residents. Neighbourhood parks have been landscaped ,
housing improvements undertaken in partnership with house owners and
suppor t provided to the municipality to undertake a major str eet improvement
programme . Performance areas have been created for the practitione rs of
Quww ali music traditions that were created here in the 14
th
century by Hazrat
Amir Khusrau and continue to draw a wide audience .
In order to dissemin ate the knowledge acquired during the conservation project,
several publications will be produced, and the accumulated documenta tion will
be made a vailable on the pr oject w ebsite - www .nizamuddinrenewal.org.
Aga Khan Trust for Culture,
with co-funding of Sir Dorabji Tata Trust
and in par tnership with the Archaeolog ical Sur vey of India
under took the conser vation of Huma yun’s Tomb
and associa ted str uctures dur ing 2007-2013.
Huma yun’s Tomb - Sundar Nursery - Hazra t Nizam uddin Basti
URBAN RENEW AL INITIA TIVE
AGA KHAN TRUST FOR CULTURE
For more information please visit www.akdn.or g or contact the Aga Khan Trust for Cultur e,
P.O. 3253, Hazrat Nizamuddin East, New Delhi 110013 Email: info@nizamuddinrenewal.org
Follow on: www.nizamuddinrenewal.org or Facebook: www.facebook.com/NizamuddinRenewal IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 54
gineers and town planners.
ICOMOS India, is a membership based organization that pro-
vides a forum where individuals and representatives of institu-
tions concerned with the conservation, protection, rehabilita-
tion and enhancement of cultural heritage sites and places
can meet to exchange information and views on principles
and practices in the field.
2.5.4 World Monuments Fund
World Monuments Fund is a private nonprofit organization
founded in 1965 by individuals concerned about the accel-
erating destruction of important artistic treasures throughout
the world. oday, with affiliate organizations established in Brit-
ain, India, Peru, Portugal, and Spain — World Monuments Fund
sponsors an ongoing program for the conservation of cultural
heritage worldwide.
Established in 2015, WMF India serves as a local representative
for WMF, assisting with project management and outreach.
World Monuments Fund has had a significant presence in India
for over 20 years since the inception of the Watch. Its earliest
project was the study and stabilisation of Jaisalmer Fort. Work
continued here for over 15 years until the site was deemed in a
good enough condition to close our involvement. Many other
sites across India have received funding and technical support
over the years. These include: Pardesi Synagogue in Kochi, Taj
Mahal, The Krishnadevaraya Temple in the World Heritage site
of Hampi, and the Dwarkadeesh Temple in Ahmedabad fol-
lowing extensive earthquake damage.
WMF India was set up to partner with international and national
organizations as well as donors to focus on heritage conserva-
tion projects and awareness programmes in India.
(Next Page) Work undertaken by WMF in Dwarkadeesh Temple following to stabilize earthquake damage; Source - gujarattour-
ism.com A NITI AAYOG REPORT 55 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 56
1. National Archaeological Database to be
made
2. National GIS Database for monuments
and sites with ISRO to be authenticated and
validated
3. Extend ongoing initiative for Archives Data
to be accessible digitally and Archives to be
stored as per conservation norms
2. National Database and Documentation A NITI AAYOG REPORT 57 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 58 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 59
This chapter gives an overview on the National Mission on Mon-
uments and Antiquities (NMMA) which was responsible for the
creation of the national database of the built heritage of India,
along with gap analysis, management and requisite recommen-
dations for a National Database and Documentation. The short-
comings have substantially been pointed out along with recom-
mendations for achieving the objectives of the NMMA.
1. Existing Systems of Database and
Documentation
1. National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities
The National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities was launched
in 2007. Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is the nodal agency
for NMMA to implement the various activities all over the coun-
try. The time frame prescribed for its completion was five years. Its
mandate covers a comprehensive database with
• National Register on Built Heritage & Sites
• National Register on Antiquities.
The objectives of NMMA
1. Documentation and creation of suitable database on built
heritage and sites for information and dissemination to planners,
researchers etc. and for better management of such cultural re-
sources.
2. Documentation in a uniform format developed by NMMA, of
all Antiquities that are available in the form of Registered Antiqui-
ties, Catalogued Antiquities with Central as well as State Govern-
ments, Private museums and collections, Universities, etc.
3. Promote awareness and sensitize people concerning the ben-
efits of preserving the historical and cultural aspects of built heri-
tage, sites and antiquities.
4. Extend training facility and capacity building to the concerned
State Departments, Local bodies, NGOs, Universities, Museums,
Local communities etc.
5. Help in developing synergy between institutions like Archae-
ological Survey of India, State Departments, concerned Institu-
tions and NGOs to generate close interaction.
6. Publication and Research
2. Bhuvan App
Bhuvan is a web based utility launched on August 12, 2009 which
allows users to explore a set of map based content prepared
2
Laser Scanning being done for documentation; Source - geo -
spatialworld.net IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 60
by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and is associated
with various sections of Government of India to enable the use
of Geospatial technology like Toll Information System for National
Highways Authority of India, Islands information System for MHA,
Cultural heritage sites for Ministry of culture etc. The information
for the platform is obtained from the government of India sourc-
es or through Crowdsourcing. Bhuvan offers detailed imagery of
Indian locations compared to other Virtual Globe Software, with
spatial resolutions ranging up to 1 metre.
There have been several difficulties with the Bhuvan App related
to compatibility and accessibility. For the monuments, the app
shows the protected boundary, prohibited boundary and regu-
lated boundary. The authenticity and validation of the location
of the sites and monuments mapped in the app is still in progress
which doesn’t make it a reliable source of information.
2. Gaps and Recommendations
Interface of the Tourism (Mon- uments) Section of the Bhuvan App; Source - bhuvan-app1.nrsc. gov.in/
Homepage of NMMA’s website; Source - nmma.nic.in A NITI AAYOG REPORT 61
GapsRecommendations
Centralised Database
There is no centralised database of archival
records, drawings and photo archives
There is no inventory which is maintained
centrally, on an all India basis, in the ASI for
recording all the artefacts, antiquities and
sculptures found and collected during ex-
cavations, explorations or village to village
survey. In many cases, the excavated an-
tiquities are not even accessioned and just
stored in the ASI Circle offices, monuments
and store rooms.
A number of State Departments have pub-
lished the list of monuments and sites under
them but a large number do not even pro-
vide such details on their website. Besides,
detailed documentation, GIS map for sites
and monuments is completely missing in all
cases.
A complete national level database with
state wise distribution of heritage structures
under Temple Trusts and committees is miss-
ing.
a. Inventory of Centrally Protected Monu-
ments- should be updated once every 5
years with a schedule for their periodic in-
spection by each field office and further
updating on a regular basis. Most of the no-
tifications declaring monuments of national
importance are of the colonial era and of-
ten do not describe the metes and bounds.
Such problem monuments should be identi-
fied and solutions found in consultation with
the state authorities, using archival data,
revenue records and survey maps.
b. A systematic photo documentation of all
national monuments should be revived, and
each monument documented on a period-
ic basis.
c. National Mission on Monuments and Sites
should be revitalised with a new policy as its
role is to create a National register for built
heritage and sites and antiquities.
d. Listing Criteria for National Cultural Her-
itage Sites of Outstanding National Value
as approved by Ministry of Culture in 2015
should be used to list National Sites that fall
beyond the ‘centrally protected monu -
ments’ definition to cover historic cities, cul-
tural landscapes and other categories (Re-
fer annexure for details).
e. A storage and access system for this digital
documentation should also be accessible to
scholars worldwide through the ASI website.
f. Architectural drawings of standing ruins
and monuments are a key requirement for a
proper understanding of monuments and to
plan conservation works.
g. The ASI must prepare on a priority basis a
portfolio of architectural documentation of
all protected monuments. In many cases, ar-
chival drawings will require to be updated. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 62
3. Key Action Points
3.1 National Archaeological Database to be made. National GIS Database for
monuments and sites to be authenticated and validated with ISRO.
National GIS Database for monuments and sites to be initiated with ISRO which may support
a GIS team wing to be established in ASI. By utilising the collaborative effort initiated by ISRO
and the Ministry of Culture, it is possible to collate all GIS and Non-GIS archaeological da-
tabase into a Single National Archaeological Database. This can be a significant achieve-
ment as part of the Digital India programme, at par with other geospatial databases used
by Central and State governmental agencies. It is important that this database should be
consulted before authorizing any construction near archaeological sites, ensuring that past
errors resulting in irreparable loss to heritage and escalating costs can be mitigated. This
national archive should be made publicly accessible under the Digital India programme,
where it can assist decision makers (development authorities, state departments, etc.) and
help citizens plan for future economic growth while preserving the fragile remnants of our
past.
Conceptual framework for Na- tional Archaeological Database proposed by Experts at NIAS, Bengaluru A NITI AAYOG REPORT 63
3.2 NMMA to be reactivated with budget and staffing to complete its previous list-
ing of built heritage and antiquities.
Policy for notification/denotification to be finalised immediately to arrive as a final list of cen-
trally protected monuments by ASI
Workshops need to be organised with national institutes and organisations such as the Amer-
ican Institute in Gurgaon, the French Institute in Pondicherry and INTACH to synergize with
other protected and unprotected heritage repositories. Further listing of monuments needs
to be undertaken at National level to complete the Mission work.
For antiquities database, 3D photography of objects in all collections and of murals and im-
ages is also necessary, which would facilitate the expansion of virtual museums. The JATAN
software should be utilized for documenting all the objects in the possession of ASI and other
museum.
3.3 Extend ongoing initiative for Archives Data to be accessible digitally and Ar-
chives to be stored as per conservation norms
ASI needs to focus on digitisation of its photographic collection, its estampage collection in
Mysore, and on the records in the old Circles which have yet to be transferred to the new
Circles, and of its property registers. ASI should take up the collective Photo Documentation
project proposed by CSMVS, Mumbai and British Museum, UK as a pilot project to achieve
an international role model for photo documentation.
Estampage Collection of ASI; Source - asi.nic.in IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 64
3. Use of Technologies for National
Heritage
1. New technology like Photogrammetry & 3D Laser scanning should be used for
documentation, surveys, excavation and conservation works.
2. ASI and State Archaeology Departments across India should consider an inhouse
setup. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 65
3. Collaboration with Foreign Universities for introduction of latest techniques in explo-
ration and excavations should be undertaken.
4. Technology is needed for e-governance.
5. Advanced Technology for Promotion and Marketing of sites needs to be actively
used to cater to all visitor kinds. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 66 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 67
This chapter gives an overview on the use of technology for the
National Heritage of India, along with the need for the use of ad-
vanced documentation techniques for built heritage. There has
been a substantial advancement in the use of technology in the
field of built heritage worldwide though heritage organizations in
India are using it in a very limited manner.
1. Existing Advanced Documentation Techniques
New technology such as Photogrammetry and 3D Laser scan-
ning can provide extremely accurate documentation in a frac-
tion of time required with methods available till only a decade
ago. These and similar technologies have also become routine
and are available commercially or through institutions such as
the IITs. ASI currently does not have any inhouse advanced doc-
umentation techniques available with them though it has un-
dertaken such documentation for specific sties like the Rani ki
Vav with support of international organisations like CyARK. Laser
scanning is especially useful for sites with sculpture, murals for ob-
jects of antiquity as these cannot be documented accurately
using traditional tools such as manual architectural drawings. Use
of Drones to document monuments for tourism brochures has al-
ready commenced for a number of ASI and State Archaeology
sites. The technology can also be used to document inaccessi-
ble portions of monuments for condition assessment as well as for
use in interpretation centres.
While ASI has used LiDAR survey for some sites such as Rani ki Vav,
it does not have its own set up for advanced survey instruments.
The archaeologists are not equipped inhouse with state of art
instruments such as Drone or LiDAR Surveys which have now be-
come an accepted methodology in National Heritage depart-
ments worldwide. In India, the Department of Information and
Technology, Government of Rajasthan has initiated a complete
setup with CISCO and AutoCAD for LiDAR surveys of all Sate pro-
tected monuments. This model may be reviewed for a similar set
up to support ASI and can also be adopted by various state ar-
chaeology departments.
Rajasthan government, has found a way to integrate its digital
mission with one of the hallmarks of the state — its rich heritage
which includes its gorgeous havelis, temples, and other historical
monuments. With the multi-pronged objective of ensuring sus-
tainable development, empowering its citizens, and establishing
good governance, the Rajasthan government’s Department of
Information Technology & Communication (DoITC) has come up
with a GIS initiative — Rajdharaa.
Described as ‘a unified gateway for a spatial decision support sys-
tem’, Rajdharaa is a platform that enables the maintenance of
standardised geographic information system (GIS) assets across
the state. This is the first of its kind initiative by any state govern-
ment across the country. Rajdharaa has been established with
Pointcloud showing the part sec-
tion of the Rani ki Vav in Ahmed-
abad; Source - cyark.org
3 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 68
the primary aim of developing a state-wide web-based geo-por-
tal to acquire, process, store, distribute, and improve the utilisa-
tion of geospatial data in adherence with the Open Geospatial
Consortium (OGC) standards. The project has also enabled the
development of a data clearing house, which is the gateway
of the geospatial data being generated by various agencies of
the state government. While the key objective of Rajdharaa is
a smarter state and better governance, there are two key fea-
tures working in tandem and furthering the mission of Rajdharaa
— preserving the state’s monuments and creating a land bank
management system.
Rajdharaa project consists of three phases:
Phase 1:
The first phase of the project involved creating a digital 3D model
of historical and archaeological sites. The project team scanned
the important historical structures of the state using a combina-
tion of laser terrestrial scanning and aerial photogrammetry cap-
ture through drones. The data thus collected was processed and
stored in point clouds and 3D models through Autodesk ReCap
360. These models were then combined with GIS visuals to create
a complete 3D digital model of the structure.
Phase 2:
In the second phase the project team transferred the point
clouds into Autodesk Revit to build a detailed building informa-
tion model (BIM), which can be used for maintenance and res-
Rajdharaa – A GIS initiative for
Heritage by the Department of
Information and Technology, Ra-
jasthan; Source - gis.rajasthan.
gov.in A NITI AAYOG REPORT 69
toration of projects in the future.
Phase 3:
In the third phase, the team used high-resolution digital cameras
to capture ancient artwork and sculptures, as well as architec-
tural features of the buildings. These were then converted into
3D models and point clouds using Autodesk ReCap 360 and Au-
todesk ReMake. These 3D models are used for research and con-
servation purposes and displayed in virtual exhibitions. They can
also be 3D printed to make replicates in case of necessity. Also,
high-end technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augment-
ed reality (AR) are also being deployed in the project.
2. Gaps and Recommendations
(Next Page) 3D Laser scan of Hu-
mayun’s Tomb; Source - akdn.org
GapsRecommendations
1. Continued reliability on manual docu- mentation techniques which lack accuracy and are time consuming. No inhouse ad- vanced documentation techniques avail -
able within ASI. The application of modern scientific technology in various fields of ar- chaeology is ever growing. Several recent technologies such as Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), Magnetic and Resistivity Sur- vey, Global Information System (GIS) and Global Positioning System (GPS) were avail-
able for excavation. Not many officials use the above technology in excavations due to non-accessibility.
1. ASI should invest in advanced surveys, documentation and monitoring instruments to be available on site with various Circles. Circle officers should be trained in using these instruments.
2. Lack of adequate training avenues and
trained professionals with the knowledge of
the advanced documentation techniques.
2. Workshops and collaborations with inter-
national universities and organisations deal-
ing with advanced documentation tech-
niques like Cy-Ark, CIMS Lab, CIPA, IITs etc.
shouls be encouraged. Introduction of pro-
grammes and courses related to advanced
documentation techniques in the higher lev-
el of studies at the Institute of Archaeology,
ASI.
3. Long procedures for taking permissions
to use equipment for documentation in the
heritage sites because of lack of knowledge
amongst the administration and the public.
3. Systems to be put in place for permissions
from the adminstration and owners for using
equipment in the heritage sites and struc-
tures. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 70 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 71
3. Key Action Points
3.1 New technology like Photogrammetry & 3D Laser scanning should be used for documen-
tation, surveys, excavation and conservation works.
LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and Drone Surveys to be used to document monu-
ments and sites. Each national monument should be 3D Laser scanned within the next 3
years and some of this documentation should be available in the public domain.
3.2 ASI and State Archaeology Departments across India should consider an inhouse setup
or a tie up with an associate department, IT Companies for complete digitisation and docu-
mentation of their monuments and sites on a similar model as Rajdharaa in Rajasthan.
3.3 Collaboration with Foreign Universities for introduction of latest techniques in exploration
and excavations should be undertaken. ASI should collaborate with National and Interna-
tional organisations for training of staff in use of advanced documentation, survey and mon-
itoring techniques to be used for monuments and archaeological sites. (Refer section 12 for
specific institutional collaborations for ASI).
3.4 Technology is needed for e-governance and one-window for permissions and clearanc-
es as well.
3.5 Advanced Technology for Promotion and Marketing of sites needs to be actively used to
cater to all visitor kinds – school children, families, researchers and other segments of society. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 72
4. Conservation of
National Heritage A NITI AAYOG REPORT 73
1. National Policy on
Conservation needs
to be implemented
vigorously
2. Conservation Plan
be prepared for the
site before
undertaking any
conservation works
3. Provision for Work
Audit needs to be
incorporated
4. Region-wise em-
panelment of crafts
persons
5. National Level
awards to be given
to ASI Circles, State
Governments and
other heritage
custodians IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 74 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 75
1. Existing Status of Conservation and Preservation
in India
The Archaeological Survey of India follows the Conservation
Manual of Sir John Marshall which was published in 1923. The
conservation manual by Sir John Marshall provided guidelines for
the protection and preservation of the ancient monuments/ sites
with structural remains unearthed from the excavations. Preser-
vation and conservation of sites has also been addressed in the
adopted National Policy on conservation and preservation of
monuments/ sites.
The National Policy for Conservation of the Ancient Monuments,
Archaeological Sites and Remains (NPC-AMASR) draws lessons
and inspirations from the ASI’s rich legacy for conservation and
acknowledges the adoption of contemporary approaches to
conservation, management and protection of monuments and
archaeological sites, and proposes various principles of interven-
tions within and around them. The Policy also acclaims available
traditional craftsmanship in the country and the use of tradition-
al building materials, practices and skills as an integral part of
the conservation process. It deals with topical aspects like the
management of tourism and development (within and around
a monument), as well as issues of capacity building and building
of partnerships with multi-disciplinary organisations and institu-
tions. The Policy attempts to put a monument in perspective (as
a ubiquitous part of its setting) and underpins the role of local
communities. It focuses on all Ancient Monuments and Archae-
ological Sites and Remains, declared as monuments of national
importance under the AMASR Act, 1958 and does not, for the
time being, include unprotected built heritage. The Policy envis-
ages as a dynamic document and, as it is put into operation by
the ASI’s Archaeological officers and field staff since 2014, it is
subject to periodical reviews as may be decided by ASI.
4
Torana at Sanchi Stupa; Source - gettyimages
Conservation of monuments of
Delhi undertaken by ASI; Source
- sundayguardianlive.com IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 76
The Superintending Archaeologist (SA) of each circle inspects
monuments and sites. On the basis of inspection note and a con-
dition assessment note, the nature of works on the monument is
decided. The Superintending Archaeologist analyses fabric on
the basis of historicity, Architecture and requirement of conser-
vation while the Archaeological Engineer prepares the estimates
and the works to be executed. The conservation works is carried
out by the Conservation Assistant who is also the site in charge.
Once the financial and administrative approvals are received
from the relevant competent authority, the works undergo the
tender process and the suitable contractor who could provide
material and labour is selected and the work is executed under
the overall supervision of the superintending archaeologist.
Priority is given to works of urgent nature required to preserve
or consolidate a monument or special works at World Heritage
Monuments. The conservation works are carried out under the
Special repair budget (SR) while the regular maintenance of the
monuments is done under the Annual Repair budget (AR). Any
Conservation proposal drafted by the Superintending Archaeol-
ogist should go through this chain of approval.
The State Archaeology Departments have their own processes
for conservation of monuments adopted as per the State Ar -
chaeology Act or UT in each case.
2. Conservation Projects undertaken by ASI in
India
Maintenance of ancient monuments and archaeological sites
and remains of national importance is the prime concern of the
ASI. Several projects of conservation work, restoration and illumi-
nation undertaken by ASI have been highlighted.
2.1 Shey Palace, Ladakh
The original palace, now in ruins, was built near the Shey village
by Lhachen Palgyigon, the king of Ladakh (then called Maryul),
in the 10th century. The current Shey Palace and Monastery was
also built in 1655 on the instructions of Deldan Namgyal, in the
memory of his late father, Sengge Namgyal, below the first pal-
ace.
- Structural conservation was done for Shey Palace, Ladakh.
- Palace was in a dilapidated state and was restored using mud
blocks and traditional wooden elements in its exterior and inte-
rior.
Superintending Archaeologist
(The circle head)
Director
Conservation
Joint Director
General
Conservation
Director General A NITI AAYOG REPORT 77
Before and after the structural
conservation of Shey Palace IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 78
2.2 Residency, Lucknow
The Residency is a group of several buildings in a common pre-
cinct in the city of Lucknow. It served as the residence for the
British Resident General who was a representative in the court of
the Nawab. It was constructed during the rule of Nawab Saadat
Ali Khan II between 1780 and 1800 AD.
- Lucknow ASI undertook the restoration of cells that were in ru-
inous state.
- Bricks made to size were set in line mortar for preserving the
cells.
Before and after the restoration
of cells of Residency, Lucknow A NITI AAYOG REPORT 79
2.3 Galteshwar Mahadev Temple, Vadodara
The 12th century temple is unique in its style and of its period
because it is built in central Indian Malwa style, bhumija, without
influence of Paramara architecture and with influence of Gu-
jarati Chaulukya architecture. It has square garbhagriha (shrine
proper) as well as octagonal mandapa (dancing hall).
- One of the challenging task in the ongoing restoration is the
restoration of its Shikhara.
- Here original ornamental stone members of the shikhara,
stacked within the complex, were used in restoration.
Before and ongoing restoration work of the Galteshwar Mahadev Temple’s Shikhara IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 80
Before and after the restoration
of Chatta Chowk, Red Fort
2.4 Chatta Chowk, Red Fort A NITI AAYOG REPORT 81
Before and after lighting and illu-
mination of Diwan-i-Am, Red Fort2.5 Diwan-i-Am, Red Fort IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 82
Transformation of Qutb Minar
2.6 Qutb Minar, New Delhi A NITI AAYOG REPORT 83
Group of Monuments, Mahabali-
puram2.7 Group of Monuments, Mahabalipuram IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 84
3. Gaps and Recommendations
GapsRecommendations
a. Policy
The National Conservation Policy is well
structured by ASI and covers all significant
aspects of conservation. However, despite
being adopted since 2014, it is not being
practiced by ASI itself. The awareness for
policy is lacking whereas it should be spread
and practiced by all State Archaeology De-
partments. In 2014, it was adopted by the
State Archaeology of Rajasthan for its World
Heritage Sites though in practice, Rajasthan
State Archaeology is much advanced in
practicing few of National Policy clauses
such as, engaging local craftspeople and
drafting region wise conservation schedule
of rates within Rajasthan since 1991.
The ASI National Policy needs to be strict-
ly adhered to clause wise for any ASI con-
servation projects. Conservation works not
to be approved unless they conform to all
clauses of National Policy –4.06, 4.07 and
others. All Annual Conservation Plans to be
peer reviewed as per policy. By stating the
significant elements that need to be pre-
served at any site inappropriate Conserva-
tion works can be avoided. More so, when
staff responsible for the site might be from
another part of the country and not recog-
nize the cultural significance of the monu-
ments/ site in their care. Significance is also
important later in interpretation and tourism
promotion of the site.
b. Planning
As per policy it is essential that a holistic con-
servation plan through a multidisciplinary
team is prepared following a value based
and scientific approach before undertaking
any conservation works. However, in most
sites such as plan is missing and works are
being carried out on an adhoc basis. Com-
prehensive Site Management Plans (SMPs)
for property and buffer (with conservation,
interpretation and rescue, visitor manage-
ment, environmental management, buffer
management, disaster management, etc.)
are essential.
The policy states that a Conservation Plan
is to be prepared in advance of any con-
servation effort. In addition, a ‘completion
report’ should be prepared at the conclu-
sion of each project. No conservation fund-
ing to any site should be permitted without
the availability of a conservation plan that
should include architectural drawings, con-
dition assessment, photographic record,
statement of significance, names and qual-
ifications of those responsible – including ex-
ternal consultants. Conservation Plan should
be implemented in phases as per immedi-
ate, medium and long term actions.
The ASI needs to actively seek expertise on
a consultancy basis for each conservation
effort. Need for partnerships with various in-
stitutions and organisations for specialized
conservation works is required to fill in the
specific expertise gap in ASI. Such expertise
could include archaeology, engineering, hy-
drology, conservation architects, art/ urban
history, landscape architecture, geology,
botany, environmental sciences, hotel/ visi-
tor management, horticulture, finance, light-
ing design, new media design, fund-raising,
administration, archival research, exhibition
design amongst several others. It is neither
possible to employ the number of experts
required to ensure the conservation effort is
well informed nor cost-effective to employ
so many experts when projects are not to
scale. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 85
Restoration of wall paintings;
Source - DRONAH
GapsRecommendations
c. Implementation
An updated conservation manual, sched- ule of rates exclusively for items related to for conservation works, specific schedule for monitoring and supervision of work, involve- ment of craftspeople are essential aspects for undertaking site works as per conserva- tion policy. There is a lack of multidisciplinary approach to conservation work. Material Specifications, Scheduled Rates and there is no skilled resource pool of specialized ma- sons, artisans, Sthapatis, Sompuras etc. Due to these reasons, conservation work on sites are often adhoc and do not conform to ASI’s own National Conservation Policy. ASI has not defined any parameters for monitor-
ing of its sites and monuments even though this is an essential and critical part of conser-
vation. It only mentions inspection note per monument per year which is not sufficient. Detailed Monitoring parameters need to be developed as part of the conservation plan based on value and nature of each site, parts, artworks etc. Monitoring may also be divided into weekly surveys by CA, Sub circle level and monthly official visits at SA level.
Provision of work audit to be adopted. The segregation of conservation work of site management, visitor amenities from aca- demic work, archaeology, exploration, and excavation, epigraphy and temple and building surveys needs to be considered. Such conservation works can be approved and periodically reviewed by the archaeol- ogy vertical of ASI and other domain experts.
The existing system can be further strength-
ened for effective monitoring, conservation
and management. The nature of archae-
ological conservation is complementary to
each other and creating two verticals will
separate the core value of a monument / ar-
chaeological site linking to history, archaeol-
ogy, art, architecture, epigraphy, iconogra-
phy. Merely carrying out conservation work
based on engineering inputs may cause a
serious damage to the archaeological fab-
ric of a monument. It should be mandato-
ry for the Science Branch to accumulate all
international research on historical materi-
als and to disseminate the summary of the
same to all officers. Furthermore, it should
also be mandatory to precede any work –
using chemicals or any modern materials - at
any national monument with a documenta -
tion of the scientific investigation and a prior
writing of a conservation plan.
(Next Page) Conservation Works
of Jali at Khwab Gah at Red Fort,
Delhi carried by ASI; Source - ASI IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 86
GapsRecommendations
Supervision of Conservation works needs to
be of the highest standard by qualified and
experienced site supervisors in conservation
works. The ASI needs to ensure that no works
are carried out unsupervised. The supervisor
should maintain a daily log describing the
works carried out and supported by a pho-
tographic record. Initiating model projects
will help prioritize conservation of national
monuments in a planned manner. This will
also result in a trained cadre of conservation
professionals, create employment for crafts-
people and help preserve building crafts.
d. State Archaeology Departments
Almost every state in India, has its own ‘De-
partment of Heritage/Archaeology’ – re-
sponsible for monuments considered to be
of local importance. Several monuments
on the World Heritage list as well as those
on the tentative list are protected by State
Governments. At present there is only a min-
imum dialogue or interaction between the
ASI circles and the Archaeology depart-
ments in the States. In some cases, adjoining
monuments are protected by the ASI and
State respectively.
Except for 2-3 States, there is no adherence
to conservation norms such as preparation
of conservation plan, multidisciplinary ap-
proach including scientific analysis, land-
scape, risk management etc., schedule of
rates, supervision and monitoring etc. Prior-
itisation for monuments to be taken up for
conservation is missing.
A system needs to be developed to ensure
greater interaction, sharing of learning, joint
training programmes, possibly sharing re-
sponsibilities between the Circle and State
Archaeology. The State Departments should
adopt the National Conservation Policy of
ASI and put it into practice while undertak-
ing any conservation works on the state pro-
tected monuments. Each state should aim at
drafting a conservation manual customised
to styles, materials, techniques and crafts-
person-ship prevalent in the State. ASI may
take a lead in drafting such manuals based
on the range of their monuments across In-
dia. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 87
GapsRecommendations
e. Temple Trusts/Religious Institutions
A number of such religious trusts do not have
the resources or know-how to take up con-
servation works despite the inclination to do
so. Sometimes Conservation Works under-
taken by these organizations can damage
the structures substantially – one such case
is HR&CE where the devotees and subse-
quently the HC Judge filed Suo Moto case
on bad conservation works asking for a UN-
ESCO Mission to be taken up along with the
formulation of conservation guide lines and
manual as per traditional text of agama-
shastra and shilpashatras.
Special Training Programs to be offered by
ASI for such temple trusts/living monuments
who are open to learning about mainte-
nance, preservation and conservation of
their heritage structures. All stages of conser-
vation to be explained to them with training
programs for each. So, considering an av-
erage of 2 training programs per month, an
approximate budget of Rs. 2.5 Crores may
be allocated annually to ASI for its training
programs through the Institute of Archaeol-
ogy.
Exemplary cases of conservation taken up
by such institutions for example monasteries
in Ladakh, Golden Temple by SGPC, Ma-
habodhi Temple in Bodhgaya Trust and oth-
ers to be showcased as models for conser-
vation works to others. This is one segment of
India’s heritage which is quite self-sufficient
through their own funds generated through
the devotees that are channelized back
into conservation and maintenance of the
religious building. It is also fairly easy for them
to get funders for example,
Golden Temple works are often funded by
Sikh NRIs, Srirangam temple at Trichy and
many others in Tamil Nadu are funded by
TVS while a number of these were also fund-
ed through 13th Finance Commission. So, it
is only awareness and conservation training
that may be needed for the staff who main-
tains these religious buildings.
f. Unprotected Heritage and heritage buildings under CPWD
Heritage awareness and knowledge of Her-
itage Conservation are two aspects that
need to be focused on for unprotected her-
itage. These can be promoted through her-
itage manuals such as the ones prepared
by CPWD and through specialized training
program conducted by INTACH Heritage
Academy, UNESCO C2C- WII, Dehradun
and/ or Institute of Archaeology, ASI. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 88
Conservation Handbook by
CPWD; Source - cpwd.gov.in A NITI AAYOG REPORT 89
4. Key Action Points
4.1 National Policy on Conservation needs to be implemented vigorously
ASI should practice its conservation policy clause wise before approval of any conservation
project to be carried out on site by any Circle SA. The format for approval of conservation
works within ASI needs to be revised including a checklist box for clause wise adherence to
National Policy at the time of approval of estimates. It needs to be ensured that there is a
conservation plan prepared for the site which adhered to all sections of the Policy – includ-
ing a value based, scientific and holistic approach to conservation as outlined in section
4,5 and 6 of the policy. Articles on documentation 4.01, 4.04, 4.07, 4.21, 5.07 and 7.05 of
National Policy on Conservation to be put into practice by ASI and all State Archaeology
departments.
ASI also needs to compile and make a Manual of Orders, Policies and SoPs for annual veri-
fication of properties, objects and manuscripts on encroachments on violation of provisions
of the National Monuments Authority Act, the licensing provisions for excavation and report
writing, on estate management as well as its other myriad activities like MoUs with State Gov-
ernments and relating to “living” monuments.
4.2 Conservation Plan be prepared for the site before undertaking any conservation works
An overall conservation masterplan should be made for the whole project and should be
approved by a committee of leading professionals before execution. Some sites should be
identified where architectural members/ remains can be assembled (e.g. Sannati, Tadapa-
tri) and restored on the pattern of Angkor Vat restorations done by ASI.
A manual for conservation based on the integration of National Policy and John Marshall’s
Manual needs to be urgently prepared for use of all Circles. Similarly, ASI needs to create its
own schedule of rates and also revise the Works Code. A system of separation of technical
and financial powers as per CPWD norms was introduced in 2016.ASI should have a system
of periodically reassessing the delegation of financial powers. It should be mandatory for
a Note to be generated following each site inspection by an officer at any monument. To
simplify matters and ensure a timely note is recorded, a ‘Site Inspection register’ available
online could be maintained at all monuments to be filled in by visiting officers or indepen-
dent experts.
4.3 Provision for Work Audit needs to be incorporated
The format for approval of conservation works should be framed including a checklist box
for clause wise adherence to National Policy for all Annual Conservation Works submitted
by all Circles of ASI. All completed works of circles should have provision of work audit based
on this framework.
4.4 Region-wise empanelment of crafts persons
Engagement of Craftspeople as per Section 6 in National Policy needs to be implemented
by empanelling craftspeople region wise by each ASI Circle.
4.5 National Level awards to be given to ASI Circles, State Governments and other heritage
custodians
ASI Head Office should allocate National Level awards to be given to ASI Circles, State Gov-
ernments and other heritage custodians to recognise good conservation works. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 90
1. Excavation and
Exploration Policy to
be drafted and ad-
opted after public
discussion within 6
months period
3. Development
of laboratories for
post-excavation
analysis.
6. Re-exposing and
putting the excavat-
ed sites in public do-
main
4. Archaeology as a
separate cadre
5. Publication of
Excavation Reports
within 6 months
period
2. ASI Vision Plan to
be made for
exploration and
excavation.
5. Excavation
and
Exploration of
Archaeological
Sites A NITI AAYOG REPORT 91 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 92 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 93
1. Existing Status of Excavations and Explorations
Excavation and Exploration is the primary objective of the Ar-
chaeological Survey of India. Excavation includes functions such
as excavation and exploration. Other sub branches under this
also include underwater archaeology, epigraphy, prehistory
and Surveys (building survey, temple survey, village to village
survey). Excavation of archaeological remains has been one of
the primary responsibilities of the ASI. As per Sections 21 to 24
of the AMASR Act, 1958 an Archaeological Officer or an officer
authorised by him on this behalf or any person holding a license
granted in this behalf under the Act, may make excavation in
any protected or unprotected area. The ASI grants excavation
licenses and permissions, based on the proposals received from
different agencies like the ASI, State Departments of Archaeolo-
gy Universities and Research Institutions every year. The propos-
als are examined and recommendations are made by Central
Advisory Board of Archaeology (CABA) chaired by the Minister
of Culture and assisted by a Standing Committee of CABA. The
process is as below:
• Exploration and Excavation all over the country is regulated by
ASI
• Applications are invited every year by July end of a calendar
year
• A Standing Committee (SC) under Chairpersonship of Direc-
tor General, ASI, a sub-committee of Central Advisory Board of
Archaeology (CABA) scrutinizes and recommends for approval
• ASI regulates movement of samples for testing and analysis
abroad
ASI’s policy for Excavation and Exploration was approved in the
year 2015, but is under review keeping in view of the changing
conditions (Refer annexure for draft policy). As per the CAG Re-
port, the Survey was spending only 1 % of its total budget on
excavation/ exploration. Now it has been by the Ministry to in-
crease it to 5 % of total budget in first phase. It is praiseworthy
that due to crunch of fund, no excavation has been stopped
mid-way or not taken up in a year despite proven potential till
date.
2. Gaps and Recommendations
Excavated Site of Dholavira, Gu-
jarat; Source - visitindia.org.in
Ongoing excavation at Rakhi-
garhi, Haryana; Source - https://
www.outlookindia.com/
5 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 94
GapsRecommendations
a. Policy
A centralised information system at the ASI
HQ regarding the functioning of CABA, grant
of licenses, reasons for rejection of proposals
and status of accepted proposals is missing.
Only limited records of meetings held by
CABA are available. ASI adopted the Exca-
vation Policy in 2015. However, a need is be-
ing felt to update this policy keeping in view
the changing scenarios, advancement in
technology, etc.
a. Policy: Draft Exploration and Excavation
Policy needs to be finalised and adopted.
Five sub committees of CABA were formed
in 2009 to examine specific issues in the func-
tioning of ASI. These recommendations need
to be revisited. CABA should be reactivated
as a body for interaction with Universities and
other expert bodies and its meetings held in
the prescribed time frame. (Refer Annexure
for CABA constitution)
While drawing up action plans under the
policy, the Ministry should ensure adequate
allocation of funds and effective utilisation
by ASI for excavation and exploration of ar-
chaeological remains. The Ministry should ex-
amine the legality of calling for applications
for exploration. This needs to be delicensed.
b. Exploration and Excavation methodologies
These are not updated and there is not
much use of GIS and Remote Sensing in ex-
ploration. Prehistoric and Neolithic periods
are still undefined and not updated. There is
less understanding of Harappans and con-
temporary cultures (eg. Ahar-Banas, Central
Chalcolithic, Deccan Chalcolithic) or even-
post-Harappan / late-Harappan cultures
since Harappan script is not deciphered so
far.
ASI has held meetings to draft a vision plan
for exploration and excavation. Minutes of
this meeting held on 11/10/2018 (refer An-
nexure) has valid recommendations on cat-
egorisation of excavated sites, focus on zon-
ing of Indian subcontinent for excavations
and explorations to understand regional
perspectives, taking up Prehistoric site inves-
tigations, Neolithic sites in all zones, studies
of farming cultures, reinvestigation of chal-
colithic sites, archaeology of iron age, histor-
ical age with emphasis of early and medie-
val history, ceramic assemblages from India
and non-Indian ceramics from other coun-
tries with their contribution to archaeology.
c. Labs, Database and Training
There is absence of specialised laboratories
for testing and limited experts for Archae-
obotany (only 1 expert each from Deccan
College and Birbal Sahni Institute), Archae-
ozoology (2 experts from Deccan College),
Geoarchaeology (no experts), Anthropolo-
gy (1 expert from Deccan College), Material
Analysis, Ceramic Petrology (1 expert from
MSU, Vadodara), Experimental Archaeolo-
gy (no experts)
GIS based centralized database should be
mandatory for all exploration and excava-
tion activities. Introducing new technologies
for large-scale exploration, e.g. Drone, LiDAR
and Satellite Remote Sensing Surveys. Better
documentation strategies for excavations
enabling better data retrieval, visualization
and interpretation is essential. Testing and
Analysis of Archaeological Materials along
with Lab facilities dedicated to archaeology
need to be sourced. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 95
GapsRecommendations
There is absence of database for ancient
building materials for reference and analysis
(eg. bricks, mortars, metals, stones, weap-
onry, etc.) and lack of training centres for
advanced applications (statistics, GIS, flint
knapping, analytical techniques)
Partnerships with national and foreign uni-
versities: Greater interaction with academic
institutions – national and foreign – through
conducting joint excavations will lead to ful-
filling the objectives of the excavation with-
out recourse to scarce funds. This will also ful-
fil an important educational role in training
the next generation of archaeologists. India
can learn from the example of Egypt, where
access to foreign universities has led to both
a greater appreciation of Egyptian culture
worldwide but also a spate of new finds ev-
ery year. ASI should place standard formats
for MoUS and collaborations on their website
which may be sourced online by interested
universities /organisations to approach ASI.
In addition to the Excavation Branches, ded-
icated teams of archaeologists should be
available at excavation sites including those
engaged by the ASI only for specific exca-
vations.
d. Publication of Excavation Reports:
Writing of the report on excavation is an inte-
gral part of any archaeological excavation.
While in most of the cases of excavations,
the reports are still not submitted as there
is no specified timeframe. Delayed report
writing also affects the condition and count-
ing of antiquities found during excavation.
A mechanism needs to be developed for
identifying important excavations for publi-
cation, while the mandatory reports have to
be published annually in the ASI publication
“Indian Archaeology – A Review”. Till the
final report is published many of the items
remained in the custody of the excavator
without proper records should be made
available to the ASI.
Far too many excavations carried out by
the ASI in recent decades have not culmi-
nated in the excavation report even though
mandatory reports have been received and
published in Indian Archaeology - A Review.
Any excavation project should not be con-
sidered closed until the mandatory report is
submitted, within a stipulated time period.
For the excavation to result in a meaningful
conclusion, the report should be freely dis-
seminated through the ASI website and pub-
lications. The progress of excavations by li-
cences should be monitored online, and this
information should be available in the public
domain.
e. Condition of Excavated Sites
There is no specific policy on the main-
tenance and excavation of the ancient
mounds protected by ASI. Many of these
are not fenced and taken up for cultiva-
tion, while the ones fenced are often en-
croached. A number of significant mounds
such as the ones in Rakhigarhi remain unpro-
tected (ASI protects only 3 of the 7 mounds
in Rakhigarhi).
ASI should focus on re-exposing and put-
ting some of the excavated sites in public
domain along with more such excavated
sites to be identified for an integrated visi-
tor experience. Conservation of excavated
remains should be considered to be part of
the conservation process and be undertak-
en by specialized archaeologists in collabo-
ration with relevant expertise. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 96
Excavations in post-indepen-
dence era (1960s) at Kalibangan
showing 1. House complexes, 2.
Ploughed field, 3. Hearths and
drains, 4. Fortification ; Source -
ASI
(Next Page) Archaeological ex-cavations at Dhaba in northern India; Source - cosmomagazine
GapsRecommendations
Many sites with rich deposits of archaeo-
logical remains have been destroyed due to developmental activities. There is no provision to conduct a Cultural Resource Management or Archaeological Impact assessment before developmental projects are taken up on the site. The exploration programmes are major activities of any in- stitution partaking the exercise, which brings to light artefacts, coins, sculptures, etc. De- licensing of exploration activities will lead to unscrupulous collection and pillage of sites and remains. Instead of delicensing, suit-
able provisions mayu be introduced in the
AMASR Act and Rules
Where excavated sites could be considered
of visitor and academic interest, conserva-
tion efforts here could ensure that the site
can be allowed to remain and not be buried
at the end of the excavation. Allowing the
site to remain exposed may require addi-
tional action to protect the archaeological
sites within a covered enclosure. In such a
case the covering should be well designed.
International Guidelines adopted by UNES-
CO in Delhi in 1956 may be followed for this
purpose.
f. Excavations by State Archaeology State Departments
Archaeological works are carried out by
most State Archaeology department with
prior information and permission from ASI.
A number of states have worked on several
archaeological excavations in recent years.
However, no details of excavations or pub-
lished reports are available. The most recent
excavations undertaken in last 2 years are
the Keeladi site in Tamil Nadu in association
with ASI and Kunal in Haryana in association
with National Museum. The Patanam site
excavated in Muziris area of Kerala is part
of the spice route and archaeologists from
China were also invited to collaborate in the
excavations.
State Departments should have a regular in-
terface and annual training programs under
ASI for guidance in matters of archaeology,
excavations, national and international col-
laborations, publications etc. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 97
3. Key Action Points
3.1 Draft of Excavation and Exploration Policy to be finalized and adopted after public dis-
cussion within 6 months period. Implementation of the policy should be taken up as per
clauses for excavation, prioritisation and publication.
3.2 ASI Vision Plan to be made for exploration and excavation.
The vision plan will help to prioritize sites to be taken up for excavation based on their zoning
and categorization.
3.3 Development of laboratories for post-excavation analysis.
Use of scientific methodologies and development of laboratories for post-excavation analy-
sis. Collaboration to be established with concerned laboratories within 6 months.
3.4 Archaeology as a separate Cadre
Adequate budget allocation and recognition of Archaeology as a Cadre and de-licensing
of exploration works (Refer Chapter 8, Upgradation of ASI, Page no. 150)
3.5 Publication of Excavation Reports within 6 months period
Submission of all pending reports on excavation and exploration within 6 months. These
should be published within the stipulated deadline mentioned in the draft Excavation and
Exploration Policy of ASI.
3.6 Re-exposing and putting the excavated sites in public domain
Sites excavated by ASI and other associated institutions across India should be protect-
ed and conserved adequately with coverings to allow public access and visitors. The sites
should be showcased with proper interpretation and visitor facilities. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 98
1. Budget
2020-21 proposed five
archaeological sites to
be developed as iconic
sites with on-site
Museums. These should
be completed in next 3
years. Clear Action Plan
to be finalised.
2. Clear Action Plan
to be finalised for
the proposed mu-
seums in Rakhigarhi
(HR), Hastinapur (UP)
Shivsagar (Assam),
Dholavira (GJ) and
Adichanallur (TN).
4. An inter-
disciplinary team of
specialists,
archaeologists,
curators, exhibition
designers need to be
engaged
5. Financially
sustainable and
revenue generation
models to be adopted
3. ASI should finalize
world class projects
for 2 site museums
Hampi and Sarnath
within next 3 months
6. Developing
Site Museums A NITI AAYOG REPORT 99 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 100
1. Burzahom Site Museum
2. Kangra Fort Museum
3. Ropar Museum
4. Sheikh Chili’s Tomb, Thanesar
5. Kalibangan Museum
6. Jageshwar Museum, Almora
7. Purana Qila Museum, Archaeological Museum (Red Fort),
Indian War Memorial Museum (Red Fort), Swatantra San-
gram Sangrahalaya (Red Fort), Swadhinata Senani Smarak
Sangrahalaya (Salimgarh), and Children’s Museum, Delhi
8. Deeg Palace Museum
9. Fatehpur Sikri Museum
10. Taj Museum, Agra
11. Piprahwa Site Museum
12. Gwalior Museum
13. Residency Museum
14. Shivpuri Museum
15. Rani Jhansi Museum
16. Sarnath Museum
17. Vaishali Museum
18. Vikramshila Museum, Antichak
19. Cooch Bihar Palace Museum
20. Surya Pahar Museum, Goalpara
21. Chanderi Museum and Period Museum, Chanderi
22. Khajuraho Museum
23. Bodhgaya Museumm
24. Nalanda Museum
25. Hazarduari Palace Museum, Murshidabad
26. Sanchi Museum and Sir John Marshall Memorial, Sanchi
27. Archaeological Museum, Dholavira
28. Archaeological Museum, Lothal
29. Tamluk Museum
30. Ratnagiri Museum
31. Lalitgiri Site Museum
32. Konark Museum
33. Kondapur Museum
34. Bijapur Museum
35. Nagarjunakonda Museum
36. Amravati Museum
37. Badami Museum
38. Aihole Museum
39. Velha Goa Museum, Goa
40. Kamlapur Museum, Hampi
41. Halebidu Museum
42. Chandragiri Museum
43. Tipu Sultan Museum, Srirangapatana
44. Fort St George Museum, Chennai
45. Mattancherry Palace Museum
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
Archaeological Site Museums in
India; Source - asi.nic.in A NITI AAYOG REPORT 101
1. Existing Situation of Museums
1.1 Site Museums
ASI has 50 Site Museums at the moment at various centrally pro-
tected monuments. The concept of an Archaeological Site Mu-
seum has been derived from showcasing the artefacts near an
archaeological site / monument that have direct association
thus respecting its provenance. Site Museums are popular as
these present authentic information about a site through the re-
covered artefacts; intended for researchers and general visitors.
Initially site archaeological museums had static displays of ob-
jects so most site museums established in the past do not have
an engaging experience. ASI has now framed a new Vision for
Museums: Museums as edutainment centre through improved
display/ design and visual stores, photography room, activity
room, e-galleries, etc. Audience to have engaging / interactive
experience with interpretation/ interactions special walks, cura-
torial talks special activities (enjoyment, inspiration, creativity),
workshops/ training/ 3D-4D films and internships.
Most of the Archaeological museums have now been up-grad-
ed in terms of general layout, gallery plans, information/ inter-
pretative panels, lighting, disable-friendly environment, etc. In
order to nurture best practices in archaeological site museums,
guidelines have also been formulated in 2013 in association with
6
Indian War Memorial Museum, Naubat Khana of Red Fort, Delhi; Source - wikipedia IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 102
Getty Conservation Institute, USA and the British Museum, UK
(Refer annexures for detailed guidelines). These guidelines were
prepared to monitor museum development and management
in all its major spheres of activity and to fund research, conserva-
tion, interpretation, and visitor services and setting-up of efficient
management structures.
1.2 National Level Museums
National-level museums in India come directly under the admin-
istrative control of Ministry of Culture, Government of India. Al-
lahabad Museum, Indian Museum Kolkata, National Gallery of
Modern Art, National Museum, New Delhi, Salar Jung Museum
Hyderabad, Victoria Memorial Kolkata along with 23 science
centers under the National Council of Science Museums and 50
site museums under the Archaeological Survey of India are cat-
egorized as National Level Museums.
1.3 State Archaeology Museums
The state archaeology departments have their own museums
across various states and UTs in India, which are listed on the web-
site of each state archaeology/UT department website. These
zonal museums are located in different cities and sites, show-
casing rare antiquities and findings from excavation sites or col-
lections sourced from different museums, collectors or through
donations. Other than the state level museums, there are district
level and local museums as well, which are managed by the Ar-
chaeology departments.
Victoria Memorial Museum, Kol-
kata; Source - wikimedia com-
mons A NITI AAYOG REPORT 103
Website of the Directorate of
Archaeology, Archives and Mu-
seums, Madhya Pradesh; Source
- archaeology.mp.gov.in
2. Gaps and Recommendations
GapsRecommendations
1. Museum Policy
Though ASI has developed specific guide- lines for Site Museums in association with the Getty Conservation Institute in 2013, it has not been formally adopted as a policy. Neither are these guidelines followed during site museum planning and implementation.
ASI should adopt and adhere to the Muse- um Guidelines developed by them in 2013 in association with the Getty Conservation Institute.
2. Museum Planning and Expertise
There is no long term Museum Plan or in- volvement of required team of experts for designing the site museums. Usually the Cir- cle SA taken and initiative to display the ar- tefacts in the available site area.
Review of every site museum’s collection, display, condition of building by an inter-dis- ciplinary team will lead to the preparation of a Museum’s Development plan and define funding requirements and potential to meet museum objectives including improved visi-
tor experience and instilling a sense of pride in the local community. With a Development Plan being available, there can be a signifi cantly improved utilization of available funds and even the possibility of raising funds from IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 104
GapsRecommendations
non-governmental sources.
Modern museums need specialist consultants
– archaeologists, curators, local & art histori-
ans, architects, exhibition designers, graphic
design specialists, lighting design, engineers,
archivists, conservators, amongst others. An
inter-disciplinary team of specialists should
be available to every Superintending Ar-
chaeologist responsible for development of
an existing site museum or the creation of a
new facility. All of the above-mentioned spe-
cialists should be involved in the preparation
of a development plan for the site museum
and should provide SMART suggestions.
3. Museum Interpretation and Displays
Existing site museums lack interactive and
interpretive displays to explain the exca-
vations and relation of artefacts with the
site. At several site museums, the exhibition
has not changed since these were estab-
lished even though, our understanding of
the site would have evolved with improved
research. Also, availability of modern tech-
nology and equipment such as specialized
lights, AR and VR can help in significantly im-
proving the museum experience.
More interactive and digital displays should
be integrated with the gallery designs. Col-
lections on display should also ensure ambi-
ent environment for conservation and safety
of the artefacts.
4. Museum Facilities and Amenities
Existing site museums of ASI lack basic facili-
ties such as adequate number of toilets and
water points. They also need to be upgrad-
ed with basic amenities such as cafes and
souvenir shops.
4. Museum Facilities and Amenities: To
achieve financial sustainability, museum
shops with site specific souvenirs, cafes with
local cuisine, auditoriums for film shows, pub-
lication of available research on the site are
required. These could be rented out to pri-
vate operators on the basis of a carefully
written set of rules to ensure these facilities
not only bring in revenue but also enhance
the visitor experience. Operating costs also
need to be kept in check and use of renew-
able energy, energy efficient lighting and ar-
chitectural design can help lower operating
costs. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 105
Site Museum at Hampi; Source - ASISite Museum at Sarnath; Source - ASI
GapsRecommendations
5. Museum Outreach
Events and programs for exhibitions and
talks at the site museum are held through
the Circla SA. A regular calendar of activi-
ties is lacking. More involvement of the com-
munity will also help in enhancing the muse-
um experience.
Each museum should develop its annual
outreach program of activities, events and
exhibitions to engage all segments of visitors
– children, adults, families etc. To lower costs,
site. Museums should also actively seek vol-
unteers from the local community to man-
age visitors. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 106 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 107
3. Key Action Points
3.1 Budget 2020-21 proposed five archaeological sites to be developed as iconic sites with
on-site Museums. These should be completed in next 3 years. The proposed museums are
Rakhigarhi (HR), Hastinapur (UP) Shivsagar (Assam), Dholavira (GJ) and Adichanallur (TN).
Clear Action Plan to be finalized for all.
3.2 ASI should finalize world class projects for 2 site museums Hampi and Sarnath within next
3 months. Some work on these museums has already been initiated. Residential quarters
should be built for staff of site museums that are located in remote areas.
A model site museum should also be set up at Ahichchhatra archaeological site in UP
3.3 The guidelines for Museums adopted by ASI in 2013 (as part of MoU with the Getty Con-
servation Institute) should be practiced in all 6 identified spheres of Museum Development
for any site museum of ASI:
1. Research and Dissemination
2. Preservation and Conservation
3. Interpretation and Presentation
4. Education and Outreach
5. Visitor Services and Amenities
6. Administration and Management
3.4 An inter-disciplinary team of specialists, archaeologists, curators, exhibition designers
need to be engaged.
For each site museum a scientific and specialist assessment should be carried out. This should
be aimed at listing immediate, short term (one year), medium term (2-5 years) and long term
(5-10 years) actions to bring available knowledge, technology and equipment to each of
the Site museums.
3.5 Financially sustainable and revenue generation models to be adopted for Museum Op-
erations and Maintenance.
There should be focus on adaptive reuse and community use of museum structures with
more involvement of community and sustainable components such as cafes, crafts souvenir
shops and exhibition spaces for revenue generation.
Sheikh Chili’s Tomb, Thanesar;
Source - wikimedia commons IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 108
7. Heritage Tourism, Revenue
Generation and Marketing A NITI AAYOG REPORT 109
7. Crowdfunding/
community
funding/ CSR
8.Tourism
Experience to
cater to all
segments of
Society
Action
Points
1. Adopt
Revenue
Generation Mod
-
el through PPP
Schemes
2.
Professional
and focused
marketing effort
with Information
Technology and
Promotion
3. Each ASI
site to be treated
as separate profit
centres
4. ASI
revenues to be
ploughed back
to the site
5. National
Culture Fund –
To be made
autonomous
6.Processing
of the pending
MoUs under Adopt
a Heritage to be
accelerated IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 110 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 111
Krishna Temple, Hampi; Source -
gettyimages
1. Existing Revenue Generation
An average distribution of funds is allocated to all the field offic-
es. The field offices on a yearly basis prepare projections both for
revenue and capital outlay in the ensuring financial year. Priority
is given to works of urgent nature required to preserve or con-
solidate a monument or special works at World Heritage Mon-
uments. An annual conservation plan is drawn out by the field
offices of ASI,i.e., Circles and Mini Circles and submitted to the
headquarter for approval. It largely depends on the need and
wish and will of the concerned official.
A substantive step up in fund allocation (Rs 350 crores in 2016-17)
for construction of toilet blocks, publication and sales counters,-
cafeterias, landscaping and pathways, parking, parking path-
ways and drinking water units besides protected boundaries and
disabled friendly access account for much of the enhanced ex-
penditure since 2016-17. Such works are being executed through
WAPCOS and TCIL.
Revenue Generation Model
ASI’s overall expenditure grew by 18% from 2016-17 to 2017-18,
and 2% from 2017-18 to 2018-19, in parallel revenue growth was
10% and 22% respectively, indicating a positive trend that needs
to be continued, what is also evident is a push to spend more to-
wards actual conservation, maintenance and amenities aspects
that any other aspect. In 2016-17 ASI spent only 31% of its overall
expenditure towards conservation/maintenance; this was 44%
in 2017-18 and 42% in 2018-19. A welcome trend that must be
pushed for.
Recently, ASI has incorporated a range of online and e-facilities
for monuments that are appreciable.
Online E-ticketing – Online and computerised E-ticketing is im-
plemented at all 142 monuments and 30 Site Museums. Online
Combo Tickets are available for different monuments in Delhi
and Agra. Credit / Debit Card facility is also available.
Wi-fi facility – It has already been implemented at 31 monuments.
Online Permissions – Permissions have to be taken for Construc-
tion, Filming, Photography, Videography, Procurement of archi-
val images, Excavations and for holding special cultural func-
tions (for government functions only).
E-governance - Several online portals have been created for
connecting the field offices of ASI on a common e-platform fa-
cilitating paper-less office and speedy decision making.
However, the website of the Archaeological Survey of India is
7 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 112
not updated and needs a more rigorous check for weekly up-
dates. Most of the circle websites are non-functional because
the annual maintenance funds have not been disbursed to the
IT professionals handling the website.
Online and computerised E-ticketing is implemented at all 142
monuments and 30 Site Museums. Online Combo Tickets are
available for different monuments in Delhi and Agra. Credit /
Debit Card facility is also available.
Preparation of guidelines for categorization of a ticketed mon-
ument is in process. Generally, footfall of the visitors at the mon-
ument is taken into consideration while identifying new monu-
ment to be brought under category of ticketed monuments.
Year ASI’S OVERALL EXPENDITURE (Rs. In Crores)
EXPENDITURE ON CONSERVA -
TION, MAINTENANCE, AMENI-
TIES, ETC. (Rs. In Crores)
REVENUE EARNED FROM TICKETS (Rs. In Crores)
2016-17769.08 239.55223.34
2017-18939.40 410.77247.89
2018-19962.29 405.83317.20
e-ticketing service for monu-
ments on the ASI website; Source - asi,nic.in A NITI AAYOG REPORT 113
2. Existing Schemes and Programs
2.1 Ministry of Culture Schemes
The Ministry of Culture has several Systems, Programs and
Schemes that support funding, infrastructure and upgradation
of protected and unprotected heritage across India. The major
schemes are briefly summarised here:
i) National Culture Fund
The National Culture Fund (NCF) was established as a funding
mechanism distinct from the existing sources and patterns of
funding for the arts and culture in India. It was to enable institu-
tions and individuals to support arts and culture directly as part-
ners with its government.
The National Culture Fund (NCF) was set up by the Government
of India as a Trust under the Charitable Endowment Act, 1890
through a Gazette Notification published in the Gazette of India
28th November, 1996. NCF is managed by a Council and an Ex-
ecutive Committee. The Council is chaired by the Hon’ble Minis-
ter of Culture and has members representing the corporate and
public sector, private foundations and non-profit organizations.
The Executive Committee is chaired by the Secretary, Ministry of
Culture
Govt. of India vide their orders in Aug.-Sep.98 notified that the
donations to the national Culture Fund will be eligible for tax
benefit under section 10 (23C) (iv) and 80 G(2) of the Income Tax
Act. The National Culture Fund (NCF) was created as a Trust in
November 1996.
The NCF is managed and administered by a council to decide
the policies and an Executive Committee – to actualize those
policies. The Council is chaired by the Union Minister of Tourism
& Culture and has a maximum strength of 24 including both the
Chairman and Member Secretary, A team of 19 members rep-
resent various fields including corporate sector, private founda-
tions and not-for-profit voluntary organizations. The purpose for
this structure is to increase non-government representation in the
decision-making process.
Any State Government or voluntary organisation with a known
record of service in the field of art and culture and registered un-
der the Societies Registration Act 1860 (21 of 1860) or registered
as a Public Trust at least for the last two years will be eligible for
applying for financial assistance from the NCF for a specific proj
“The National Culture Fund (NCF) was established as a funding mech-
anism distinct from the existing sources and patterns of funding for the
arts and culture in India.” IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 114
ect. Individuals are not entitled to financial assistance under this
scheme.
ii) Museum Upgradation Scheme
The objective of the scheme is to provide financial assistance for
setting up of new Museums by State Governments and Societ-
ies, Autonomous bodies, Local Bodies and Trusts registered under
the Societies Act, to strengthen and modernize the existing mu-
seums at the regional, state and District level, digitization of art
objects in museums across the country for making their images/
catalogues available over the website and for capacity building
of Museum professionals.
Financial assistance is given for the establishment of new muse-
ums, development of existing museums, digitization of art objects
in the museums and training of museums professionals of muse-
ums managed by State Governments, Societies, Autonomous
bodies, local bodies, Academic Institutions and Trusts registered
under the societies Act. The broad range will include (a) muse-
ums having collections of Antiquities, Numismatics, Paintings, Eth-
Jaisalmer Fort received NCF fund- ing, Rajasthan; Source - myguid- erajasthan.com
City Palace Museum of Udaipur, Rajasthan funded under Museum Upgradation Scheme; Source - MMCF, Udaipur A NITI AAYOG REPORT 115
nological collections, Folk art and others including Art & Crafts,
Textiles, Stamps etc. (b) Online Virtual Museums displaying ob-
jects in any or all of the above disciplines and (c) Theme based
museums.
iii) Financial Assistance for Development of Buddhist/Tibetan Arts
and Culture
To give financial assistance to the voluntary Buddhist/Tibetan or-
ganizations including Monasteries engaged in the propagation
and scientific development of Buddhist/Tibetan culture, tradition
and research in related fields. This scheme can be utilised for
funding of art and building conservation works in Buddhist Mon-
asteries as it allocates upto Rs. 30 Lakhs for ‘Repairs, restoration,
renovation of ancient monasteries and Heritage Buildings asso-
ciated with Buddhism’.
Tawang Monastery, Arunanchal Pradesh can receive financial assistance; Source - wikipedia IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 116
Tirthankar circuit under the
Swadesh Darshan Scheme;
Source - swadeshdarshan.gov.in
Spiritual circuit under the
Swadesh Darshan Scheme;
Source - swadeshdarshan.gov.in A NITI AAYOG REPORT 117
2.2 Ministry of Tourism Schemes
For tourism infrastructure creation in the country, Ministry of
Tourism has two major schemes, launched during 2014-15, viz.
Swadesh Darshan - Integrated Development of Theme-Based
Tourist Circuits and PRASHAD Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spir-
itual, Heritage Augmentation Drive for development of tour-
ism infrastructure in the country including historical places and
heritage cities. 100 crores were provided to start the PRASHAD
Scheme.
i) Swadesh Darshan scheme
It has a vision to develop theme-based tourist circuits on the prin-
ciples of high tourist value, competitiveness and sustainability
in an integrated manner by synergizing efforts to focus on the
needs and concerns of all stakeholders to enrich the tourist ex-
perience and enhance employment opportunities. Under the
scheme fifteen thematic circuits have been identified for devel-
opment, as shown in the map.
Map of India showing the various circuits under the Swadesh Dar-shan Scheme; Source - swadesh-darshan.gov.in IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 118
Heritage Circuit - Often referred to as a living museum, India is
blessed with a rich history going back millennia, a vibrant heri-
tage and culture. With 36 UNESCO world heritage sites and about
36 in tentative list, the footfall and tourist interest in Heritage sites,
merits the intervention in Heritage Circuits. Aimed at preserva-
tion, sustenance and better interpretative components, the her-
itage circuit aims at meeting the needs of the global traveller.
Since the inception of the scheme, an amount of Rs. 6113.73
crore has been sanctioned for 77 projects with a total release
of Rs. 3250.72 crore (till 31.03.2019) covering all thematic circuits
under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme
During 2016-17 (up to 31.12.2016) Ministry of Tourism sanctioned
31 projects under Swadesh Darshan Scheme with Central Finan-
cial Assistance of Rs.2601.76 crore and Rs.506.47 crore has been
released.
“Aimed at preservation, sustenance and better interpretative com- ponents, the heritage circuit aims at meeting the needs of the global traveller.”
Statistics of projects and amounts sanctioned under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme; Source - swadeshdarshan.gov.in A NITI AAYOG REPORT 119
Details of Amount released under Swadesh Darshan
launched in 2014-2015, for Heritage related projectsS.
No.
State/AgencyProjectYear Amt. Sanc-
tioned (in
Cr.)
Amt.
Released
(in Cr.)
1. Madhya Pradesh Development of Heritage Circuit (Gwalior – Orchha –
Khajuraho – Chanderi – Bhimbetka – Mandu)
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
37.12
2016-17 99.77 19.95
2.Development of Buddhist Circuit in Sanchi-Satna- Re-
wa-Mandsaur-Dhar
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
3. Gujarat Development of Heritage circuit: Vadnagar- Mod-
hera and Patan
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
98.61 34.93
2017-1829.24
4.Development of Heritage Circuit in Ahmedabad- Ra-
jkot-Porbandar –Bardoli-Dandi
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
85 23.43
2016-17 93.48 18.7
5. Rajasthan Development of Heritage Circuit (Rajsamand (Kum-
bhalgarh Fort) -
Jaipur (Nahargarh Fort and Facade Illumination of
Major Arterial Roads of Walled City of Jaipur)- Alwar
(Bala Quila) – Sawai Madhopur (Ranthambore Fort
and Khandar Fort) – Jhalawar (Gagron Fort) – Chit-
torgarh (Chittorgarh Fort) Jaisalmer (JaisalmerFort)
Hanumangarh (Kalibangan, Bhatner Fort and Goga-
medi - Jalore (Jalore Fort)- Udaipur (Pratap Gaurav
Kendra)- Dholpur (Bagh-i-Nilofar and PuraniChawni)
– Nagaur (Meera Bai Temple)
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
99.6 33.82
2017-1819.92
6. Uttarakhand Integrated Development of Heritage Circuit in Kuma-
on Region – Katarmal –Jogeshwar-Baijnath-
Devidhura
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
79.12 24.58
2016-1716.39
7. Telangana Development of Heritage Circuit: Qutub Shahi Heri-
tage Park- Paigarh Tombs- Hayat Bakshi Mosque-
Raymond’s Tomb
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
99.42 24.94
8. Puducherry Development of Heritage Circuit2017-18 66.34 13.27
9. Uttar Pradesh Development of Heritage Circuit (Kalinjar Fort (Ban-
da)- Marhar Dham (Sant Kabir Nagar)- Chauri
Chaura, Shaheed Sthal (Fatehpur)- Mavahar Sthal
(Ghosi)- Shaheed Smarak (Meerut)
2016-17 41.51 3
10.AssamTezpur, Bamuni Hills, Kamalabari Ghat @ Majuli,
Samuguru Satra, Tribal Theme Village, Development
of Salmara Pottery Village, Peripheral Development
around Pond, Talatal Ghar - Main Complex @ Siv-
asagar, Joy Sagar, Rang Ghat, Chairaide Maidams
98.35
11.Punjab Anandgar Takhat Sri Keshgarh Sahib, Pathway Near
Sri Anandpur Sahib, TIC with Cafeteria and Premises
and Parking, Interconnecting roads of Sri Keshgarh
Sahib and Sri Bhora Sahib and Sri Qila Fatehgarh Sa-
hib, Cheema Park, Virasat e Khalsa, Naina Devi Road,
Samadhi of Shahid Uddham Singh Ji, Jajah Haveli
of Diwan Todar Mal, Mir Mi ran Tomb, Sadna Kasai
Tomb, Sher
Shah Suri Chowk on Srihind Morinda Road, Aam Khas
Bagh, Gurudwara Sri Jyoti Swaroop, Sanghol Tourism
Facilitation Centre, Chowk of Morinda Bela Road
and Sanduan Road, Car and Bus Parking with Mod-
ern Toilet, Canal Embankment Promenade Gazebos
and Benches, Gadi Sahib Gurudwara, TFC Saragar-
hi Memorial, General Site Development and Illumi-
nation, Old Railway Station, VR Show, VR at Jallian-
wala Bagh, Khatkar Kalan, Lord Shiv Mandir, Banda
Bahadur Singh, Gurudwara Parking and Associated
Infrastructure, Thakt e Akbari, Quila Mubarak, Sheesh
Mahal, Gurudwara Shri Katalgarh Sahib
2018-19 99.94 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 120
ii) PRASHAD Scheme
Under PRASHAD scheme, 41 sites have been identified at present
in 25 states for development. Since the inception of the scheme,
an amount of Rs. 857.61 crore has been sanctioned for 28 proj-
ects with a total release of Rs. 396.67 crore till 31.03.2019.
During 2017-18 (up to 31.12.2017) Ministry of Tourism had released
an amount of Rs. 907.36 crore for the projects sanctioned under
Swadesh Darshan Scheme and Rs. 83.24 crore for the projects
sanctioned under PRASHAD scheme.
Since its launch, total 21 projects were approved under the
scheme with sanctioned expenditure of Rs. 587.29 crore out of
which Rs. 203.06 was released up to 31.12.2017.
Map of India showing the PRASAD cities; Source - civilsdaily.com A NITI AAYOG REPORT 121 S.
No.
State/Agency ProjectYear Amt.
Sanc-
tioned (in
Cr.)
Amt. Re-
leased (in
Cr.)
1. Uttar Pradesh Development of Varanasi, Phase 1 Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
6.12
2.Development of Tourist Facilitation Centre at
Mathura
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
2.81
3.Development of Tourist Facilitation Centre at
Vrindavan
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
2.80
4.Development of Mathura Mega Tourist Cir-
cuit, Phase 2
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
3.60
5.Development of Varanasi, Phase 2 Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
10.21
6. Kerala Development of Guruvayur TempleJan 2018 to
Mar 2019
3.83
8.92
7. Andhra Pradesh Development of Sirisailam Temple Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
13.30
4.16
2017-18 47.45 9.49
8.Development of SirisailamJan 2018 to
Mar 2019
11.04
9.Development of Amaravati Town, Guntur
District as a Tourist destination
2015-16 28.36 22.69
10.Uttarakhand Integrated Development of Kedarnath Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
5
5.43
11.Development of Badrinath ji Dham Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
11.77
12.Punjab Development of Karuna Sagra Valmiki Sthal
at Amritsar
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
1.30
13.Tamil Nadu Development of Kanchipuram Temple Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
4.94
14.Development of Velankanni, Nagapattinan
district
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
1.47
15.BiharDevelopment of Vishnupad, GayaJan 2018 to
Mar 2019
0.76
2014-15
16.Development at Patna Sahib2015-16 41.54 33.23
17.Gujarat Development of pilgrimage amenities at
Somnath
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
9.98
3.44
18.Development of infrastructure facilities at
Somnath
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
1.24
7.79
19.Development of promenade at Dwarka Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
5.53
20.Development of infrastructure at Dwarka Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
1.60
2016-2017 26.23 5.25
21.Jammu and Kash-
mir
Development of Hazratbal, Srinagar Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
5.52
22.Maharashtra Development of pilgrimage infrastructure at
Trimbakshewar, Nashik
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
8.49
23.AssamDevelopment of Infrastructure in and around
Kamakhya temple in Guwahati
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
5.03
2015-16 33.98 16.99
Details of Amount released under PRASHAD Scheme
launched in 2014-2015, for Heritage related projects IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 122
Ministry of Tourism extends its financial support to Central Agen-
cies like Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Port Trusts of India,
India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) etc. to develop
the potential destinations under their jurisdictions/control. A total
of Rs 82.01 crore has been released to various Central Agencies
for creation of tourism infrastructure related projects during Jan-
uary, 2018 to March, 2019.
iii) Heritage Hotels
To conform to the expected standards for different classes of
tourists, especially from the point of view of suitability for inter-
national tourists, Ministry of Tourism classifies hotels under the star
rating system. Under this system, hotels are given a rating, from
One Star to Three Star, Four and Five Star with or without alcohol,
Five Star Deluxe, Heritage (Basic), Heritage (Classic), Heritage
(Grand), Legacy Vintage (Basic), Legacy Vintage (Classic) and
Legacy Vintage (Grand). Ministry has introduced online system
of receiving, processing and conveying/ granting approvals for
hotel project, Hotel classification/ reclassification status to func-
tioning hotels and project level approval for hotel under con-
struction. This online process has also been integrated with pay-
ment gateway.
iv) Rural Tourism
The scheme of Rural Tourism was started by this Ministry in 2002-
03 with the objective of showcasing rural life, art, culture and
heritage at rural locations and in villages. The villages which had
core competence in art and craft, handloom and textiles as
also an asset base in the natural environment were selected. The
scheme also aims to benefit the local community economically
and socially as well as enable interaction between tourists and
local population for mutually enriching experience.
Under this scheme, funds up to Rs. 50.00 lakh for infrastructure
(hardware) of development and up to 20.00 lakh for capacity
building (software) of activities, are provided to State Govern-
ment for each identified site. Till 2015, 153 rural tourism projects in
28 States/Union Territories have been sanctioned by the Ministry
of Tourism including 36 rural sites where UNDP has supported for
capacity building.
Narain Niwas Palace Hotel, Jai- pur; Source - timesofindia.india- times.com A NITI AAYOG REPORT 123
v) Adopt a Heritage
This project is a key initiative of the Ministry of Tourism in close col-
laboration with Ministry of Culture and Archaeological Survey of
India (ASI), to develop the heritage sites / monuments and mak-
ing them tourist-friendly to enhance the tourism potential and
their cultural importance in a planned and phased manner. The
project focuses on active participation of Public / Private sec-
tor companies and individuals to partner in the noble social re-
sponsibility initiative through putting forth proposal for adopting
monument package(s) as per their interest and viability in terms
of a sustainable investment model under CSR. It is essentially a
non-revenue generating project.
The response to the project has been very encouraging as agen-
cies who have come forward, includes not only public and pri-
Rural Tourism scheme has been started by the Ministry of Tourism
Poster of the Adopt a Heritage Scheme; Source - adoptaheri-tage.in (Next Page)
Jantar Mantar, Delhi has been taken up under the Adopt a Heri-tage Scheme; Source - Wikipedia IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 124 S.
No.
Agency/Monument Mitras Name of MonumentState/UT
1.Dalmia Bharat Ltd. Red FortDelhi
2.Gandikota FortAndhra
Pradesh
3.Adventure Tour Operators As-
sociation of India (ATOAI)
Gangotri Temple Area & Trail to GaumukhUttrakhand
4.Trail from Village Stok to base camp of Mt. Stok KangriJammu &
Kashmir
5.Bliss Inn (India) Pvt. Ltd. (VRe-
sorts)
SurajkundHaryana
6.Yatra Online Pvt. Ltd. Ajanta CavesMaharashtra
7.Qutub MinarDelhi
8.Hampi & Hazara Rama TempleKarnataka
9.Leh PalaceJammu &
Kashmir
10.Resbird Technologies Pvt. Ltd.Development of Multi-Lingual Audio Guide for 3
Iconic Sites:
(i) Amer Fort, Rajasthan
(ii) Mahabodhi Temple, Bihar
(iii) Chandni Chowk, Delhi
Rajasthan,
Bihar, Delhi
11.Development of Multi-Lingual Audio Guide for 9
Iconic Sites:
(i) Dholavira, Gujarat
(ii) Somnath, Gujarat
(iii) Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi
(iv) Red Fort, Delhi
(v) Purana Quila Delhi
(vi) Fatehpur Sikri, Agra
(vii) Taj Mahal, Agra
(viii) Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu
(ix) Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh
Gujarat, Delhi,
Agra, Tamil
Nadu,Madhya
Pradesh
12.Gol GumbadDelhi
13.Interglobe Foundation Abdur Rahim Khan –i-Khana
14.Drishti Lifesaving Pvt. Ltd.Bekal FortKerala
15.Aguada FortGoa
16.Akshar Travels Pvt. Ltd. Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological ParkGujarat
17.Rani ki Vav, Patan
18.Sun Temple, Modhera
19.Buddhist Caves, Uparkot, Junagadh
20.Heritage Hotel, Hampi (A unit
of Indo Asia Leisure Services
Ltd.)
Krishna Temple, HampiKarnataka
21.Orange County Resorts & Ho-
tels Ltd.
Elephanta Stables, Hampi
22.Pattabhirama Temple, Hampi
23.Zenana Enslosure (Lotus Mahal), Hampi
24.Hotel Malligi Pvt. Ltd. Ugra Narsimha Temple, Hampi
25.Badavilinga Temple, Hampi
26.Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels
(P) Ltd.
Jantar MantarDelhi A NITI AAYOG REPORT 125 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 126
Homepage of indiatheland-
ofbuddha.in website; Source - in-
diathelandofbuddha.in
vate industry/ individuals but also schools and law firms. Till date, a total of 600+ registrations have been received, of which 37 Let-ters of Intent (LOI) were issued to prospective Monument Mitras for 106 sites. The selected agencies become “Monument Mitra” through the innovative concept of Vision Bidding, where the agency with the best vision for the heritage/ tourist site is given an opportunity to associate pride with their CSR activities and also get limited visibility in the premises and the Incredible India website. So far, 26 Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) have been awarded to 12 Monument Mitras for twenty-four (24) sites and two (2) Technological interventions across India. A more rig-orous system of coordination between Tourism and ASI is is essen-tial to fully utilise these schemes.
vi) Buddhist website
The Hon’ble President launched the Ministry of Tourism website on important Buddhist sites - indiathelandofbuddha.in on 23rd August 2018 during the International Buddhist Conclave (IBC), 2018. This website aims to promote and showcase the rich Bud-dhist Heritage in India and highlight the major destinations visit-
ed by Buddha personally across the country besides showcasing the Buddhist Heritage left behind by his disciples including the modern monasteries. The aim of this website is to showcase and project the Buddhist Heritage in India and boost tourism to the
Buddhist sites in the country, cultivate friendly ties with countries and communities interested in Buddhism and to provide our visi-
tors an easier way to learn about Buddhist Heritage and to allow the tourist to browse information based on their own choice. The new website is interactive and gives better access to information on Buddhism, Footsteps of Buddha, Buddhist Heritage, Monaster-
ies and many more. Since launch (i.e. Aug 23, 2018), 1.4 Million people visited the Buddhist website and United States (14%), Aus-tralia (10.4%), UK (9.5%), Singapore (8.4%) and Germany (7.5%) are the top 5 countries of visitors. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 127
Interface of the Incredible India
App; Source - Incredible India
App
vii) Incredible India Mobile App
Ministry of Tourism, on the 27th of September 2018, launched the Incredible India mobile application, to cater to the mobile friendly generation and digital initiatives of the government. In- credible India App is an innovative project of Ministry of Tourism to assist the international and domestic tourist to showcase In- dia as a holistic destination, revolving around major experiences such as spirituality, heritage, adventure, culture, yoga, wellness and more.
3. Gaps and Recommendations
Ministry/ Organisation
Yearwise Budget for Heritage (in crores)
2016-17 2017-182018-19 2019-20 2020-21
ASI769.08 939.40 962.29 1036.41 1246.75
MoC
For the development of
new and existing museums
and NCF (CSR)
85.17 (new)
71.03 (existing)
76.39 (new)
76 (existing)
Primary
Corpus 19.50
- NCF;
80.60 (new)
105.98
(existing)
90.59 (new)
351.33
(existing)
109 (new)
180.9
(existing)
India’s Heritage is underfinanced
A Comprehensive Vision for Heritage Budget and Planning is essential
Innovative means of finances are needed. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 128
GapsRecommendations
National Culture Fund
NCF has not been very successful in execu-
tion of its projects. Since its inception it shows
35 completed projects among which only
3-4 are associated with major site works in
protected monuments. Few projects such
as Jaisalmer Fort have not been completed
to its end and donors such as World Monu-
ment Fund backed out of the project after
several years of non-action. It shows 17 on-
going projects which also indicate very slow
progress. One of the reasons for NCF failure
is due to lack of regular meetings and deci-
sion making of the Council and the Commit-
tee on various relevant matters which leads
to slow progress and disinterest of the donor.
The cumbersome procedures and reporting
chain in NCF need to be re-looked at in par-
ticular in order to amend the structure and
make it more conducive and efficient. NCF
should be made fully autonomous. The CEO
should be the Member Secretary of the Ex-
ecutive Committee with a board of luminar-
ies of the business world should be appoint-
ed to the Board of the Fund.
Museum Upgradation Scheme
This has been a very successful scheme of
the Ministry of Culture with more than 50 mu-
seums upgraded and new museums con-
structed by various State Governments and
Private Trusts. If the museum is located in a
historic structure then the scheme also al-
lows 30-40 of the grant amount to be utilised
in the conservation of the Museum building.
More State Governments and private foun-
dations need to avail of this scheme for con-
servation and reuse of their heritage build-
ings.
Facilities and Amenities under Tourism Schemes
The Tourism Schemes cover visitor facilities
in Monuments of National Importance and
State level. Gaps are observed in design and
implementation of such facilities in terms of
Reuse and Architectural Design that need
to be monitored by ASI and State bodies.
Monuments that do not attract a large num-
ber of visitors and those which have no asso-
ciated cultural/religious sensitivity should use
as venues for cultural programme with the
twin objectives of promoting the associated
intangible heritage as well as increasing visi-
tor numbers to such sites. Cultural events at
poorly visited monuments as well as ‘living
monuments’ will help increase awareness of
these sites and provide much needed alter-
nate cultural events for the city they stand
within.
a. Reuse Wherever possible, facilities built
earlier should be adapted to serve new
needs and effort should be made to house
facilities within portions of the monument it-
self. Reuse is recommended at historic sites
for being cost effective and as a means to
improving maintenance of sites. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 129
GapsRecommendations
b. Architectural Design Ticket counters, toi-
lets, drinking water points, site interpretation
centers, publication counters are often seen
to be built without any architectural design
inputs. Thereby disfiguring the historic char-
acter – often at the entrance zone of the
monument complex. It should be essential
for any facility being built at any national
monument to be designed by a registered
architect.
Furthermore, the ASI should set up a review
committee on the lines of the ‘Delhi Urban
Art Commission’ with external experts to re-
view any design prior to its construction.
c. Siting and sharing of facilities: In some
locations, facilities at monuments can also
serve the needs of the local community and
this should be encouraged where it is possi-
ble to do so without compromising the pres-
ervation of the monument in any respect.
Car park ing, toilets, gathering places in
densely populated or rural areas are some
facilities that can be shared with the com-
munity.
Car parks should be carefully placed and
designed in consultation with a conserva-
tion architect/ urban planner or landscape
architect. Car parks can be located a dis-
tance away from the site/ monument to en-
sure the character of a site is not compro-
mised to create a car park. No trees should
be cut to create a car park and appropriate
landscape treatment of the car park should
be mandatory.
d. Site Interpretation and Community Use:
It is important that finally the cultural signifi-
cance of the site and its history is communi-
cated to the visitors and community in the
best possible and simplest manner. All as-
pects of lifestyle, history, artwork, architec-
tural styles, water systems, setting and land-
scape should be communicated in the best
possible manner with authentic research
and use of latest display technology at Inter-
pretation Centres. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 130
GapsRecommendations
Visitor Management
Apart from building state-of-art and well-de-
signed infrastructure at ASI and State pro-
tected sites, there is a need for either great-
er collaboration with the ministry of tourism
or placing of visitor managers at each of the
popular monuments.
Special focus is required for visitor manage-
ment on site. Site managers for this purpose
are essential along with regular training of
on-site staff for handling specific locations.
Carrying Capacity Studies of sites need to
be conducted to ensure the optimum num-
ber allowed in a particular location/site at a
certain time.
Work Progress of MoT Schemes
Work Progress under SWADESH Darshan and
PRASHAD needs to be much faster. Most of
the projects promised by the State Govern-
ments are running behind schedule.
Progress under Adopt a Heritage Scheme
has been very slow, even for the MoUs
approved in 2018; not much work can be
seen in terms of on-site execution. Most
Monument Mitras are running behind their
committed schedule as per MoUs. The final-
isation of 14 new MoUs is pending since De-
cember 2018 (almost 1 year now). There is
a lack of coordination between Tourism and
ASI officials because of which the process of
approvals and execution is very slow. Mon-
ument Mitra’s also need to be monitored to
deliver quality work within the committed
time.
Monitoring Committee for Monument Mitra
under Adopt a Heritage to review ongoing
works under signed MoUs for their quality and
adherence to timeline ASI and MoT need
to urgently finalise the 14 pending MoUs for
Monument Mitra along with a timebound
delivery plan by the Monument Mitra. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 131
4. Key Action Points
4.1 Adopt Revenue Generation Model through PPP Schemes
Push for revenue growth will require investments towards improving services, facilities and
attractions that will generate visitor interest and eventually footfall. These investments can
be funded through a public-private partnership that will allow the government to ensure
that heritage conservation remains primary focal area and that commercial interest does
not interfere with that objective. This is true for both currently ticketed as well as other sites.
PPP Mode can be adopted to attract funding from various Public and Private Sector Enter-
prises. Collaboration with state governments for undertaking development works – to be
undertaken jointly by ASI and State Governments while core conservation activities are to
be undertaken by ASI only (e.g., Raigad Model). Ministry of Tourism to directly give funds to
ASI for development of amenities around a monument rather than giving it to various state
tourism departments
Economic sustainability is a key challenge in conservation and development of heritage
sites for tourist/visitor interest, state funding can get it going, but it is critical that a self sustain-
ing economic cycle kicks in, this is especially true for the major protected monuments, and
these have potential to generate revenue that can help conserve, protect and develop the
others.
4.2 Professional and focused marketing effort with Information Technology
A professional and focused marketing effort (with a strong digital component) is required to
generate visitor interest; this must factor in the sheer number of monuments, hence a need
for a clear strategy that will promote the ASI assets effectively. This strategy must also be in-
tegrated with state level tourism plans for impact on the ground.
Even though ASI has adopted online ticketing, wifi facility on sites, online permissions and
e-governance, but the website of the Archaeological Survey of India is not updated and
needs a more rigorous check for weekly updates. Most of the circle websites are non-func-
tional because the annual maintenance funds have not been disbursed to the IT profession-
als handling the website.
4.3 Each ASI site to be treated as separate profit centres
Efforts are made to generate revenue through the monument. In addition to entry fee rev-
enue is also generated through granting permissions for film shooting, culture events, sale
of publications, grass auction, fruit auction, sale of photographs, etc. There is a proposal to
bring more centrally protected monuments under the category of ticketed monument. A
decision has been taken to open souvenir shops at selected monuments. In this direction an
MoU has been signed with Handicrafts and Exports Corporation (Ministry of Textiles). Initially
shops will be opened at Qutub Minar and Sarnath.
Food and Beverage revenues are largely not leveraged to the extent possible, sites with al-
ready heavy footfall loose a massive opportunity here, These F&B services can be provided
to cater to the wide range of socio-cultural;-economic diversity that we represent, this com-
ponent has immense potential. Lease/Rental/ Revenue Sharing models are used globally in
this respect that can be mirrored. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 132
ASI should consider starting with a few sites to try different models to serve as profit centres,
there is no one glove fit all option here, an open mind set is required. Key monument clusters
should have revenue targets with appropriate accountability within ASI.
4.4 ASI revenues to be ploughed back to the site
Currently, ASI has no surplus revenue and depends on the annual budget allocation. Provi-
sion should be made for special authorities for the primary ticketed monuments so that fee
from each monument can be directly utilized for the upkeep of the monument,
Mechanism for retaining money earned out of entrance tickets and other sources for the
purpose of conserving and maintaining monuments to be evolved in consultation with rele-
vant ministries.
4.5 National Culture Fund – To be made autonomous
The cumbersome procedures and reporting chain in NCF need to be re-looked at in par-
ticular in order to amend the structure and make it more conducive and efficient. The CEO
should be the Member Secretary of the Executive Committee with a board of luminaries of
the business world should be appointed to the Board of the Fund.
4.6 Processing of the pending MoUs under Adopt a Heritage to be accelerated
The success of this initiative would be possible if ASI is more liberal and open to adopting
tourist friendly practices, without impacting their core responsibility of preservation of the
monuments. A positive relationship between ASI and Tourism needs to be put in place. De-
lays in required permissions and clearances is presently hampering the implementation of
the project at several sites.
A high-level Committee with representatives from the Ministries of Tourism and Culture, ASI
and concerned State Government / UT Administration may be set up for resolving issues and
expediting approvals, for moving ahead with the Adopt a Heritage project.
4.7 Crowdfunding/ community funding/ CSR
From ‘crowd funding’ to ‘community funding’ new funding models are thriving, ASI can con-
sider opening up to local communities to make them stakeholders, community participation
can provide solutions both in terms of visitor interest as well as financial support, but this will
need a huge shift in how ASI functions as on date. This can also assist in managing the en-
croachment issue more effectively.
It is also important to include local community in review of designs and maintenance of
monuments. E.g., volunteers for heritage walks, maintenance of historical spaces, creating
opportunities for local economy (crafts and other production), etc.
The ASI should prepare or commission project proposals that could be attractive for corpo-
rates to fund. Implementation for conservation works could be undertaken by the ASI or a
third party. Restoration of the Humayun’s Tomb Finial was possible with funding from Titan
Company; conservation of Rahim Khan-i-Khanan’s Tomb. with funding from Indigo and con-
servation of Sabz Burj with funding from Havells. These examples need to be replicated on a
national scale A NITI AAYOG REPORT 133
4.8 Tourism Experience to cater to all segments of Society:
All heritage sites should develop special programmes for engaging School students’ visits
with a round the year calendar for children’s workshops, activities and events. Special Her-
itage walks to enhance visitor experience with proper interpretation and storytelling on site
or specialised interpretation centre needs to be implemented. Souvenir shops with innova-
tive local crafts products need to be established.
The signages need to be pleasing and legible. All ASI Blue Boards should be redesigned
them with details about the site. Orientation and sensitizing of guides, car drivers and Police
officials around the sites/ monuments needs to be taken up. All Heritage Sites have to be
made disaster resilient. App based guide details should be made available in public domain
A Domestic Tourists Marketing Strategy needs to be developed and implemented for cap-
italising each heritage site to its optimum interlinking both tangible and intangible benefits,
events, programs, performances besides the built heritage experience of the site.
Humayun’s Tomb illuminated at night; Source - financialexpress.com IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 134
8. Upgradation of the Archaeological
Survey of India
Strengthening of old and introduction of new verticals
Scale upgradation at par with UGC A NITI AAYOG REPORT 135
NATIONAL DATABASE
AND DOCUMENTATION
Implementation of
comprehensive database
and documentation
system
CONSERVATION
Implementation of
National Conservation
Policy
EXCAVATION
Notification of Draft
Policy for excavation
and exploration
EPIGRAPHY
Sourcing of language
experts and training
programs
MANAGEMENT
Use of revenue from
tickets for conservation
works
ANTIQUITIES
Strengthening of CAC
guidelines
HORTICULTURE AND
LANDSCAPE
Draft policy on hydrology
and re-creation of
traditional water systems
UNDERWATER
ARCHAEOLOGY
Revival of underwater
archaeology wing with
NIO, Goa IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 136 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 137
1. Exisitng Situation of the Archaeological
Survey of India
1.1. Introduction
ASI was formed in December, 1861, with the purpose of survey-
ing, identifying and documenting the monuments. It is perhaps
one of the oldest organisations in the world with the mandate to
explore and preserve monuments. It became a central organisa-
tion in 1902 under the British, with the clear purpose of the survey
of antiquarian remains, including exploration and excavation,
preservation of monuments and archaeological sites, epigraphi-
cal research and development of archaeological site museums.
In 1904, the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act was passed
to provide for the preservation of ancient monuments, for the
exercise of control over traffic in antiquities and over excavation
in certain areas.
In 1953, after the merger of the Princely States (1948-49) with rest
of India, ASI undertook the additional responsibility of maintain-
ing monuments and sites of national importance which were for-
merly looked after by the erstwhile Princely States.
A new Act called the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological
Sites and Remains Act, 1958 (henceforth AMASR Act, 1958), was
passed which extends to the whole of India and is still operation-
al after its amendment in 2010. In 1972, the Antiquities and Art
Treasures Act (henceforth AAT Act), 1972 was enacted to regu-
late the export trade in antiquities and art treasures and to pro-
vide for the prevention and smuggling of, and fraudulent deal-
ings in, antiquities. The Act has been in force since April, 1976.
India has also ratified the UNESCO Convention on the ‘Means of
Prohibiting and preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of
Ownership of Cultural Property and the Archaeological Survey of
India is charged with the responsibility of implementing this Con-
vention. India also signed the World Heritage Convention, 1972
in 1977 and ASI is the nodal agency to process all World Heritage
matters.
To summarise its international obligations, India is the signatory to
various declarations on heritage management, of which the fol-
lowing are signed by India with ASI being nodal agency for the
World Heritage Convention signed in 1977:
8
Bekal Fort, Kerala; Source - wiki-media commons IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 138
Ratification by IndiaUNESCO Culture Conventions
15 December 2006 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of
Cultural Expressions. Paris, 20 October 2005
09 September 2005 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heri-
tage. Paris, 17 October 2003.
14 November 1977 Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and
Natural Heritage. Paris, 16 November 1972.
24 January 1977 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illic-
it Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property.
Paris, 14 November 1970.
16 June 1958 Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Proper-
ty in the Event of Armed Conflict. The Hague, 14 May 1954.
16 June 1958 Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event
of Armed Conflict with Regulations for the Execution of the Con-
vention. The Hague, 14 May 1954.
ASI is guided by the Central Advisory Board of Archaeology
(CABA) formed in 1945 chaired by the Hon’ble Minister of Cul-
ture. It is the advisory body which deals all the matters concern-
ing Archaeological Survey of India like archaeology, conserva-
tion, its functioning and other matters. The Standing Committee
of CABA scrutinises and recommends for exploitation and ex-
cavation and issue of permissions. CABA meetings are to be or-
ganised annually by ASI while CABA subcommittees have been
formed to guide ASI at various levels. CABA members were last
inducted for a periiod of 2014-18 (refer Annexure) and it needs
to be reconstituted now.
As an attached office of the Ministry of Culture, the organisa-
tion, headed by the Director General, has a 3-tier administra-
tive structure: ASI Headquarter based in Delhi headed by the
Director General, 5 Regional Directorates headed by Regional
Directors, 29 Circles headed by Superintending Archaeologists
and 3 Mini Circles headed by Deputy Superintending Archaeol-
ogists. The Circles and Mini-circles are the field offices of ASI that
implement the mandate of the organisation. Apart from these,
ASI also takes up its various activities through the directorates of
Epigraphy, Science and Horticulture branches, and through its
various Survey offices such as Excavation/Exploration, Building
and Temple Surveys.
ASI states its Vision as:
1. To explore country’s rich past by continuously evolving ar-
chaeological narrative;
2. Preservation of monuments and archaeological sites for pos-
terity;
3. Monuments and archaeological sites as centre-piece of edu-
cation; and
4. Authentic cultural/historical experience for visitors A NITI AAYOG REPORT 139
The important functions of ASI are identified as:
a. Exploration / Excavation
b. Protection of Monuments and archaeological sites
c. Registration and Regulation of trade of antiquities
d. Maintenance and Conservation and Environmental De
velopment
e. Archaeological Site Museums
f. Research and Publications
g. Epigraphical Surveys (Sanskrit, Dravidian, Arabic and Per
sian)
h. Institute of Archaeology
2. Branches of ASI
2.1 Science Branch
The ASI has laboratory facilities in the Science Branch, Dehra-
dun and other field offices of Science Branch. Scientific anal-
ysis of excavated material is being carried out with the assis-
tance of the Science Branch and various external institutions
like Birbal Sahni Institute and Physical Research Laboratory, and
NRLC, Lucknow and IIT Kanpur. There is an inordinate delay in
getting the results of the dating samples. This has adversely af-
fected the capacity building and research activities of the ASI.
2.2 Horticulture Branch
The Horticulture Division in ASI maintains the gardens in and
around the monuments. As against 98 gardens in 1982, the Horti-
culture Division presently maintains about 506 gardens covering
2352.91 acres. Presently, there are only 04 Divisions, each Division
overseeing several States. It is grossly understaffed vis-à-vis the
norms laid down by CPWD for Horticulture staff.
2.3 Excavations and Explorations
Excavation and Exploration is the primary objective of the Ar-
chaeological Survey of India. Excavation includes functions such
as excavation and exploration. Other sub branches under this
also include underwater archaeology, epigraphy, prehistory
and Surveys (building survey, temple survey, village to village
survey). Excavation of archaeological remains has been one of
the primary responsibilities of the ASI. As per Sections 21 to 24
of the AMASR Act, 1958 an Archaeological Officer or an officer
authorised by him on this behalf or any person holding a license
granted in this behalf under the Act, may make excavation in
any protected or unprotected area. The ASI grants excavation
licenses and permissions, based on the proposals received from
different agencies like the ASI, State Departments of Archaeolo-
gy Universities and Research Institutions every year. The propos-
als are examined and recommendations are made by Central IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 140
Advisory Board of Archaeology (CABA) chaired by the Minister
of Culture and assisted by a Standing Committee of CABA. The
process is as below:
• Exploration and Excavation all over the country is regulated by
ASI and State Archaeology Departments
• Applications are invited every year by July end of a calendar
year
• A Standing Committee (SC) under Chairpersonship of Direc-
tor General, ASI, a sub-committee of Central Advisory Board of
Archaeology (CABA) scrutinizes and recommends for approval
• ASI regulates movement of samples for testing and analysis
abroad
ASI’s policy for Excavation and Exploration was approved in the
year 2015, but is under review keeping in view of the changing
conditions. As per the CAG Report, the Survey was spending only
1 % of its total budget on excavation/ exploration. Now it has
been by the Ministry to increase it to 5 % of total budget in first
phase . It is praiseworthy that due to crunch of fund, no excava-
tion has been stopped mid-way or not taken up in a year despite
proven potential till date.
2.3.1 Underwater Archaeology
It was established a specialist Branch for Underwater Archaeolo-
gy in 2001. There was no perspective plan or policy for Underwa-
ter Archaeology though it is a very significant section with India
Excavation at Dholavira, Gujarat carried by ASI; Source - ASI
“India has a coastal area of more than 7500kms with several archae- ological remains underwater including historic shipwrecks and entire cities like Bet Dwarka. ” A NITI AAYOG REPORT 141
as a peninsular country and its centuries of cultural exchange via
the Indian Ocean with other countries. Being a signatory to the
UNESCO Convention for Underwater Archaeology, it has an im-
portant role to play in this sector. ASI has undertaken17 projects
till May 2011. However, the only trained Superintending Archae-
ologist in this field was sent on deputation to Assam University in
2011. Another trained ASA and a photographer were posted in
Archaeological Museum and Chemical Branch, Jaipur respec-
tively. The Branch virtually has become defunct due to lack of
specialised manpower.
ASI has signed MoU with Institute of Oceanography, Goa and it is
important to revive this branch in collaboration with NIO includ-
ing their involvement in Project Mausam.
2.3.2 Epigraphical Studies
Epigraphy is the Branch of Archaeology dealing with the deci-
pherment and interpretation of inscriptions found in various me-
diums like stone or terracotta, metal, etc. These Inscriptions were
mostly written in ancient languages/scripts, some of which is lost
now.
The main function of the Epigraphy Branch is to undertake an
epigraphical survey in India and to document the inscriptions on
stone, copper-plate and other materials written in Sanskrit, Dra-
vidian and other languages. After deciphering and transcribing,
the inscriptions are listed out in the Annual Report on Indian Epig-
raphy. However, there are no Acts/Rules/guidelines pertaining
to the Epigraphy Branch. Also, the number of experts in epigra-
phy for Arabic/Persian and Sanskrit/Dravidian language are de-
creasing in number which is a serious concern.
2.3.4 Prehistory Branch
Various Branches and Circles of the ASI carry out archaeological
excavations in different parts of the country. Prehistory branch
focuses in particular on prehistoric sites such as Bhimbetka and
others. Its scope covers problem-oriented survey including explo-
ration and excavation of prehistoric sites, research on the en-
suing exploration and excavation work, preparation of reports
based on the field work and interaction with various universities
and research institutions.
Bet Dwarka, Gulf of Cambay, In-dia - A potential for underwater archaeology; Source - reddit IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 142
2.3.5 Architectural Survey Project
Architectural Survey Projects include the Temple Survey Projects
(North and South) and Building Survey Project. The main func-
tions are:
•Survey and documentation of temples of various periods and in
different parts of the country, research based on the field survey,
preparation of reports on the survey;
•Survey and documentation of all secular architecture espe-
cially unprotected buildings bearing aesthetic. Historical and
architectural value, research on the survey and preparation of
reports;
•Interaction with various universities and research institutions.
2.4 Site Museums
ASI has 50 Site Museums at the moment at various centrally pro-
tected monuments. The concept of an Archaeological Site Mu-
seum has been derived from showcasing the artefacts near an
archaeological site / monument that have direct association
thus respecting its provenance.
2.5 Antiquity
Antiquity Section is entrusted with the responsibility of implement-
ing the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972 enacted by the
Parliament which came into force with effect from 5th April, 1976
to regulate the export trade in antiquities and art treasures, to
provide for the prevention of smuggling of and fraudulent deal-
ings in antiquities, to provide for the compulsory acquisition of
antiquities and art treasures for preservation in public places and
to provide for certain other matters connected therewith or inci-
dental or ancillary thereto. Under section 3 of the Antiquities and
Art Treasures Act 1972 no person other than the Central Gov-
ernment or any authority or agency authorized by the Central
Government in this behalf to export any antiquity or art treasures.
To facilitate the Customs authorities for export of Non-Antiquity,
ASI has posted an archaeologist of the rank of Deputy Superin-
tending Archaeologist (Group-A) to examine the objects when-
ever referred by Custom authorities. In addition, Archaeological
Survey of India has also constituted an Expert Advisory Commit-
tee at Circle level to issue Non-Antiquity Certificates.
2.6 Publications and Central Archaeological Library
The Archaeological Survey of India brings out a variety of publi-
cations since its inception, both annual and special with subject
matters ranging from archaeological researches in excavations,
explorations, conservation, architectural survey of temples and
secular buildings besides epigraphy and numismatics. In addition
to these, the survey brings out popular literature in the form of
guide books, folder/brochures, portfolio and picture post-cards A NITI AAYOG REPORT 143
on centrally protected monuments and archaeological sites.
The Central Archaeological Library was established in the year
1902. It is housed in the basement of the ASI headquarter office,
Tilak Marg, New Delhi. These library houses books and periodicals
on various subjects namely History, Archaeology, Anthropology,
Architecture, Art, Epigraphy & Numismatics, Indology, Literature,
Geology, etc. The library also houses many rare books, plates,
original drawings, etc. The books are classified according to the
Dewey Decimal System. The ASI maintains library in each Circle
and branch to cater to its academic and technical requirements
leading to research of primary nature.
2.7 NMMA
The National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities was launched
in 2007. Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is the nodal agency
for NMMA to implement the various activities all over the coun-
try. The time frame prescribed for its completion was five years. Its
mandate covers a comprehensive database with
• National Register on Built Heritage & Sites
• National Register on Antiquities.
2.8 Institute of Archaeology
The Institute of Archaeology was established in the year 1985,
by upgrading the School of Archaeology which was established
in 1959 for imparting advanced training in multidisciplinary field
of Archaeology, Epigraphy, Numismatics, Museology, Conserva-
tion, Antiquarian law, etc. The Post Graduate Diploma in Archae-
ology course, conducted in the Institute is of two years duration.
It is conducted by the faculty members of the Institute and the
Country’s eminent archaeologists as guest lectures. The Institute
of Archaeology is now shifted to a new campus at Greater Noi-
da and renamed at Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Institute of
Archaeology. Apart from the two-year PG Diploma course, the
institute also conducts short term courses, workshops and semi-
nars.
2.9 Circles
The Circles carry out archaeological fieldwork, research activi-
ties and implement the various provisions of the AMASR Act, 1958
and Antiquities and Art Treasures Act 1972. This may include the
following:
1. Carrying out village-to-village survey of antiquarian re-
mains; exploration of archaeological sites, documentation of
loose sculptures;
2. Excavation of archaeological sites;
3. Conservation and day-to-day maintenance of protected
monuments; IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 144
4. Providing basic amenities at the monuments for tourists;
5. Issuing permission for filming, photography and cultural
programmes at the protected monuments;
6. Organising public awareness programmes on various oc-
casions like Word Heritage Day (April 18), World Heritage Week
(November 17-25), Museum Day (May 18) and other important
occasions;
7. Registration of antiquities and issuing non-antiquity certifi-
cates;
8. Interaction with various universities and research institu-
tions. Wing.
2.10 Human Resources Management
ASI has been facing serious issues with staff and a proposal for
restructuring of ASI has been submitted to MoF. There is an acute
shortage of staff- lengthy processes for finalization of recruitment
rules.
In terms of conservation, the CAs are also burdened with admin-
istrative works like daily receipts and deposit of revenue, monitor-
ing of security, handling of legal cases, issue of notices to unau-
thorised constructions and other routine work. These additional
responsibilities significantly reduce the time available with them
for their prime responsibility of documentation, execution and
supervision of ongoing conservation works. A concerted effort
in the form of revision of RRs, recruitment against vacancies and
restructuring of ASI has been undertaken. The Epigraphy cadre
had nearly collapsed in the past due to the inability to find suit-
able candidates.
ASI has no separate cadre for staffing its Archaeological Site Mu-
seums. These posts are filled by Archaeologists. In restructuring a
proposal for separate cadre has been proposed for Archaeo -
logical Site Museums of ASI.
ASI has always faced the problems of shortage in sanctioned
strength across all cadres primarily in case of Monument Atten-
dants and Garden Attendants which was addressed through
outsourcing to some extent.
Security of monuments identified for preservation is a primary re-
sponsibility. Audit pointed out several shortcomings in the man-
agement of providing proper security to monuments resulting in
encroachments. The committee for the manpower infrastruc-
ture recommended engagement of 7000 additional security
personnel for these monuments. The transfer policy also creates
hindrances in the functioning of field offices. This also prevents
from long-term conservation goals. Also refer detailed note on
‘Restructuring of ASI’ in Annexure.
3. Gaps and Recommendations A NITI AAYOG REPORT 145
Central Antiquity Collection
Section Purana Qila - Fragment
of Bowl; Source - nmma.nic.in/
nmma
Central Antiquity Collection Sec-
tion Purana Qila - Fragment of
Pot; Source - nmma.nic.in/nmma
Central Antiquity Collection Sec-
tion Purana Qila - Fragment of
Panel; Source - nmma.nic.in/
nmma
GapsRecommendations
Antiquities
The Central Antiquity Collection (CAC) is a centre for the collection of the explored and excavated pottery and other antiqui- ties of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The CAC was created in the 1910s to mainly house the explored antiquities from Sir Aurel Stein’s Central Asian Expeditions (1906-1916). The CAC was initially estab- lished in the main building of ASI at New Delhi, which was later shifted to Safdarjung Tomb complex in 1958 and later to the pres- ent location, i.e., Purana Qila in 1974.
The purpose of the CAC is to serve as a re-
pository of artefacts and pottery of select
excavations for the purpose of education,
research and other related activities. owev-
er, it has deviated from its objective and has
merely become a storehouse of all the se-
lected excavations done by ASI.
The draft Antiquities and Art Treasures Bill has
been pending for a long time. This needs to
be finalised.
1. Guidelines for the CAC should be de-
veloped and implemented.
2. CAC should be incorporated in the
amendments of AAT 1972
3. The draft Antiquities and Art Treasures
Bill needs to be finalised.
(Next Page) Nishat Garden at
Srinagar; Source - indiainfo.help IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 146
GapsRecommendations
Underwater Archaeology
The Underwater Arhcaeology Branch in
ASI is currently inactive with no staffing.
Underwater Archaeology wing to be revived
in collaboration with NIO. ASI to incorporate
in its restructuring proposal. State Archaeol-
ogy with coastal monuments (Maharashtra,
Goa, Kerala, AP, TN, Orissa, WB etc.) to also
work on similar lines.
Horticulture and Landscape
A contextual approach to site setting, green
areas and landscape is missing. Most works
taken by horticulture branch follow the ‘pic-
turesque’ approach of British without linking
the monument with its period and style of
greens/ gardens. This wing often works in-
dependently whereas landscape work for
each site needs to be contextual and linked
to other ongoing works on site. So, a better
integration of this work along with Conserva-
tion and/or Archaeology works is required.
Define approach to landscape around
monuments and conservation of historic
gardens. ASI and non-ASI historic gardens of
Agra should be revived in the same manner
as the Tomb of I’timād-ud-Daulah. Ecologi-
cal considerations regarding native planta-
tions to be prioritised. Maintenance of gar-
dens may be outsourced with proper terms
of reference. Thoughtful Landscaping can
even support firefighting (see example of fire
at the Getty Center, USA in Oct 2019). A NITI AAYOG REPORT 147
GapsRecommendations
Restructuring of ASI
ASI needs to be equipped to handle diverse
range of activities. Besides its existing core
mandate, it needs enhancement of various
functions (operations) such as extra staff-
ing (RRs, filling up of posts, additional staff
requirements, etc.)effective management
and presentation, better visitor experience
in its monuments and need to create more
verticals within the organisation to cater to
the ever-growing function. A need for more
verticals within the organisation is felt for
a. Exploration/Excavations – Thrust on
Archaeological Sciences
b. Underwater Archaeology
c. Epigraphy
d. Museology
e. Documentation and Archiving
f. Marketing and Promotion of monu-
ments (IT)
g. World Heritage Matters
h. Projects and Planning
i. Monument and Buffer Management
– visitor management, developmental con-
trols, environmental management, traffic
and transportation, disaster management,
etc.
j. Capacity Building – Deemed Univer-
sity Status for the Institute of Archaeology
The solution, lies in having a relook at ASI
scales where they should be at par with ac-
ademia in the fields of archaeology, explo-
ration, excavation and epigraphy. Besides,
while stress has been given in the Draft Re-
port on empowering the DG to have a flexi-
pool of professionals, this practice is already
prevalent in ASI and there are no constraints
in hiring such professionals. In the case of
consultants, those contracts which involve
over Rs. 1 Cr. go to the Departmental Sec-
retary for approval. ASI also has many con-
sultants on its rolls. However, it can be specif-
ically recommended that in case posts are
not being filled up through the UPSC route(-
mainly in conservation engineers and archi-
tects), then consultants can be hired without
shackles at appropriate rates to bring in the
requisite multi-disciplinary and professional
expertise. Moreover, rather than converging
the number of verticals in different technical
fields, there should be more focus on collab-
oration with agents from all over the world in
different fields like DNA, palaeobotany, mu-
seology. To summarise, action is needed for:
- Increase in the budgetary allocation for
conservation
- Filling up of desired number of posts within
ASI
k. Legal Cell to handle legal matters of
encroachments with Heritage Legislation
Lawyers.
In terms of staffing, ASI Recruitment Rules,
which require the approval of UPSC, have
been periodically updated. Most of the
posts are, however, isolated and do not
have sufficient feeder cadres, as a result of
which the composite method of recruitment
is necessary as per DoPT Rules with compe-
tition in the open market or lateral induction
from universities, etc. However, as ASI scales
are below UGC scales, few aspirants apply
for such posts, which remain vacant.
- More thrust on R&D within the organization
in the field of conservation- Accreditation
for archaeological and conservation profes-
sionals;
- Certification and accreditation of crafts-
people in the domain of conservation
- Creation of a special corpus;
- Filling up of current vacancies. Also, Con
servation Architects should be involved in
ASI even at field offices to design proposals.
- Restructuring of ASI
- UGC scales to be provided for salaries
(Refer Action points, UGC pay structure on
page no. 152-153). IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 148
GapsRecommendations
Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS)
These are erstwhile Group D posts which
have been upgraded to Group C and
re-designated as MTS. 6152 posts have
been sanctioned and at any point of time
around 2000 posts remain vacant. Selection
is through SSC with minimum education till
10th std. However, in the last recruitment
drive for filling up 1365 vacancies, substan-
tial number of candidates were with higher
qualifications, including B.Tech and M.Tech.
Many of these candidates have left the ser-
vice on being selected elsewhere. The level
of attrition is very high. Further, as SSC con-
ducts the exam on All India basis, the candi-
dates selected are often not posted to their
home states leading to further attrition as
they are unable to sustain in a different State
at such a low pay scale. ASI is also facing a
problem as the candidates have to be de-
ployed at remote locations where they are
unable to cope due to language problem
and connectivity with the local traditions.
They also don’t engage in the cleaning of
monuments and the other work assigned to
then which does not commensurate with
their educational status.
ASI may retain only those many numbers of
regular Multi-Tasking Staff posts as required
for administrative works such as that of the
earlier posts of Office Attendant, Museum
Attendant. All posts of MTS required for duties
in monuments and Gardens may be filled up
only through outsourcing by engaging local
persons who feel more connected with the
monuments located in their home State. In
case of attrition, the Outsourcing Agency
will provide personnel with equal pace. The
experience with recruitment through SSC is
that the process takes 2 to 3 years to fill up
the vacancies. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 149
4. Key Action Points
4.1 Horticulture and Landscape:
ASI needs to draft an approach paper on landscaping and water hydrology and recreation
of traditional water systems. This may be an extension to the National Conservation Policy
that does mention some points related to landscape. Until this approach paper gets framed,
clause 4.18 for new landscaping and 4.19 for retaining historic landscape may be followed
in practice. Historic water systems in forts and settlements and, traditional stepwells are an
important heritage typology that needs to be addressed separately by ASI through engage-
ment of hydrology experts.
Conservation Plan needs to ensure that landscape, horticulture, water and hydrology fea-
tures are incorporated before approval of estimates for any conservation works.
4.2 Revive Underwater Archaeology
Pilot Project to be undertaken with other countries along with specialised training with NIO
and other international agencies like The Netherlands Ministry of Culture is supporting a num-
ber of South Asian and South East Asian countries in underwater archaeology training pro-
grams.
4.3 Induction of best of talents within the organisation with flexibility in engaging profes-
sionals, Pay-packet at par with the market (instead of government fixed rates) and flexi-pool
system to attract talent for conservation, designing and creating site museums, world class
facilities, nomination dossiers, etc.
ASI also has many consultants on its rolls. However, it can be recommended that in case posts
are not being filled up through the UPSC route, then consultants can be hired for one to two
years contracts at appropriate rates to bring in the requisite multi-disciplinary and profession-
al expertise. Moreover, there should be more focus on collaboration with agencies from all
over the world in different fields such as DNA laboratory, geology, IT related agencies, site
development, etc. It means that there is need for development of multidisciplinary approach
in ASI.
4.4 Creation of ICC Model (Cambodia Model):
ASI and MEA model which was operational for Cambodia and other overseas projects in-
cluding the following may be made operational:
• Dedicated Cell for Special Projects – e.g., Ladakh, Fatehpur Sikri, Hampi, Champan-
er-Pavagadh, etc.
• Creation of Special Ad-Hoc group of experts for monitoring projects
• Hiring of multi-disciplinary experts for each project and provision for hiring experts
• Bi-annual field visits and Technical sessions for effective monitoring
4.5 Restructuring of ASI:
The Action Plan for restructuring proposed by ASI includes:
The restructuring proposal submitted by ASI to MoC involves creation / abolition of posts so as
to reorganise different cadres to the extent possible in a pyramidal manner, consistent with
the requirements of posts on a functional basis, restricting lateral entry at group B non-gazett- IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 150
ed level and the entry level of Group A. In between, the departmental officers would move
upward on promotion basis only. Presently, due to direct recruitment at multiple levels, ASI is
unable to fill up vacancies with persons having requisite qualifications and experience. This
is the underlying principle of the proposal to be followed.
Division-wise additional posts to be included as approved by MoC: (Refer Annexure for de-
tailed note on Restructuring of ASI)
Archaeology cadre:
It is proposed to reduce the strength at Assistant Archaeologist level and to increase the
number of posts at the Assistant Superintending Archaeologist level (Group B Gazetted). This
is justified on the ground that at the field level, the archaeologists have to interact with high-
er officials of the State Government, manage Museums, World Heritage Sites and important
ticketed monuments and needs to be conferred with powers to expend money. Therefore,
more number of officers are required at the Gazetted level.
Conservation cadre:
The pay scale of engineers in CPWD starts with the entry level of Level-6 (Junior Engineer) in
CPWD. The minimum requirement for JE is Diploma in Civil Engineering. In ASI, the entry level
starts at Level-2, followed by Level-4, then Level-6. From Level-6 onwards it is on the same
pattern as in CPWD, because in ASI persons with ITI qualifications are also engaged for work
in the monuments. In the restructuring proposal, it has been proposed to abolish the posts of
Level-2 (Junior Conservation Assistant) and to make the entry level at Level-4 (Conservation
Assistant). However, sub-stantial increase at Level-6 (equivalent to JE of CPWD) has been
proposed.
Further, the overall strength of conserva tion staff is proposed to be increased to the extent
that a minimum of 4 staff (1 Sr.CA + 3 CA) are available per sub-circle (as against the existing
ratio of 2.5 conservation staff per sub-circle) to cater to an average of 20 monuments with
proportionate increase at the supervisory level.
Branches:
Strengthening Epigraphy Branch:
Rationalisation of posts in this Branch has been recommended to facilitate smooth upward
mobility of the personnel joining at the entry grade. More experts in Sanskrit/Dravidian, Per-
sian/Arabic need to be sourced from universities and training programs for ASI epigraphy
branch need to be organised with them.
The Horticulture Division
It is proposed to raise the number of Divisions to at least 06, corresponding to the proposed
number of ASI Regional Offices. Accordingly, proportionate increase in the staff strength has
also been proposed. To ensure effective supervision of the gardens at the field level with per-
sons having requisite professional qualifications, it is also proposed to increase the strength of
Horticulture Assistant Gr.II at Level 4 and to altogether abolish the present entry level posts of
Foreman (Hort.). The educational qualification prescribed for the post of Foreman (Horticul-
ture) in Level 2 is BSc. (Agri.) and as per the guidelines, the said qualification is sufficient for
entry at the level of Horticulture Assistant Gr.II at Level 4.
Administration Division:
Moderate increase in the number of staff strength has been proposed in Administration Di-
vision keeping in view the increase in the number of field offices. The posts of Store Keeper A NITI AAYOG REPORT 151
and Assistant Store Keeper are proposed to be abolished as these functions can be per-
formed by UDC / LDC with adequate training.
There are a number of senior level posts in ASI without sanctioned posts of stenographers
at the appropriate level to assist them. Hence, increase in the strength of stenographers at
various levels has also been proposed.
Creation of new PAOs for ASI :
ASI is presently handling a budget of Rs.1000 crores, whereas, there are just 02 PAOs, at Del-
hi and Hyderabad, to cater to scrutiny and passing of bills, maintenance of GPF accounts
of around 5600 personnel and settlement of pension which is in the range of one case per
working day. Therefore, it is proposed to open 04 more PAOs to correspond with the 06
Regional Directorates of ASI with a staff component of 01 PAO, 02 AAOs, 06 Accountants
per PAO raising the staff strength from the existing 35 to 54. These posts will be got encadred
with organized Accounting cadres to ensure availability of experienced officers to handle
budget & accounts and to exercise effective financial control over expenditure.
Auxiliary support services (Survey, Drawing, Photography, Art, Modeling Divisions):
The PAC in its Report dated December, 2018 has recommended that ‘more emphasis should
be given to recruitment of technical experts rather than auxiliary manpower’. Most of the
technical support services provided by the personnel in these Divisions are presently avail-
able on outsourcing basis and the Department may hire such services as and when needed.
Therefore, it is proposed to abolish 73 out of 110 vacancies lying vacant in these 05 Divisions.
Miscellaneous & Driver cadres:
There are a number of miscellaneous isolated posts in ASI for rendering various support ser-
vices. As it is possible to outsource such services, it is proposed to abolish such posts which
are lying vacant as well as those which would fall vacant in the coming few years. Similarly,
the vacant posts of Drivers are also proposed to be abolished as the vehicles can be driv-
en by MTS with valid driving license or can be outsourced. Accordingly, 10 posts of Drivers
and 21 miscellaneous posts which are presently lying vacant are proposed for abolition. In
future, as part of phased abolition, 121 of such posts will be abolished as and when they fall
vacant.
4.6 UGC Scales:
Archaeology:
The Archaeological Cadre is currently the backbone of ASI. Archaeologists conduct ar-
chaeological explorations, excavations, village surveys, as well as surveys of archaeological
monuments and sites, temples and buildings. They study the materials recovered in situ,
in their collections and also antiquities in the Museums under their control which include
sculptures, coins, rare objects, textiles, skeletal materials etc. They write Reports on their work
and publish research papers, besides giving lecturers, training researchers and PG students
in exploration, excavation and archaeology. Many supervise doctoral theses, are expert
examiners and even write dossiers for the World Heritage Committee for listing as World Heri-
tage Sites. The conservation and preservation of monuments is monitored and supervised by
Superintending Archaeologists, who bring their knowledge of ancient architectural canons,
geology and environment. The archaeologists of ASI have post-independence made the
major discoveries relating to the Harappan civilisation in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and
UP. Unfortunately, however, ASI’s ability to attract good talent is hampered by the fact that
UGC scales have not been extended to ASI. This has also led to attrition of talent from ASI to
Universities. The work of archaeologists in ASI is by its very nature both research and applied IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 152
research oriented, and includes teaching and training. Uniform pay scales would also facili-
tate easy interchange of academics by deputation between Universities and ASI.
Epigraphy:
The disciplines of archaeology and epigraphy are intertwined. Each reinforces the other
in identifying ancient sites, analysing antiquities, and interpreting archaeological finds. The
survey of monuments and inscriptions as well as the decipherment of inscriptions and scripts
by the Epigraphy cadre requires a knowledge and the application of Indian history and
philology, mythology and literature. This is a scholastic task, and the research done is pub-
lished. This once vibrant cadre, now near defunct, needs to be resuscitated in the interests
of retrieving India’s past. The entry level in this branch is Assistant Epigraphist and the essen-
tial academic qualification is post-graduation. Director Epigraphy, level 12, is a promotion
post for Supdt Epigraphist, failing which it is to be filled by deputation. However, there are
no candidates for either promotion or deputation. Similarly, the posts of Jt DG in Epigraphy,
which are to be filled by deputation (from Universities) are vacant. These unfilled posts need
to be revived and the entry level post of Assistant Epigraphist be equated with UGC scales
of Assistant Professor (Pay level 10) and so on and the two posts at the apex level of the
cadre at Jt DG level can be equated with Professor (HAG) Pay level 15. Such enhancement
of pay scales could draw the requisite talent which is now attracted to Universities and even
deputationists from Universities. Provisions should be made in their service rules to give some
weightage to teaching, training, research and extracurricular activities besides academic
qualifications at the time of giving a higher grade pay. The UGC regulations should be stud-
ied and modified to ASI requirements. The expansion of the archaeological cadre need
not be premised on the attrition of epigraphy. Under no circumstances should the posts be
surrendered merely because they are not filled up.
The estampage collection of the Epigraphy branch of ASI should be totally digitised and
categorised and uploaded onto museumsofindia.gov.in for the benefit of researchers and
encouraging multivocality. There has to be a special focus on the decipherment of the
Harappan script and a study of the links, if any, to the Brahmi script.
Pay scale:
The following pay structure is proposed for the existing designations in the Archaeological
Survey of India, keeping in view of the role of functions performed at the various levels, re-
sponsibilities, etc., in consonance with the UGC pay structure:
S. No.DesignationPay Level
Equivalent or com-parable in University
Pay Level
Proposed pay structure
1.Director General*15/16Vice Chancellor 16 Rs. 2,10,000 + Rs. 11,500 p.m. special allowance
2.Addl. Director General14 Pro Vice Chancellor14/15Rs. 1,82,000 + Rs. 5,000 p.m. spe-cial allowance
3.Joint Director General13 Professor (HAG) 15 Rs. 1,82,200 - 2,24,000 + Rs. 5,000 p.m. special allowance
4.Director12 Professor 14 Rs. 1,44,000 - 2,24,100
5.Superintending Archaeologist/ Epigra-phist
11 Associate Professor13ARs. 1,31,000 - 2,16,000
6.Deputy Superintending Archaeologist/ Epigraphist
10 Assistant Professor12 Rs. 79,800 - 2,09,200
7.Assistant Superintending Archaeologist/ Epigraphist
7 Assistant Professor11 Rs. 68,900 - 2,08,700
8.Assistant Archaeologist/ Epigraphist 6 Assistant Professor10 Rs. 57,700 - 1,77,500 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 153
* The Director General, ASI, thus can also function as Vice Chancellor of the Institute of Ar-
chaeology functioning under the Archaeological Survey of India.
The proposed pay structure in comparison / equivalent with the UGC pay structure will also
enable the ASI officers to select teaching roles in the Institute of Archaeology (Refer Ch 12,
Page no. 205-206 for information on establishment of Institute of Culture) functioning under
the Archaeological Survey of India as well as attract better talent and rejuvenate the aca-
demic and research activities of the organisation. However, for it to be successful it would
also require approval of the Restructuring of ASI so that the requisite number of posts are
available.The present full cadre strength in both the divisions is 379 against which the pro-
posed combined strength submitted to MoC is 457.
At present there is only a transfer policy for the archaeology cadre. There should be a trans-
fer policy for all cadres under which all officers should serve a prescribed part of their career
in the North East and Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.
Provisions should be made in the service rules to give some weightage to teaching, training,
published research and extracurricular activities by suitably adapting a modified version of
UGC regulations.
The current annual expenditure of ASI on salaries and emoluments is an estimated Rs. 360
crores. The additional expenditure for ASIs restructuring proposal which was submitted to
Ministry of Finance is Rs 43 crores. In addition, the cost of giving UGC scales to both archae-
ology and epigraphy cadres is Rs. 21.22 crores, thus making it a total cost of Rs 64.22 crores
per annum. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 154
9. Urban Heritage – MoHUA and ASI A NITI AAYOG REPORT 155
1.NMA to
activate
(100 + 200m)
boundaries with
MoHUA and town
planners
3. Smart cities
heritage projects
to follow HRIDAY
toolkit model
2.Heritage
Impact Assessment
to be conducted
for infrastructure
projects in all
heritage areas
Action
Points IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 156 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 157
1. Existing Schemes and Missions
To help promote cities as engines of economic growth through
improvement in the quality of urban life by facilitating creation
of quality urban infrastructure, with assured service levels and
efficient governance and for creating economically vibrant, in-
clusive, efficient and sustainable urban habitats, the Ministry of
Housing and Urban Affairs has launched 6 key Flagship Missions:
Smart Cities Mission, AMRUT, HRIDAY, Swachh Bharat, Pradhan
Mantri Awas Yojana - Housing for All (Urban) and National Urban
Livelihoods Mission
Among these Urban Schemes, HRIDAY was the first ever Urban
Development Scheme completely focused on Heritage in 12
cities and 100 percent centrally funded. SMART Cities is anoth-
er Scheme that covers major funding for urban heritage across
India including surroundings of several Centrally protected and
State level monuments. These have been briefly summarised here
in terms of their budget, impact, gaps and recommendations.
1.1 HRIDAY
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India,
launched the National Heritage City Development and Aug -
mentation Yojana (HRIDAY) scheme on 21st January, 2015, with
a focus on holistic development of heritage cities. The scheme
aims to preserve and revitalise soul of the heritage city to reflect
the city’s unique character by encouraging aesthetically ap-
pealing, accessible, informative & secured environment.
With a duration of 4 years 3 months (up to March, 2019) and a
total outlay of INR 500 Crores, the Scheme is being implemented
in 12 identified Cities namely, Ajmer, Amaravati, Amritsar, Bada-
mi, Dwarka, Gaya, Kanchipuram, Mathura, Puri, Varanasi, Ve-
lankanni and Warangal. The scheme is implemented in a mission
mode.
The Scheme supports development of core heritage infrastruc-
ture projects which shall include revitalization of urban infrastruc-
ture for areas around heritage assets identified / approved by
the Ministry of Culture, Government of India and State Govern-
ments. These initiatives shall include development of water sup-
The ghats of Varanasi, Uttar
Pradesh; uttarpradesh.org
Status of works of the HRIDAY Cit-
ies; Source - hridayindia.in
9 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 158
ply, sanitation, drainage, waste management, approach roads,
footpaths, street lights, tourist conveniences, electricity wiring,
landscaping and such citizen services.
100% funding will be provided by Government of India. INR 500
Crores have been allocated to the scheme, under the following
heads:
77 Projects amounting to Rs. 418.06 Crore have been approved
for all the 12 cities. Instalments amounting to Rs. 402.44 Crore
have been released to city mission directorates for execution
of approved projects. 55 projects amounting to Rs. 272.04 crore
have been completed. Remaining projects are under various
stages of implementation.
The following table highlights the earmarked amount to
each of the 12 Cities for the Scheme duration.
Map of India showing the HRIDAY Cities; Source - hridayindia.in A NITI AAYOG REPORT 159
Budget Components% AllocationFunds Allocated (Rs. Crore)
Project Implementation85 400+25
City PMU Establishment3 15
Administrative and Operating Expenses 1 5
Information, Education and Communication 4 20
DPRs and HMP preparation4 20
Capacity Development3 15
City Project
Imple-
mentation
City PMU
Estab-
lishment
Admin-
istrative
and Op-
erating
Expens-
es
IEC DPRs
and HMP
Devel-
opment
Capaci-
ty Devel-
opment
Total
Amount
in INR
Crores
Ajmer 30 0.79 0.25 1.50 1.50 1.00 40.04
Amravati 20 0.52 0.24 0.50 0.50 0.50 22.26
Amritsar 60 1.05 0.27 3.00 3.00 2.00 69.31
Badami 20 0.52 0.24 0.50 0.50 0.50 22.26
Dwarka 20 0.52 0.24 0.50 0.50 0.50 22.26
Gaya 35 0.79 0.25 1.50 1.50 1.00 40.04
Kanchipuram 20 0.79 0.25 0.50 1.00 0.50 23.04
Mathura 35 0.79 0.25 1.50 1.50 1.00 40.04
Puri 20 0.79 0.25 0.50 0.50 0.50 22.54
Varanasi 80 1.05 0.27 3.00 3.00 2.00 89.31
Vellankanni 20 0.52 0.24 0.50 0.50 0.50 22.26
Warangal 35 0.79 0.25 1.50 2.00 1.00 40.54
Total Alloca-
tion to Cities
400 8.91 3.00 15.0 16.00 11.00 453.91 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 160
Baradari, Ajmer; Source - asijai-
purcircle.in
Tomb Of Lal Khan Rajghat, Vara-
nasi; Source - apnabanaras.com
Aerial view of the Golden Temple
in Amritsar; Source - hridayindia.in A NITI AAYOG REPORT 161
1.2 Smart Cities Mission
The purpose of the Smart Cities Mission is to drive economic
growth and improve the quality of life of people by enabling
local area development and harnessing technology, especially
technology that leads to Smart outcomes. Area-based develop-
ment will transform existing areas (retrofit and redevelop), includ-
ing slums, into better planned ones, thereby improving liveabili-
ty of the whole City. New areas (greenfield) will be developed
around cities 7 in order to accommodate the expanding popu-
lation in urban areas. The Union Ministry of Urban Development
is responsible for implementing the mission in collaboration with
the state governments of the respective cities and the Mission
was launched on 27 August 2015.
Smart Cities Mission has provisioned for Heritage projects under
Convergence with other Central/State Government schemes.
The focus is on comprehensive development by integrating
physical, institutional, social and economic infrastructure. 39
Smart Cities have initiated 101 Heritage projects worth Rs. 1,439
crores under the Mission. Some Smart Cities engaged conser-
vation and heritage experts during the formation of Smart City
Proposals (SCPs). Further, the cities are utilizing services of her-
itage contractors for undertaking heritage projects and have
also hired specialized (skilled in heritage works) contractors for
heritage works.
As of 6th November 2019, 23 cities have tendered out 60 heri-
tage projects worth Rs. 551 crore, 20 cities have work ordered 53
heritage projects worth Rs. 495 crore, 10 cities have completed
26 heritage projects worth Rs. 130 crore, and 23 cities have 41
heritage projects worth Rs. 888 crores under DPR stage.
“As of 6th November 2019, 23 cities have tendered out 60 heritage
projects worth Rs. 551 crore, 20 cities have work ordered 53 heritage
projects worth Rs. 495 crore, 10 cities have completed 26 heritage
projects worth Rs. 130 crore, and 23 cities have 41 heritage projects
worth Rs. 888 crores under DPR stage.”
Statistics on the Smart Cities Mis-sion; Source - smartcities.gov.in/ IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 162
Map of India showing the Smart
Cities; Source - scroll.in Smart Cities Mission has developed framework documents (on
Complete Streets) that cover signage, street furniture, etc. avail-
able at National Institute of Urban Affairs website. Cities can cus-
tomize them for their own use/on heritage sites. Some smart cities
have prepared/ in the process of preparing city level street/sig-
nage toolkits e.g. Pune, Chennai, Ranchi. A Toolkit was prepared
by MoHUA for Warangal under HRIDAY available on the website.
Cities also have the guidelines prepared by CPWD at their dis-
posal: Handbook of Conservation of Heritage Buildings available
at National Institute of Urban Affairs website. The Cities as a prin-
ciple follow the building and zoning bye laws in heritage zone of
the cities. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 163
Complete Streets Workbook by
National Institute of Urban Affairs;
Source - smartnet.niua.org/ IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 164
S.
No.
City State/UT Outlined Heritage Projects Amount
(in
Crores)
Tender
Status
1st Round
1.Kochi Kerala Broadway Market and Ernakulam
market Redevelopment and Mat-
tancherry spice market
110.00
2.Jaipur RajasthanAdaptive reuse of heritage struc-
tures of old town hall to city museum
+ high end theatre
130.0
3.Udaipur RajasthanWalled City- Sewerage139.00
Walled City- Power Supply 129.00
Walled City- Drains, Relaying road &
utility duct
148.00
Walled City- Transport Infra 138.00
4.Belagaavi KarnatakaDevelopment of a Heritage Park 26.00
S. No.
City State/UT Outlined Heritage Projects Amount (in Crores)
Tender Status
Fast Track
1.Warangal TelanganaCreation of 21.98 ha of public parks
for tourism, leisure and recreational
activity. 9.08 km Heritage Walk for
connecting heritage and cultural
areas and hillocks in the ABD. De-
velopment of lakefront from what is
currently an urban backyard of the
city.
32.90
2.Panaji Goa
3.Agartala Tripura
4.Imphal Manipur Other Interventions157.10
Other Tourism Interventions 165.30
Other Facilities108.30
Development of a city level open
space Piazza at a strategic location
to encourage citizen interaction
and link the Heritage zone to the
shopping precinct.
Not given
separate-
ly
KANGLA FORT AREA - Development
of Open Spaces and Landscape
Not given
separate-
ly A NITI AAYOG REPORT 165
S.
No.
City State/UT Outlined Heritage ProjectsAmount
(in
Crores)
Tender
Status
2nd Round
1.Amritsar Punjab Open space & visible improvement of urban
area
113.08
Redevelopment of public amenities & facilities
by decongesting city core
202.33
Relocation of polluting densed urban clusters
from core city
784.00
2.Ujjain Madhya Pradesh “Aradhana path” -. Religious heritage corridor126.74
3.Gwalior Madhya Pradesh Revitalizing maharaj bada120.00
4.Hubli-DjarwadKarnataka Renovation of core city market areas 114.78
5.Madurai Tamil Nadu Heritage Precinct Improvement – Cultural
centers
148.00
Streetscape redesign – pedestrian pathways,
underground ducting: power & comm, Land
-
scaping, street furniture etc.
186.00
Visitor Amenities and Tourism Infrastructure -
Bus Terminal Redevelopment
110.00
Tourist Amenities – Tourist plaza, PIS info system,
WIFI, etc
130.00
6.Thanjavur Tamil Nadu Smart tourism app23.10
Light & sound show2.75
7.Agra Uttar Pradesh Enhancing experience of accessing - Im
-
provement of west gate, east and south gate
corridors
197.27
Development of Mughal Museum141.90
Development of Taj Orientation centre 231.80
Provision of tourist and mobility facilities168.00
Development of green walkway between
agrafort and Taj Mahal along Yamuna Kinara
road
1.95
Taj park2.40
8.Kanpur Uttar Pradesh Ganga riverfront development125.42
9.Varanasi Uttar Pradesh Culture cum Spiritual
Convention Centre- International center for
Art Gallery, Museum, IMAX Theatre, 1000-seat
-
er Auditorium, Music, Yoga & Spiritual Hall
211.00
Rejuvenation of Ghats under CSR by CCL 110.00
Inter Modal Hubs - including Footpath for pe
-
destrians, Feeder Buses and Bicycles at 26
metro stations
100.00
App for Assi Ghat - Online booking of Light &
Sound Show at Assi Ghat
Ghat Improvement under JICA1.47
Redevelopment of Manikarnika Ghat 6.00
10.Rourkela Odisha One stop Rourkela (including Entrepreneur
Center, Skill Development Center, Training
center, Tribal art center and show rooms craft
exhibition etc.)
196.02
11.Kohima Nagaland Discover Kohima Web/ Mobile apps for com
-
prehensive heritage and tourism promotion
1.50 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 166
Two noteworthy heritage projects under the Mission are
listed below:
Surat Castle Restoration
People of Surat and tourists are now able to tangibly see the rich
history of Surat through this project. With the redevelopment and
restoration, there has been an upsurge of public motivation and
has garnered huge public support. This is evident in the constant
enthusiastic enquiries from people about the history of the castle.
Perception of Surat city changing from textile and diamond city
to a historical city. Since the castle was opened to public access,
the site has witnessed a footfall of more than 37,000. Schools are
actively promoting awareness by bringing their students to wit-
ness the rich heritage of the city.
Restored Bastion in Surat Castle; Source - suratmunicipal.gov.in/
Restored Building housing the
Mughal Gallery, Armenian Gal-
lery, Trade Gallery, Court Room
and Dutch Lifestyle Room in the
Surat Castle; Source - suratmunic-
ipal.gov.in/ A NITI AAYOG REPORT 167
The Bhadrakali Lakefront Promenade
It is one of its kind in the country and is a signature project where
heritage is emphasized in every part of its design. 1.1 Kms is sub-
stantially completed and the execution for balance 2.7 kms has
commenced in October 2019.
Cap. Ex. - 68 Cr.
• Convergence - 18 Cr. (HRIDAY)
• State share - 50 Cr. (SMART CITY)
Proposed masterplan of the Bhadrakali Lakefront Develop-ment; Source - smartcities.gov.in/
Proposed view of the Bhadrakali
Lakefront Development; Source -
smartcities.gov.in/ IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 168
1.3 AMRUT
The components of the AMRUT consist of capacity building, re-
form implementation, water supply, sewerage and septage
management, stormwater drainage, urban transport and de-
velopment of green spaces and parks. The scheme is depen-
dent on public-private partnership model. 500 cities have been
selected under AMRUT. The category of cities that have been
selected under AMRUT is given below: All Cities and Towns with
a population of over one lakh with notified Municipalities as per
Census 2011, including Cantonment Boards (Civilian areas),
Thirteen Cities and Towns on the stem of the main rivers with a
population above 75,000 and less than 1 lakh, and Ten Cities
from hill states, islands and tourist destinations (not more than
one from each State).
The Scheme has the potential to fund historic parks in these cities.
2. Gaps and Recommendations
GapsRecommendations
1. Planning and Toolkit
Heritage Projects need to be synced with
the planning of the city and merge with typ-
ical historic character in different areas of
the city. This was successfully achieved to a
large extent in HRIDAY with preparation of
a City HRIDAY Plan and a special HRIDAY
Toolkit for street furniture design in different
historic parts of these 12 cities. However,
this aspect is missing in a number of historic
city areas being undertaken via Smart City
Scheme
HRIDAY has developed a good model for
Heritage Planning in the city and prepara-
tion of a Heritage Toolkit. Smart Cities focus-
ing on historic cores should adopt a similar
model to ensure that the proposed urban
conservation projects are in sync with His-
toric Planning and Historic Character of the
city.
2. Sustainability – environmental, socio-cultural and economic
Final success of these urban projects is de-
pendent on their long term sustainability in
all aspects- environmental, socio-cultural
and economic. It needs to be ensured that
no proposed project is impacting the nat-
ural or cultural heritage of the city, rather it
should be enhancing these aspects. Com-
munity inclusion and ownership is essential
for their use and maintenance. Viability of
project for PPP or on lease for long term
maintenance also needs to be explored
for projects. It is seen that a number of such
projects fall into disuse or are not maintained
after 2-3 years of execution thus resulting in
a waste of initial capital investment.
To ensure sustainability, following measures
need to be followed:
a. Heritage Impact Assessment of all major
infrastructure projects in historic areas with
natural/cultural heritage (refer CPWD Her-
itage Guidelines, ICOMOS and UNESCO
guidelines for this). A NITI AAYOG REPORT 169
GapsRecommendations
b. Projects should be participatory including
the community in reviewing design, involv-
ing them in maintenance such as volun-
teers for heritage walks, maintaining historic
public spaces for reuse, advising them on
maintenance for their historic houses, creat-
ing opportunities for local economy (crafts
and other production) through such urban
heritage upgradation. For example, at Hu-
mayun’s Tomb, a kiosk is provided for local
community to sell handicraft products with
designs inspired from the monument – cre-
ating significant income for women self-help
groups. Should also foresee long term main-
tenance and may be leased out. For exam-
ple, Ajmer had a good model for leasing out
HRIDAY project of Public Park and lakefront
adjoining the Baradari Site of ASI.
Cell, Model Byelaws by MoHUA and regular
Heritage training programs are essential to
remove this gap.
3. NMA Byelaws and ASI Approvals
Through a Gazette notification dated 23rd
August 2011, Govt. of India has notified An-
cient Monuments and Archaeological Sites
and Remains (Framing of Heritage Bye-laws
and other functions of the Competent Au-
thority) Rules 2011. (In short, CA Rules, 2011).
The Rules provide detailed procedure for
preparation of site plans (Rule 21) and its
parameters (FIRST SCHEDULE). The Rules also
provide detailed procedure for framing of
Heritage Bye-laws (Rule 22) and its parame-
ters (SECOND SCHEDULE). Rule 21, CA Rules
2011 provides for preparation of site plans.
DG, ASI shall make endeavors within a pe-
riod of 5 yrs (till 2016) to cause a survey to
be conducted in respect of all prohibited
areas and regulated areas of all Protect-
ed Monuments as per FIRST SCHEDULE. In
2018, through a Gazette notification dated
27th December 2018, the number of years
for preparation of Site Plans were increased
from 5 to 10 (until 2021) and the parameters
of FIRST Schedule were simplified.
ASI was to prepare site-plans for all sites with-
in five years, which period has lapsed. These
boundaries were to be verified by the local
Collector and the heritage by-laws were to
be prepared through notified Authorities, in-
cluding INTACH. Regional Documentation
Centers were to be created for public con-
sultation with RTI compliant websites. The
possibility of notifying some state Chief Town
& Country Planners (CTCPs) for preparing
draft site plans draft heritage by-laws needs
to be explored.The NMA has been unable to
draft bye-laws as per the requirement of the
Act for almost a decade. This is most unfor-
tunate and requires urgent remedy. A time-
line to prepare bye laws for all sites should be
drawn up and adhered to strictly.
One of the key parameters required to be
considered for the preparation of the site
specific Heritage Bye-laws includes matters
relating to heritage controls such as eleva-
tion, facades, drainage systems, roads and
service infrastructure (including electric
poles, water and sewer pipelines). IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 170
GapsRecommendations
Rule 22, CA Rules 2011 provides that Com-
petent Authorities shall prepare Heritage
Bye-laws in consultation with INTACH and
other notified heritage bodies as per the
SECOND SCHEDULE. Through a Gazette
notification dated 25th February, 2014, the
five Regional Directors’ of ASI were made
Competent Authority for preparation of Her-
itage Bye laws. The first tranche of Heritage
Byelaws was received by NMA through ASI
in February, 2018. The draft heritage bye-
laws are required to be considered by NMA
keeping the specific requirements of con-
ditions necessary for heritage controls such
as elevation, facades, drainage system etc.
Till date, Five Heritage Bye-laws covering 31
Centrally Protected Monuments have been
laid in both the Houses of Parliament. Five
Heritage Bye-laws covering 31 Centrally Pro-
tected Monuments have been laid in both
the Houses of Parliament.
Many of these infrastructure components are
not only related to conservation architecture
and require urban planning expertise for effi-
cient and effective heritage conservation of
protected monuments. Considering such as-
pects, it will always be beneficial to involve
Chief Town andCountry Planners for framing
bye laws for all ASI sites.
Heritage bye laws should include sugges-
tions to improve the immediate setting of
the monument. Here, instead of a ‘prohibit-
ed’ zone, an intensive urban design scheme
should be suggested. This could include sug-
gested provision for public facilities. Prohib-
ited zones should be limited to areas where
view corridors to the monument or archaeo-
logical remains are being compromised. The
NMA act already suggests it, but it needs to
be emphasized that the framing of bye laws
for national monuments should be an oppor-
46 Draft bye-laws covering 58 Centrally
Protected Monuments are under process.
Once approved, these Heritage Bye Laws
shall be laid before both the Houses of the
Parliament as per section 20E of the Act. To
expedite the process of preparation of Heri-
tage Bye Laws- Priority I, Priority II and Priority
III list of monuments (total 229 priority monu-
ments) have been prepared on the basis of
the number of NOC applications received
with respect to each monument.
While these initiatives are positive, the pro-
cess of preparing byelaws is too slow and
unlikely to achieve its next deadline of 2021
for preparing byelaws for all 3691 protected
monuments. One main reason for this delay
is the slow preparation of site plans by the
Regional Directors.
State Departments: While most have adapt-
ed the AMASR act into their State Act, no
further policy or clear vision is evident for
State Protected Monuments.
tunity to implement the UNESCO Historic Ur-
ban Landscapes resolution – to which India
is a signatory. This would require Heritage
Bye laws to take into consideration any
monument or site contemporary or linked
to the national monument through histor-
ical events or culural context. Such a site/
monument should be considered part of the
national monument – even if segregated –
and the ‘prohibited and regulated zones’
calculated accordingly. Instead of ensuring
a blanket prohibitive zone, design guidelines
for new build or renovations in zones around
national monuments should be strictly en-
forced. For sites with sparse populations or
great archaeological significance, such as
Hampi or Khajuraho, the ‘prohibited zone’
should be extended. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 171
GapsRecommendations
4. Lack of Heritage Cell/Know-How with Local Bodies
Local bodies involved in urban heritage
projects are often not equipped enough to
handle heritage conservation. Formation of
a Heritage Cell, Model Bye laws by MoHUA
and regular Heritage training programs are
essential to remove this gap.
Local bodies involved in urban heritage
projects are often not equipped enough to
handle heritage conservation. Formation of
a Heritage Cell, Model Bye Laws by MoHUA
and regular Heritage training programs are
essential to remove this gap.
5. Enroachments
As a record in CAG report, there are 249
encroachments within the protected mon-
uments and there are approximately 955 liv-
ing monuments .
ASI to compile and publicise a state wise list
of encroachments. In cases in which the DG
has issued orders of demolition (1231 cases
under rule 38(1) of AMASRA in 2016), or is-
sued orders to the Dy Commissioners (2004
cases under Rule 38(2) of AMASRA in 2016),
reasons for noncompliance should be spec-
ified. Besides, in many cases the Competent
Courts have also passed orders for demoli-
tion and relocation. The data should be sim-
ilarly compiled.
These cases should be monitored with the
state government. The Act only penalises ASI
officials. Such provisions should be extended
to other authorities who willfully disregard
the law. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 172
Encroachments
1. ASI to
compile and
publicise a state
wise list of
encroachments.
3. The Act only
penalises ASI officials.
The same should be
extended to other
stakeholders and
encroachers
2. At least 2-3 sites
should be taken up
on pilot basis and en
-
croachments should
be removed to serve
as model cases for
the rest. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 173
3. Key Action Points
3.1 NMA to activate (100 + 200m) boundaries with MoHUA and town planners
NMA has been mandated to grant NOC for construction activities in the regulated area of
ASI monuments. It is integrating an online application system (NOAPS) with various states
and local bodies. So far, successfully 717 urban local bodies of 9 States are integrated while
ULBs of 6 more states are in progress. This action needs to be expedited and links with all ULBs
should be established for ease of business in approval of works around ASI sites and monu-
ments.
MoHUA to issue and advisory to all States and UTs for CTPs and Rural Town Planning officials
to provide site plans for ASI sites in their area and review framing of bye laws in collaboration
with NMA and ASI. Chief Town and Country Planners should be involved in framing bye-laws
that are to be prepared by NMA for all Heritage sites.
ASI to prepare an action plan for making all site plans for 3691 monuments and sites within
6 months.
ASI to immediately send a letter of request for support in preparing site plans and framing of
byelaws to the City Town and Country Planning Offices through MoHUA.
3.2 Heritage Impact Assessment needs to be conducted for infrastructure projects
in all cities where such projects are undertaken in the vicinity of Central/State pro-
tected/ locally protected monuments, sites or historic city cores.
3.3 Smart cities heritage projects to follow HRIDAY toolkit model
HRIDAY Scheme by MOHUA for 12 Heritage cities had incorporated a Heritage Toolkit for
landscaping, street furniture, lighting, signage and other such elements in the city to blend
with the historic character of the city. These toolkits should be adopted or customized as per
heritage of each city under the Smart cities’ heritage works.
3.4 ASI to compile and publicise a state wise list of encroachments.
At least 2-3 sites across India should be taken up on pilot basis and encroachments should
be removed to serve as model cases for the rest. Currently, the Act only penalises ASI offi-
cials. The same should be extended to other stakeholders and encroachers. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 174
10. World Heritage (UNESCO) A NITI AAYOG REPORT 175
1. Strategize
World Heritage
nominations
(ASI and MoC)
for India
3. Target
transnational
nominations on
Hindu/Buddhist
circuits with
Asian countries
2. Strengthen
conservation
and management
of 38 World
Heritage Sites
Action
Points IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 176 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 177
10
1. Existing Status of World Heritage in India
India has 38 Cultural, Natural and Mixed sites on the World Her-
itage List with the last site inscribed in July 2019. As per current
rules of UNESCO, it can nominate 1 site for inscription every year.
Out of 38 existing World Heritage Sites, 30 are Cultural sites 7 Nat-
ural and 1 Mixed site.
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is the nodal agency on
behalf of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India for World
Heritage matters, and is also the custodian of 22 out of the 30
Cultural world heritage sites. India currently, also has 42 Cultural
and Natural Sites on the Tentative List to be further nominated
for inscription on World Heritage. As the nodal agency on World
Heritage matters, ASI coordinates on a regular basis with various
ministries (Ministry of Environment and Forest, Ministry of Railways,
etc.), state governments and agencies, for necessary coordi-
nation and, to provide technical support whenever necessary.
ASI also coordinates with Permanent Representative of India to
UNESCO, World Heritage Centre, UNESCO, and advisory bodies
(ICOMOS, ICCROM, IUCN, etc.) for matters pertaining to world
heritage, including nomination dossiers, tentative list proposals,
periodic reporting, training and other related matters.
Besides nominating and managing its World Heritage Sites, ASI
and India has played a larger role in UNESCO World Heritage
Committee. It has been a member of the 21 countries’ elected
World Heritage Committee thrice since signing the convention in
1977: From 1985 – 91, 2001 – 07 and 2011-15 playing a significant
role in influencing UNESCO decisions and documents. In its last
tenure, it launched Project MAUSAM (an Indo pacific transna-
tional collaboration program) in 2014 with prime responsibility of
ASI to take it forward in terms of transnational nominations.
India also houses the UNESCO Category II Centre (C2C) for Nat-
ural Heritage at the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun which is
the only Natural Heritage C2C recognized by UNESCO to serve
the entire Asia Pacific Region.
2. Gaps and Recommendations
“ India has 38 Cultural, Natural and Mixed sites on the World Heritage
List. Out of 38, 30 are Cultural sites 7 Natural and 1 Mixed site. ” IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 178
1. Agra Fort, Uttar Pr adesh
2. Ajanta Cav es, Mahar ashtra
3. Archaeological Sit e of
Nalanda Mahavihara at Nalanda, Bihar
4. Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh
5. Champaner -Pavagadh Ar chaeological P ark, Gujar at
6. Chhatr apati Shivaji T erminus
(formerly Vict oria Terminus), Mahar ashtra
7. Churches and C onvents of Goa
8. Elephanta Cav es, Mahar ashtra
9. Ellora Caves, Mahar ashtra
10. Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh
11. Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Ar ea,
Himachal Pr adesh
12. Great Living Chola T emples, T amil Nadu
13. Group of Monuments at Hampi, Karnataka
14. Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu
15. Group of Monuments at Pattadakal,
Karnataka
16. Hill Forts of Rajasthan
17. Historic City of Ahmadabad, Gujarat
18. Humayun’ s Tomb, Delhi
19. Jaipur City , Rajasthan
20. Kaziranga National P ark, As sam
21. Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan
22. Khajur aho Gr oup of Monuments,
Madhya Pr adesh
23. Khangchendz onga National P ark, Sikkim
24. Mahabodhi T emple C omplex at Bodh Gaya, Bihar
25. Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam
26. Mountain Railw ays of Himachal Pradesh,
Tamil Nadu and W est Bengal
27. Nanda De vi and V alley of Flo wers National P arks,
Uttarakhand
28. Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi
29. Rani-ki- Vav (the Queen’ s Stepwell) at Patan, Gujar at
30. Red Fort Complex, Delhi
31. Rock Shelt ers of Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh
32. Sun Temple, K onarak, Oris sa
33. Sundarbans National Park, West Bengal
34. Taj Mahal, Uttar Pr adesh
35. The Ar chitectural Work of L e Corbusier ,
an Outstanding C ontribution t o the Modern
Movement, in Chandigarh
36. The Jantar Mantar , Jaipur
37. Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai
38. Western Ghats in K erala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka,
Goa and Mahar ashtra
Based upon Survey of India maps with the permis sion of the Surveyor General of India.
©2018 Mapin Publishing . Responsibility for the correctnes s of internal details shown
on the main map rests with the publisher .
1. Agra Fort, Uttar Pr adesh
2. Ajanta Cav es, Mahar ashtra
3. Archaeological Sit e of
Nalanda Mahavihara at Nalanda, Bihar
4. Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh
5. Champaner -Pavagadh Ar chaeological P ark, Gujar at
6. Chhatr apati Shivaji T erminus
(formerly Vict oria Terminus), Mahar ashtra
7. Churches and C onvents of Goa
8. Elephanta Cav es, Mahar ashtra
9. Ellora Caves, Mahar ashtra
10. Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh
11. Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Ar ea,
Himachal Pr adesh
12. Great Living Chola T emples, T amil Nadu
13. Group of Monuments at Hampi, Karnataka
14. Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu
15. Group of Monuments at Pattadakal,
Karnataka
16. Hill Forts of Rajasthan
17. Historic City of Ahmadabad, Gujarat
18. Humayun’ s Tomb, Delhi
19. Jaipur City , Rajasthan
20. Kaziranga National P ark, As sam
21. Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan
22. Khajur aho Gr oup of Monuments,
Madhya Pr adesh
23. Khangchendz onga National P ark, Sikkim
24. Mahabodhi T emple C omplex at Bodh Gaya, Bihar
25. Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam
26. Mountain Railw ays of Himachal Pradesh,
Tamil Nadu and W est Bengal
27. Nanda De vi and V alley of Flo wers National P arks,
Uttarakhand
28. Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi
29. Rani-ki- Vav (the Queen’ s Stepwell) at Patan, Gujar at
30. Red Fort Complex, Delhi
31. Rock Shelt ers of Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh
32. Sun Temple, K onarak, Oris sa
33. Sundarbans National Park, West Bengal
34. Taj Mahal, Uttar Pr adesh
35. The Ar chitectural Work of L e Corbusier ,
an Outstanding C ontribution t o the Modern
Movement, in Chandigarh
36. The Jantar Mantar , Jaipur
37. Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai
38. Western Ghats in K erala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka,
Goa and Mahar ashtra
Based upon Survey of India maps with the permis sion of the Surveyor General of India.
©2018 Mapin Publishing . Responsibility for the correctnes s of internal details shown
on the main map rests with the publisher .
1. Agra Fort, Uttar Pr adesh
2. Ajanta Cav es, Mahar ashtra
3. Archaeological Sit e of
Nalanda Mahavihara at Nalanda, Bihar
4. Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh
5. Champaner -Pavagadh Ar chaeological P ark, Gujar at
6. Chhatr apati Shivaji T erminus
(formerly Vict oria Terminus), Mahar ashtra
7. Churches and C onvents of Goa
8. Elephanta Cav es, Mahar ashtra
9. Ellora Caves, Mahar ashtra
10. Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh
11. Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Ar ea,
Himachal Pr adesh
12. Great Living Chola T emples, T amil Nadu
13. Group of Monuments at Hampi, Karnataka
14. Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu
15. Group of Monuments at Pattadakal,
Karnataka
16. Hill Forts of Rajasthan
17. Historic City of Ahmadabad, Gujarat
18. Humayun’ s Tomb, Delhi
19. Jaipur City , Rajasthan
20. Kaziranga National P ark, As sam
21. Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan
22. Khajur aho Gr oup of Monuments,
Madhya Pr adesh
23. Khangchendz onga National P ark, Sikkim
24. Mahabodhi T emple C omplex at Bodh Gaya, Bihar
25. Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam
26. Mountain Railw ays of Himachal Pradesh,
Tamil Nadu and W est Bengal
27. Nanda De vi and V alley of Flo wers National P arks,
Uttarakhand
28. Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi
29. Rani-ki- Vav (the Queen’ s Stepwell) at Patan, Gujar at
30. Red Fort Complex, Delhi
31. Rock Shelt ers of Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh
32. Sun Temple, K onarak, Oris sa
33. Sundarbans National Park, West Bengal
34. Taj Mahal, Uttar Pr adesh
35. The Ar chitectural Work of L e Corbusier ,
an Outstanding C ontribution t o the Modern
Movement, in Chandigarh
36. The Jantar Mantar , Jaipur
37. Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai
38. Western Ghats in K erala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka,
Goa and Mahar ashtra
Based upon Survey of India maps with the permis sion of the Surveyor General of India.
©2018 Mapin Publishing . Responsibility for the correctnes s of internal details shown
on the main map rests with the publisher .
1. Agra Fort, Uttar Pr adesh
2. Ajanta Cav es, Mahar ashtra
3. Archaeological Sit e of
Nalanda Mahavihara at Nalanda, Bihar
4. Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh
5. Champaner -Pavagadh Ar chaeological P ark, Gujar at
6. Chhatr apati Shivaji T erminus
(formerly Vict oria Terminus), Mahar ashtra
7. Churches and C onvents of Goa
8. Elephanta Cav es, Mahar ashtra
9. Ellora Caves, Mahar ashtra
10. Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh
11. Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Ar ea,
Himachal Pr adesh
12. Great Living Chola T emples, T amil Nadu
13. Group of Monuments at Hampi, Karnataka
14. Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu
15. Group of Monuments at Pattadakal,
Karnataka
16. Hill Forts of Rajasthan
17. Historic City of Ahmadabad, Gujarat
18. Humayun’ s Tomb, Delhi
19. Jaipur City , Rajasthan
20. Kaziranga National P ark, As sam
21. Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan
22. Khajur aho Gr oup of Monuments,
Madhya Pr adesh
23. Khangchendz onga National P ark, Sikkim
24. Mahabodhi T emple C omplex at Bodh Gaya, Bihar
25. Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam
26. Mountain Railw ays of Himachal Pradesh,
Tamil Nadu and W est Bengal
27. Nanda De vi and V alley of Flo wers National P arks,
Uttarakhand
28. Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi
29. Rani-ki- Vav (the Queen’ s Stepwell) at Patan, Gujar at
30. Red Fort Complex, Delhi
31. Rock Shelt ers of Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh
32. Sun Temple, K onarak, Oris sa
33. Sundarbans National Park, West Bengal
34. Taj Mahal, Uttar Pr adesh
35. The Ar chitectural Work of L e Corbusier ,
an Outstanding C ontribution t o the Modern
Movement, in Chandigarh
36. The Jantar Mantar , Jaipur
37. Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai
38. Western Ghats in K erala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka,
Goa and Mahar ashtra
Based upon Survey of India maps with the permis sion of the Surveyor General of India.
©2018 Mapin Publishing . Responsibility for the correctnes s of internal details shown
on the main map rests with the publisher .
Map of India showing the listed UNESCO World Heritage Sites; Source - UNESCO WHS Manual A NITI AAYOG REPORT 179
Tentative List (Cultural)
Tentative List (Natural)
1. Temples at Bishnupur, West Bengal (1998)
2. Mattanchery Palace, Ernakulam, Kerala (1998)
3. Group of Monuments at Mandu, Madhya Pradesh (1998)
4. Ancient Buddhist Site, Sarnath, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
(1998)
5. Sri Harimandir Sahib, Amritsar, Punjab (2004)
6. River Island of Majuli in midstream of Brahmaputra River in
Assam (2004)
7. Namdapha National Park (2006)
8. Wild Ass Sanctuary, Little Rann of Kutch (2006)
9. Neora Valley National Park (2009)
10. Desert National Park (2009)
11. Silk Road Sites in India (2010)
12. Santiniketan (2010)
13. The Qutb Shahi Monuments of Hyderabad Golconda Fort,
Qutb Shahi Tombs, Charminar (2010)
14. Mughal Gardens in Kashmir (2010)
15. Delhi - A Heritage City (2012)
16. Monuments and Forts of the Deccan Sultanate (2014)
17. Cellular Jail, Andaman Islands (2014)
18. The Glorious Kakatiya Temples and Gateways (2014)
19. Iconic Saree Weaving Clusters of India (2014)
20. Dholavira: A Harappan City (2014)
21. Apatani Cultural Landscape (2014)
22. Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam (2014)
23. Monuments of Srirangapatna Island Town (2014)
24. Chilika Lake (2014)
25. Padmanabhapuram Palace (2014)
26. Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala (2014)
27. Sites of Saytagrah, India’s non-violent freedom movement
(2014)
28. Thembang Fortified Village (2014)
29. Narcondam Island (2014)
30. Moidams – the Mound-Burial system of the Ahom Dynasty
(2014)
31. Ekamra Kshetra – The Temple City, Bhubaneswar (2014)
Map of India showing the sites on the Tentative List
Page 180 Monuments at Ham-
pi World Heritage Site; Source -
thegrandindianroute.com
(Next page) Map showing the
spread of Chola Dynasty; Source
- desanacademy.com/history/
chola-dynasty/ IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 180
GapsRecommendations
1. State of Conservation of existing World Heritage Sites
The State of Conservation of most World
Heritage Sites are not good and Manage-
ment Plans are pending since years. Not
much action is taken on some sites as per
the recommendations of the World Heri-
tage Committee post inscription. The 2019
session at the World Heritage Committee at
Baku had embarrassing state of conserva-
tion reports for 3 World Heritage Sites of India
– Darjeeling Heritage Railways, Hampi and
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary showing no serious
actions by stakeholders as per given time.
ASI and other stakeholders need to focus
on the conservation, management, up-
keep, visitor facilitation and other amenities
for the existing World Heritage Sites. While
India is known for getting its sites inscribed,
the management of these sites post inscrip-
tion is always a challenge. Among the ex-
isting 38 World Heritage Sites, most of them
have issues of conservation, encroachments
and visitor facilitation and management.
The tourism potential is also untapped for a
number of these sites. All these aspects need
to be addressed through a rigorous Project
Management Unit to enforce preparation
and implementation of their site manage-
ment plans.
2. Nomination Strategy for India
India has not progressed much on the
transnational nominations where it can tap
parallel inscriptions by tying up with other
countries as in the case of Chandigarh as
‘The Architectural Works of Le Corbusier’ in-
scribed in 2016 through France.
Nominations of World Heritage Sites every
year needs’ to be strategic. A strategy for
nominations including national and transna-
tional properties should be proposed for next
5-10 years. Serial and Transnational nomina-
tions need to be explored more actively giv-
en that now only 1 inscription is possible per
year per country and transnational nomina-
tions are exempt from this ceiling. So, India
can join another country and propose the
transnational through them for example in-
scription of Chandigarh Capitol Complex as
part of transnational inscription with France
in 2016 was achieved in this manner. More
excavated sites of prehistoric, Neolithic and
Harappa period need to be undertaken for
world heritage nomination. Dholavira and
Sarnath nomination dossiers being prepared
by ASI in 2019 are encouraging in this direc-
tion. But serial nominations for Harappan and
Buddhist sites should be considered to target
a larger number with a single inscription.
3. Capacity Building for Nomination and Site Management
India has 42 sites on the Tentative List with
a large number of them belonging to dif-
ferent states who seek guidance from ASI
on the process of nomination dossiers and
management plans for inscribing these sites
on the World Heritage List. There is not much
knowledge of World Heritage within State
ASI needs to provide regular training pro-
grams for nomination processes and
management plans for this purpose. The
programmes can be organised in collabo-
rationwith the UNESCO C2C Centre at WII,
Dehradun. A first step for World Heritage
within State Departments has been taken A NITI AAYOG REPORT 181
GapsRecommendations
Departments and they seek guidance from
ASI on this matter since a number of their
sites are now on the Tentative List of UNES-
CO.
with Directors of the State Departments of-
ten appointed as the Competent Officers of
the NMA and State departments playing an
important role in preparation of World Heri-
tage nomination dossiers.
4. UNESCO Category 2 Centres
India’s proposal for establishing the UNESCO
Cultural Category 2 Centre is pending since
several years with ASI.
India’s proposal for establishing the UNESCO
Cultural Category 2 Centre is pending since
several years. With the formation of Indian
Institute of Culture as a mother body for all
other institutes under the Ministry of Culture
and ASI, it is feasible to place a proposal for
UNESCO Cultural C2C. The proposed C2C
may have a focused theme on Cultural Ex-
changes that will also provide an impetus to
the proposed transnational nomination and
Project MAUSAM. The UNESCO World Heri-
tage Centre at Paris has already indicated
this theme proposed by India as a very pos-
itive step. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 182
GapsRecommendations
5. Project Mausam
India is a civilizational country with close his-
torical links with East Asia, the Indian Ocean
Rim and West Asia. The spice trade and
spread of Buddhism and Hinduism were at
the center of these interrelations. While Chi-
na has highlighted the “Silk Route”, there is
a need to focus on researching and prop-
agating these relations through an overar-
ching project like Mausam as intended by
India. The status of Project Mausam started
in 2014 has not progressed even though UN-
ESCO and other countries are looking at In-
dia for some actions on this count.
India needs to move forward with thematic
paper for Project MAUSAM to be shared with
other countries for defining a clear roadmap
for the Project MAUSAM. This should be in
tandem with feasible transnational nomina-
tions to be taken up with other countries. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 183
3. Key Action Points
Setting up of an independent World Heritage PMU with Ministry of Culture:
A World Heritage Project Management Unit (PMU) involving World Heritage Experts, ASI and
other stakeholders needs to be set up to ensure following specific actions for World Heritage
in India.
3.1 Strengthen conservation and management of 38 World Heritage Sites
State of Conservation and Site Management status should be reviewed for all 38 World Her-
itage Sites and action taken on World Heritage Committee decision for each property. PMU
with ASI should ensure that other organisations such as the State Governments, Railways and
MoEFCC are taking action on recommendations for their World Heritage Sites.
3.2 Strategize World Heritage nominations (National and Transnational) for India
National and Transnational Nominations should be prioritised each year with a 5 year plan.
Transnational nominations on Hindu/Buddhist circuits with Asian countries may be targeted
as a priority.
Immediate proposals could be – Serial nomination of Ashokan edict sites with South Asian
countries, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan; ‘Spread of Buddhism in Southeast
Asia through India’, ‘Chola and Srivjijaya Empire’s 10th-15th CE with sites linking countries
from India to Indonesia along the Indian Ocean. Uttarapath (serial National Nomination)
should be taken on priority for nomination after Dholavira is submitted in 2020. Sites of Sa-
tyagraha movement is another important pan India nomination on tentative list to be taken
up for inscription. Since India has only 1 slot for nomination per year, so focusing specifically
serial nomination will allow adding more sites with a single inscription.
3.3 Annual calendar for capacity building workshops and activities with State Government
should be developed.
3.4 Project ‘Mausam’ to be capitalized for transnational nominations.
Cultural exchange on sea voyage proposed between India and China at Mahabalipuram
to be initiated under Project Mausam.
3.5 Establish UNESCO Category II Centre for Cultural Exchange in Asia-Pacific.
Once the Indian Institute of Culture is fully functional as an umbrella institution for Archae-
ology, Museum Studies and others at the Noida Campus of ASI, it can be proposed to be
recognized as a UNESCO Category 2 Centre for Cultural Exchange for the entire Asia Pacific
region.
This PMU will also strengthen India’s candidature to be re-elected in the next elections of the
World Heritage Committee due in October- November 2021.
“Project Mausam aims to explore the multi-faceted Indian Ocean
‘world’ – collating archaeological and historical research in order to
document the diversity of cultural, commercial and religious interac-
tions in the Indian Ocean.” IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 184
11. International Collaborations for India’s
Heritage A NITI AAYOG REPORT 185
1.Conservation
projects in other
countries
3.Collaboration
for Marketing of
India’s World
Heritage Sites
2.
Cultural exchange
on sea voyage
proposed between
India and China at
Mahabalipuram to be
initiated under Proj-
ect Mausam.
Action
Points IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 186 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 187
11
1. Existing Bilateral Cooperation – MoUs with ASI
for Conservation works Overseas
As part of MoUs through MEA with various countries, ASI has also
excavated sites and restored monuments in many foreign coun-
tries and in the process has brought back to life the historical
and civilizational links that India cherished and nourished with its
neighbours and others beyond the neighbourhood. Some of the
outstanding conservation efforts of ASI beyond India’s borders
are listed below:
Cambodia
The conservation of the 12th Century Angkor Wat temples be-
tween 1986 and 1992 is perhaps the most outstanding project
that the ASI has undertaken outside India. More recently, it re-
stored the Ta Prohm temple which is considered the most signifi-
cant of the temples of the Angkor region.
Lao PDR
ASI has conserved and restored the fifth century Vat or Wat Phou
Hindu temple complex in southern Laos. Under Phase I from 2008
to 2017, ASI did commendable restoration work. Phase II of the
restoration work from 2018 to 2018 (10 years) has now been ap-
proved by the Government of India. ASI team has already start-
ed working in Wat Phou.
Myanmar
The ASI has undertaken conservation and restoration of the
Ananda temple in Bagan. It has prepared a list of 2,230 mon-
uments and 892 unexcavated ancient mounds in the area. A
further MoU for conservation of Bagan Monuments is signed re-
cently.
Ta Prohm Temple, Cambodia; Source - Wikipedia
Inner view of Ta Prohm Temple, Cambodia IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 188
Vat Phou Hindu Temple Com-
plex, Lao PDR; Source - tourasia.
pl
Ananda Temple, Bagan, Myan-
mar; Source - renowntravel.com
Burial Mounds in Hammad, Bah-
rain; Source - thenational.ae A NITI AAYOG REPORT 189
Bahrain
A team of ASI archaeologists excavated burial mounds in Ha-
mad town in Bahrain in 1983. It excavated 70 graves, six Indus
seals and a circular steatite seal with Indus script.
Angola
An ASI team restored and reorganised the Museum of the Armed
Forces located inside the 17th century fortress of Sao Miguel (pic-
ture) in Luanda in 1988-89. The team rearranged exhibits in Pre-
history, Portuguese, Comrade Agostinho Neto and Struggle for
Independence Galleries.
Nepal
In the early 1960s, ASI teams excavated Buddhist archaeologi-
cal sites in Sidharthanagar, Kapilvastu, Tilaurakot and Lumbini (in
the picture). In 1965, another team carried out an iconographi-
cal survey to discover rare images like Shiva as Ekpada-Trimurti,
Chandra riding on a chariot of geese, Mahesha-samhara, etc.
Afghanistan
The ASI conserved and restored the sixth century Buddhas of
Bamiyan and the 15th century mosque at Balkh of Sufi leader
Khwaja Abu Nasr Parsa in the 1960s. The Bamiyan Buddhas
Sao Miguel Fortress, Angola; Source - wikipedia
Lumbini Buddhist Site, Nepal;
Source - pri.org IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 190 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 191
Maldives
ASI teams have excavated sites in Kuramathi, Todd and Niland-
he atolls which revealed Buddhist traits. Here you see the ruins of
a Buddhist settlement found on a Maldivian island.
Sri Lanka
The ASI has recently undertaken restoration of the Thiruketh-
eeswaram temple in Mannar. The ancient temple was demol-
ished by foreign colonisers in the 16th century. It was rebuilt in
1903 but suffered damages during the civil war.
Bhutan
The ASI teams carried out preservation of murals of Do de Drak,
Nekhang- Lhakhange and Mithragpe- Lhakhang of Tongsa Dz-
ong in the late 1980s.
Egypt
In the early 1960s, an ASI team visited Nubia to explore, exca-
vate and salvage any ancient artefacts around Afyeh and Tu-
mus. The two sites were falling in the submergence zone of the
Sadd-el-Aali (Aswan) dam on the river Nile. The team discovered
middle and late stone age tools.
Mosque at Balkh, Afghanistan; Source - beautifulmosques.com
Buddhist settlement ruins found
on a Maldives island; Source -
wikipedia
Thiruketheeswaram temple in Mannar, Sri Lanka; Source - all-ceylon.lk IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 192
Ruins at Nubia; Source - britanni-
ca.com
My Son group of temples, Viet-
nam; Source - thetempletrail.
com
Tongsa Dzong, Bhutan; Source - britannica.com A NITI AAYOG REPORT 193
“ASI has excavated sites and restored monuments in many foreign
countries and in the process has brought back to life the historical and
civilizational links that India cherished and nourished with its neigh-
bours and others beyond the neighbourhood.”
Vietnam and Indonesia
An ASI team has inspected the My Son group of temples in Viet- nam and submitted a project report for conservation measures. A Survey team also visited the famous ancient Hindu temple at Borbudur to document it extensively.
In 2018, MOU between Archaeological Survey of India and PT
Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur, Prambanan & Ratu Boko con-
cerning World Cultural Heritage of Prambanan Temple and Taj
Mahal was signed with intention of Joint promotion and organiz-
ing events, exchange of experts, implementation of technical
guidance.
2. Gaps and Recommendations
GapsRecommendations
ASI’s Project Model for overseas restoration works is recognised as a very successful model which needs to be replicated more for greater visibility.
It should also be realised that other coun-
tries where ASI is working are capitalising
their world heritage sites as educational lab-
oratories. Angkor Wat through UNESCO has
served as a role model for an educational
resource and showcase for conservation
techniques from various countries where
different temples have been conserved /
restored by different countries using their ex-
pertise. Similarly, Bagan in Myanmar is now
being conserved by various organisations
from across the world such as Getty Con-
servation Institute and ASI while Korean Or-
ganisations are involved in LiDAR survey and
interpretation of Bagan for Tourism propor-
tion. ASI needs to capitalise its World Heri-
tage Sites in a similar manner
Overseas Project Model for Conservation
works needs to be expanded to more coun-
tries for greater visibility.
ASI needs to involve other foreign organisa-
tion on its own World Heritage Sites as part
of technical exchange and know-how in the
spirit of the World Heritage Convention to
which it is a signatory. Such exchanges will
not only enhance ASI’s capacity but will also
ensure greater realisation of the significance
of India’s cultural heritage to the world. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 194 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 195
3. Key Action Points
3.1 Implement more Conservation projects in other countries
MEA has recently taken a significant action on International Conservation Projects by float-
ing an EoI for empanelment of conservation consultants (structural/civil engineers) with min-
imum age limit of 35 years till post retirement stage. These empanelled consultants will be
engaged in overseas conservation projects with MEA in association with ASI teams and de-
puted for short term, mid-term and long-term conservation works on overseas sites of partner
countries.
3.2 Cultural exchange on sea voyage proposed between India and China at Ma-
habalipuram to be initiated under Project Mausam.
A cultural exchange on sea voyage between India and China has been proposed in the
Nov 2019 meeting between PM, India and President, China at Mahabalipuram. MEA and
ASI should initiate this activity under Project Mausam.
3.3 Collaboration for Marketing of India’s Heritage Sites
International Heritage Circuits should be developed jointly with other countries specially
where shared heritage is evident such as the Buddhist circuit and Hinduism circuit with South
Asian and South East Asian countries. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 196
12. Skill Development, Community
Employment and
Institutional Collaborations A NITI AAYOG REPORT 197
1. Skill
Development under
Hunar se Rozgaar
program under MoT
and under
Skill Development
Ministry.
2. Engaging local
persons and
craftspeople in their
home states.
3. Including local
community in review
of designs and
maintenance of
monuments.
4. E.g., volunteers for
heritage walks, main-
tenance of historical
spaces, creating op-
portunities for local
economy (crafts and
other production),
etc. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 198 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 199
1. Existing Schemes for Skill Development and
Community Employment
1.1 MGNREGA
MGNREGA was launched by the Ministry of Rural Development.
Conservation, if carried out in keeping with the guidelines of the
National Conservation policy, results in over 70% of project costs
being utilized for craftspeople wages. In projects such as archae-
ological excavations and desilting historic step-wells/ tanks/ wells
almost 100% of the costs are for unskilled craftspeople. The ASI
needs to identify projects that could be carried out in rural areas
with MNERGA funds.
ASI initiative in this regard will also encourage State Departments
of Archaeology to seek MGNREGA funds across India. In some
cases, such works can lead to other significant government ob-
jectives such as reviving historic water bodies and collecting
rainwater.
1.2 Hunar se Rozgar Tak
The Government of India, Ministry of Tourism (the MoT in short)
launched a special training initiative, christened Hunar Se Rozgar
Tak (HSRT) in the year 2009-10, for creation of employable skills
amongst youth belonging to economically weaker strata of the
society. The basic objective was to reduce, through this initiative,
the skill gap that affected the hospitality and tourism sector. An-
other objective was to put in place a dispensation to ensure that
the economic benefit of a growing tourism reached the poor.
Initially, the initiative covered only two trades, namely Food Pro-
duction and Food and Beverage services. Trades namely House-
keeping and Bakery were added later. In view of its growing
acceptability, the HSRT has been extended to cover non hospi-
tality trades too. Presently it covers 6 more trades/training areas
namely Housekeeping Utility, Bakery & Patisserie, Driving, Stone
Masonry, Golf Caddies and Tourist Facilitation. There is a possibil-
ity of involving more trades related to tourism and culture to be
added in this scheme.
The State Tourism Development Corporation (STDC) will make
conscious effort to facilitate employment of the passouts from
this Programme.
1.3 Schemes under the Ministry of Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship
The Ministry is responsible for co-ordination of all skill develop-
ment efforts across the country, removal of disconnect between
demand and supply of skilled manpower, building the vocation-
al and technical training framework, skill up-gradation, building
of new skills, and innovative thinking not only for existing jobs but
also jobs that are to be created.
12
Polishing of Marble with Emree in Rajasthan; Source - DRONAH IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 200
The several schemes under the National Skill Development
Scheme launched on 15.07.2015 on the occasion of World Youth
Skills Day are Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY),
SANKALP (Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Liveli-
hood Promotion), UDAAN along with Polytechnic Schemes and
vocationalization of education at school and higher education
level.
2. Institutional Collaborations
The Ministry of HRD is involved with Heritage Conservation and
Management works in 2 ways. Firstly, it recognises some of the
campuses and buildings of old universities and institutions (more
than 100 years old) in the category of Heritage Institutions and
provides substantial funding for their conservation. Secondly, a
number of institutions under the HRD Ministry provide degrees,
diplomas and training programmes in heritage conservation and
management at various levels. These two initiatives of the Minis-
try are briefly described below:
2.1 UGC Heritage Status to Colleges
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has launched a scheme
during the XII plan to provide Heritage Grants to universities and
colleges which are more than 100 years old and accorded the
Special Heritage Status by the UGC.
The guidelines of the scheme of “Granting Special Heritage Sta-
tus to Universities and Colleges” are detailed on their website.
The UGC granted Special Heritage Status to 19 colleges in the
country in 2015. A total of Rs.2505.58 lakhs was allocated to these
colleges for taking up conservation works of old buildings in their
campus. Some of the colleges which have been granted the
status include St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai; CMS College Kotta-
yam; St Joseph College, Trichy; Khalsa College, Amritsar; St Be-
de’s College, Shimla, Christ Church College in Kanpur, Old Agra
College, Agra; Meerut College, Meerut and Langat Singh Col-
lege in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur. Cotton College Guwahati received
maximum grants of Rs 4.35 crore for conservation of its heritage
building.
The institutions selected for grant under the scheme, would have
some freedom / flexibility in the apportionment of grant under
the following heads, depending upon the specific institutional
nature and requirements; re-appropriation of grants within the
overall grant limit could also be made, subject to the concur-
rence of and accountability to the UGC: -
• Conservation / maintenance of repositories of intellectual
heritage resources including library, museum, herbarium, scien-
tific instruments of yester years, gallery / live show of institutional
history and heritage, among others. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 201
• Equipment, adoption of newer technology for conserva-
tion of rare collections and specimens.
• Building expansion and furnishing for housing the heritage
resources.
• Conservation and maintenance, including renovation
work (subject to the legal clearance from the statutory bodies),
improving scope and avenues of proper utilization of the heri-
tage building without affecting the heritage character and sta-
tus.
• Offer short-term certificate or diploma program in any of
the branches of heritage studies; engaging visiting / part-time
faculty, purchase of equipment for teaching -learning specifical-
ly required for the above programs could be approved items of
expenditure
• Extension work related to sensitization of the community
in general and students in particular / of schools and colleges
in the region) of the significance and historic / cultural implica-
tion of heritage structures in the region; survey of the unidentified
heritage sites / structures in the region; survey of the unidentified
heritage sites / structures in the interior regions, bring out / doc-
ument / disseminate the cultural heritage of the different social
groups of the region
In Nov 2019, the HRD Ministry has given approval of budget of
Rs. 66 plus crores for conservation works at the IIAS, Shimla which
is the Viceregal Lodge building protected by ASI and managed
by CPWD. The works will be carried out by CPWD in close coor-
dination with ASI.
2.2 Heritage Conservation and Heritage Management Ed-
ucation Programmes under UGC
Several institutions across India grant heritage education at var-
ious levels. Several technical institutions have also created spe-
cial centres and laboratories for scientific research related to
heritage conservation. The leading institutions in Archaeology
and Built Heritage Conservation include:
1. Deccan College, Pune - Archaeology
2. MSU, Baroda – Archaeology and Museum Studies
3. School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi – Archi-
tectural Conservation
4. School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal – Architec-
tural Conservation
5. CEPT, Ahmedabad - Architectural Conservation
6. Centre for Heritage Management, Ahmedabad Universi-
ty – Heritage Management
7. IIT Madras – National Centre for Safety of Heritage Struc-
tures.
Conservation of heritage structures is a multi-disciplinary effort,
wherein traditional knowledge on building materials, techniques IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 202
and specifications are brought to the realm of current practi-
tioners of conservation engineering, with intent of merging them
with modern tools and practices. Internationally, it is established
practice that structural safety cannot be compromised in any
conservation effort. Formal systems that recognise conservation
of heritage structures as a multidisciplinary engineering effort,
with structural safety as a critical determinant, do not exist in In-
dia. With one of the largest stocks of heritage structures in the
world, lack of adequate quality and quantity of manpower is a
serious bottleneck in India in addressing the task of understanding
and protecting heritage structures from natural hazards, ageing
and weathering effects. Hence, capacity building in structural
safety-centric conservation engineering is a major challenge for
India, with an urgent need to identify the existing diffused exper-
tise in relevant sub-areas within conservation and forming a con-
sortium for a holistic approach to the national grand challenge
of protecting heritage structures. This centre is the first of its kind
initiative of HRD Ministry
8. Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany
9. AnSI, D/o Biotech and Domain experts for DNA Analysis
10. Banaras Hindu University
11. Srishti Institute – UNESCO Chair, Bangalore
12. IIT Gandhinagar – GIS and Digital
Besides the above institutions, specialised ones such as Institute
of Archaeology, ASI, NMI and CCRT under MoC , UNESCO C2C
at WII, Dehradun, INTACH Heritage Academy and Conserva-
tion Lab, NRLC, Lucknow; AIIS, Gurugram and French Institute of
Pondicherry are important resource institutions for heritage train-
ing of various kinds. On an international front, there are wider op-
portunities for collaborating with institutes on research and test-
ing requirements as per conservation and excavation practices.
UGC has been very liberal in recognising archaeology related
courses. They should do an audit on the quality of infrastructure
and courses run.
UGC should standardise the syllabus for both Bachelor and Mas-
ter’s degrees in Archaeology. It is estimated that over 40 Univer-
sities are giving a Master’s degree which should be audited for
quality.
3. Gaps and Recommendations A NITI AAYOG REPORT 203
GapsRecommendations
Multidisciplinary Approach
Despite the presence of some of the best
conservation and heritage management
institutions in India; a multidisciplinary ap-
proach to practicing heritage conservation
is lacking due to lack in coordination be-
tween practitioners and academics. Often
the various kinds of laboratories available
in institutions are not utilised for the required
testing in heritage conservation dur to lack
of vision or lack of time. A concerted ap-
proach to research and scientific analysis
is essential to be incorporated in any future
conservation works by organisations prac-
ticing conservation.
MoUS between Central and State level heri-
tage organisations with various institutes spe-
cialising in different disciplines associated
with heritage conservation and manage-
ment need to be developed, Specialised
training programs at various levels for entry
level, mid level and senior level practitioners
need to be organised. Draft MoUs to be pre-
pared. MoUs with IITs to be revived with some
budgetary provision.
Capacity Building
Institute of Archaeology does not have the
mandate and the manpower for an en-
hanced institutional status. It is short of staff
and needs to incorporate more training
programs. ASI needs to expand its system of
flexible MoUs with state governments for en-
hancingvisitor amenities to promote tourism.
Moreover, the lack of capacities is some-
thing that plagues not only ASI but the entire
heritage management sector.
ASI should consider introducing a central
sector scheme for capacity-building in the
states which would include personnel from
state archaeology departments and muse-
ums as well as from NGOs, etc. Such person-
nel can be trained through designated insti-
tutions like School of Architecture, IITs, etc.
On an average cost per training program
of 3-4 days for 25-30 participants will cost
around 10 Lakhs including expert resources,
venue, food, travel and accommodation.
So, considering an average of 2 training pro-
grams per month, an approximate budget
of Rs. 2.5 Crores may be allocated annually
to ASI for its training programs through the In-
stitute of Archaeology.
It is essential for every technical officer in
the ASI rank and file to undertake at least a
week-long training programme once every
two years. With the Institute of archaeology
now established as an independent build-
ing, this would indeed be eventually possi-
ble. Training tie-ups can also be established
with academic institutes such as the IIT’s,
National Museum and at the Schools of Ar-
chitecture providing conservation courses.
Mid-career training is made mandatory and
required funds for the same made available
for these trainings, it can be expected for re-
nowned international institutes such as Get-
ty, ICCROM, etc., to establish tailor-made
courses for the ASI in diverse fields. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 204
(Next Page) A view of High Court
from the Oval Maidan, Victorian
Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles
of Mumbai; Source - UNESCO
GapsRecommendations
Training component should be available at various levels; at the induction stage, mid-level career training programs made available to all cadre and all staff levels in-cluding multitasking staff.
Nearly half the Conservation Assistants are
estimated to be from a non-engineering
background. Similarly, those from archae-
ology are mostly from non-archaeology
backgrounds. ASI needs to immediate-
ly give them a six-month training as well as
take a relook at the qualifications in the lon-
ger term. Degrees like the Masters Course in
Heritage Conservation and Management of
the UNESCO C2C at Wildlife Institute of India,
Dehradun need to be acknowledged.
The current intake of students in the Archae-
ology Institute is 15. This number needs to be
expanded in a phased manner.
An annual calendar for heritage conserva-
tion training programs be planned by IN-
TACH, UNESCO C2C and ASI for PWD Offi-
cials/ Local rural and urban bodies. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 205
4. Key Action Points
4.1 Creation of an Indian Institute of Culture (IIC)
As suggested by MoC to be the premier National Institution for education, training and skill-
ing manpower in Archaeology, Conservation, Museology, Archives and related fields. A de-
tailed Concept Note is drafted by the Ministry of Culture to define the range of disciplines
and courses to be covered through this institute (Refer MoC Concept Note for IIC in Annex-
ure). An institute of excellence at the national level that is multi-disciplinary, research-based
and practice-led will serve the most essential needs in the culture sector by promoting edu-
cation, facilitating research, creating leadership, developing technical guidance and sup-
porting skill development in the country.
It is proposed that while this Institute will be centred at the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya
Institute of Archeology, Greater Noida, other mini centres across the country can also be
envisaged in this model. The proposed Indian Institute of Culture should be a deemed uni-
versity, wherein there should be a flexibility to hire experts from other countries
4.2 Institutional Collaborations
As per gaps recognised in Documentation, Archaeology, Conservation, Management etc
for ASI in the first section of this report; following collaborations are proposed with specialised
institutions for strengthening the technical knowledge of ASI as an organisation:
S.No.Institute for CollaborationArea of Collaboration
1. IIT Madras, NCHS Training for conservation cadre and MTS on structural
safety, mid-level staff for specialised training programs,
engagement of NCHS for structural analysis of ASI monu-
ments. Collaborative research programs to be established
2. National Institute of Ocean-
ography, Goa
Underwater Archaeology Training Programs and Project
Mausam
3. Deccan College, Pune Excavations
4. MSU, Baroda and CSMVS
Mumbai
Conservation Training Programs, Museum workshops and
best practice, Material conservation lab
5. AIIS, GurugramDocumentation Training programs for ASI/Support in docu-
mentation and listing
6. WII, UNESCO C2C Specialised Training Programs for Cultural Landscape,
World Heritage nominations and Site Management Plans,
Periodic Reporting workshops for WHS. Project Mausam-
natural components and climate change issues
7. Birbal Sahni Institute of Pa-
laeobotany and AnSI
Scientific research and testing for excavations with refer-
ence to palaeobotany, Biotech and Domain experts for
DNA Analysis IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 206 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 207
3. Propose the Institute of Archaeology with its enhanced framework and deemed to b e
a University to function as UNESCO Category II Centre on “Shared Heritage for Asia-Pacific
region” (e.g., UNESCO C2C, WII Model at Dehradun) with the Institute of Archaeology. En-
hancement of the status of the existing Institute of Archaeology with establishment of more
technical courses catering to the South Asian and SE Asian professionals. Development of
state-of-the-art scientific laboratories applicable to archaeology and conservation with Re-
search and Development facilities.
4. Skill Development under Hunar se Rozgaar program under MoT and under Skill
Development Ministry.
As also mentioned in the Concept Note, the Institute of Culture will serve as an important
resource for Skill Development programs and will help in generating more employment for
archaeologists, conservators and museum experts in the Public Sector. It may also be con-
verged with similar programs such as the cultural mapping of artists by the Ministry of Culture,
Hunar se Rozgar program under the Ministry of Tourism and other specialized ones under
Skills Development Ministry. Attempts should be made to engage local persons and crafts-
people in their home states and, also to support MNREGA Schemes for such employment.
S.No.Institute for CollaborationArea of Collaboration
8. Department of Conserva-
tion, SPA New Delhi/Bhopal/
CEPT ICOMOS India
Heritage Impact Assessment Reports, Conservation Man-
agement Plans
9. Department of Landscape
Architecture, SPA and oth-
ers
Landscaping and Horticulture
10. Hydrology Department in In-
stitutions
Water
11. IIT Gandhinagar GIS Mapping and other techniques of digital documen -
tation
International Collaborations may also be explored with various institutes for specialised studies.
Some of these already identified ones are:
1. The Cultural Heritage Agen-
cy of the Netherlands (RCE)
Underwater Archaeology Training programs for ASI through NIO, Goa. The agency has expressed a keen interest including fund- ing the program through their ongoing shared heritage program in India
2. Getty Conservation Institute, LA, USA
Museum Training Programs/ Specialised Material Conser-
vation Training Programs for Adobe
3. ICCROM, RomeSpecialised Material Conservation training programs for Stone, Lime, other materials Specialised Risk Management Training Programs
4. ICOMOS with IGNCA Thematic Studies of various categories – Rock Art, Histor- ic Cities, Cultural Landscapes, Stepwells and Waterbodies etc. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 208
13. Vision, Branding and Marketing Model
NOMENCLATURE FOR ASI
1. National Heritage Board of India
2. HASI (Heritage and Archaeological Survey of India) indicating ‘happiness’
3. ASIHM (Archaeological Survey of India and Heritage Management)
indicating ‘limitless heritage’
BRANDING SLOGAN REFLECTING INDIA’S HERITAGE
- Heritage Bharat - Bharat ki Virasat
- Bhavya Bharat - Heritage India
- Virasat India - Historic India
- Timeless India or India beyond Time
THEMATIC HERITAGE CIRCUITS
Existing heritage circuits of MoT to be
augmented with narratives on historical
and cultural significance of archaeological
sites and cultural links with neighboring
countries A NITI AAYOG REPORT 209 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 210 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 211
1. Framing a Vision for India’s Heritage
India’s cultural heritage and, in particular, its archaeologi-
cal and built heritage is unparalleled in the world.
India has one of the largest geo-political expanses and one of
the greatest volume and diversity in heritage. This vast and di-
verse built heritage of India and its archaeological remains are
recognised globally as a significant part of its unique cultural
identity. Even beyond India, a number of countries across the
world, house some of the best specimens of our county’s her-
itage in their museums often narrating the glory of Indian cul-
ture along with the tales of colonial legacy; while others in south
east have extraordinary monuments standing as testimony of the
spread of Indian culture.
Historically, India was a melting pot of several civilisations and
cultural exchanges which has resulted in its vast repository of her-
itage of settlements, sites and monuments with a wide range of
art and architecture dating from various stages in its history. This
“Heritage of Fusion and Assimilation” of ideas and beliefs (Sa-
mavesh) allows India to remain secular and be the bedrock of
cultural diversity while sharing connections with different regions
such as Africa, Arab, Asia and other regions across the world.
India has an unsurmountable heritage whose potential remains
untapped until now – simply because it exists in myriad forms,
shapes and experiences across various states and, no Single
Overarching Vision for Heritage of India has guided its protec-
tion/preservation/promotion till date. Unlike other western na-
tions, India’s Cultural Heritage shows Continuity since centuries
where age old traditions continue to be practiced. ‘Living Heri-
tage’ and this dynamism needs to be recognized and addressed
appropriately while providing a management framework for In-
dia’s Heritage.
This heritage does not just constitute the important markers of In-
dia’s past but also presents a unique opportunity for generating
employment and incomes through heritage tourism and local
development.
The impact of protecting, conserving, interpreting and showcas-
ing this rich repository of India’s built heritage needs to be rec-
ognised at multiple levels:
a. To guide sustainable development of its historic cities and sites
at local level linking directly with reuse and socio-economic ben-
efits to the community while addressing the UN Sustainable De-
velopment Goals at the same time
b. As a tool to Nation Building, and branding of its unique cultural
identity with iconic sites and magnificent monuments in each
13 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 212
region of India including its 38 World Heritage Sites that narrate its
rich, complex and layered history.
c. As part of a Universal Shared Heritage to build global rela-
tions in future by connecting with stories and routes of cultural
exchange through history and, learning from international prac-
tices.
Hence, the Vision for India’s immovable Heritage can be stated
as
“Value, protect, conserve, interpret and foster In-
dia’s unique and diverse Archaeological and Built
Heritage as;
- a channel for continuing cross cultural linkages at
the international level
- a means for nation building and testimony to In-
dia’s cultural identity at the national level and,
- a development tool for socio-economic uplift-
ment at the local level and sustainability for future
generations,
with an all-encompassing, inclusive, multisectoral
and multidisciplinary approach involving the en-
tire gamut of heritage stakeholders from the myri-
ad custodians and range of heritage experts to the
visitors as well as citizens of India.” A NITI AAYOG REPORT 213
2. Strategy
The strategy to implement this Vision brings together a tapes-
try of other relevant heritage initiatives, provide an overarching
space for engagement and action for all stakeholders. It aims
to integrate essential national heritage policy principles into the
future strategy of the various heritage custodians in public and
private sector. It also outlines a platform for funding and priori
-
ties to be identified and resourced through a set of recommen-
dations and phased action plan.
The implementation of the Vision and its objectives needs to be
multisectoral in nature to be implemented via various ministries’,
State Department and Private Trusts in conjunction with the nod
-
al body i.e. the ‘Archaeological Survey of India’.
The implementation strategy broadly covers following key points:
1. Restructuring of ASI
2. Creating a National Database
3. Connecting with People
4. Defining Byelaws for Prohibited and Regulated Areas around
Monuments
5. Support to State Government and other organisations such as
Temple Trust, Waqf Boards and others
6 Heritage as a tool for development and employment gener
-
ation and,
7. Capacity Building for Heritage Management at all levels in
partnership with national and international institutions
A complete overview of the India’s heritage as summarised in
this report provides a fair idea of the existing gaps at various
levels. These gaps and subsequent recommendations with an
action plan are presented under the following sections:
A. VISION AND BRANDING
(including change in administrative structure and role of ASI)
B. ARCHAEOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(including documentation)
C. TOURISM, CSR AND OUTREACH
(including community involvement, adaptive reuse, visitor facil
-
ities and amenities)
D. HERITAGE AND DEVELOPMENT
(including prohibited/protected areas and NMA Byelaws)
E. INTERNATIONAL VISIBILITY (UNESCO/BILATERAL)
(creating international benchmarks)
F. INSTITUTIONAL (CAPACITY BUILDING)
(technical support for state archaeology)
Our heritage is central to our national identity and underpins our
culture, economy and society. At the national level, we must
have an effective policy and regulatory framework for heri IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 214
tage. Our management and protection of heritage sits within
a broad framework outlined by national organisations like the
ASI. Since the Archaeological Survey of India was established,
the aims, purposes have changed significantly but the admin-
istrative structure has remained unchanged. Today, the focus is
not on archaeological excavations as it was a century ago but
instead on protecting sites from encroachments, effective vis-
itor management, conservation of grand monuments, making
a case for World Heritage sites, coordination with other arms of
government such as municipalities, tourism authorities, state gov-
ernments, utility companies, pursuing thousands of cases of litiga-
tion, amongst others. Hence, sections A, B, and C primarily focus
on the implementation of a singular heritage vision by branding
of India’s heritage, restructuring of ASI, targeting a national da-
tabase and monitoring heritage management at various levels
in coordination with different ministries and departments.
Our heritage belongs to every person who lives within and around
it every day. At a national and local level we must work better to-
gether to protect, manage and promote it. This cannot be done
without the help and support of city level and rural organisa-
tions such as the ULBs, the local authority, NGOs, businesses and
experts who inform and advise on their various areas of exper-
tise. will help form stronger and better heritage partnerships at all
levels to ensure our heritage is valued, protected and enjoyed.
Sections C, D and F specifically focus on these local issues and
partnerships at various levels for better heritage management.
It is also important to ensure a flexible, modern approach to
caring for, managing and celebrating our heritage informed by
best practice internationally. Sections E and F specifically cover
this aspect of Heritage Management in India
3. Branding
3.1. Nomenclature
Considering the extended framework and mandate of ASI, it
is feasible that the nomenclature should reflect more than ‘Ar-
chaeological Survey of India’ in its name. While several possibili-
ties such as ‘National Heritage Board’ and other similar ones may
be considered, we need to understand that ASI (Archaeological
Survey of India) does have a very strong presence and recog-
nition in the Indian subcontinent and among other countries in
the world as well as UNESCO being the premier heritage organ-
isation of India since more than 150 years now. Hence, while a
new name may be feasible, it is also prudent to retain its original
identity as ASI to some extent.
A number of new names have been presented in the Action
Plan in the next section but the most preferred one may be con-
sidered as ASIHM (Archaeological Survey of India and Heritage A NITI AAYOG REPORT 215
Management) with the acronym ‘ASIHM’ or ‘Aseem’ in Hindi in-
dicating ‘limitless’ or ‘boundless’, an adjective suitably applica-
ble for India’s insurmountable heritage.
3.2. Tagline for Branding
The branding tagline for India’s heritage needs to sync with the
Tourism tagline of ‘Incredible India’ which has already made a
strong presence. So it should be a tagline that may be used in-
dependently or in conjunction with the Tourism Tagline too. Few
of the suggested ones are:
- Heritage Bharat
- Heritage Hind
- Hindustani Heritage
- Atulya Bharat
- Bhavya Bharat
- Heritage India
- Inheritance India
- Virasat India
- Historic India
- Timeless India or India beyond Time
- Vatan-e-Virasat
- Bharat ki Virasat
- Living Legacy of Incredible India
These may also be checked in conjunction with ‘Incredible In-
dia’ to finalise on the most relevant one.
3.3. Thematic Heritage Circuits
Since India has such an insurmountable heritage, it is sometimes
difficult for the visitor to discern among the options available.
Good Marketing and branding of specialised circuits under inter-
esting themes and historic storylines provide better opportunities
for the visibility and visitation of heritage sites. Ministry of Tourism
at the central level and State Tourism Departments have taken
initiative in terms of branding of circuits and destinations at pan
India level and state level.
15 thematic circuits and 13 pilgrimage sites/destinations each
have been identified by Ministry of Tourism (MOT) under the new
Plan Scheme Swadesh Darshan and National Mission on Pilgrim-
SchemeCircuits
Swadesh Darshan North-East India Circuit, Buddhist Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Krishna Circuit, Desert Circuit, Tribal Circuit, Eco Circuit, Wildlife Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, Ramayana Circuit, Tirthankar Circuit, Sufi Circuit and Heritage Circuit
PRASHADAjmer, Amritsar, Amaravati,` Dwarka, Gaya, Kamakhya, Kan- chipuram, Kedarnath, Mathura, Patna, Puri, Varanasi and Ve- lankanni. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 216
age Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD)
respectively.
The circuits are being developed under these schemes for tourism
infrastructure development but majority of these sites also have
archaeologically and historically significant elements which the
ASI can take up for research and conservation.
However, this initiative is targeted largely for the general tourists
and visitors and does not cover the expanse of heritage varia-
tions that exist in India. So, organisations like ASI need to consid-
er packaging the iconic centrally protected sites in specialised
circuits that link thematically in specific historic-cultural groups
attracting not only the general tourist but also specialised aca-
demic tours, international visitors who selectively visit connect-
ed world heritage sites, historic architectural tours. While at one
level, these heritage circuits would increase visitation but their
target should be at a more content-based and deeper level to
connect and narrate the stories of India’s heritage and also serve
as a connector to research and conserve these sites through in-
ternational collaboration.
Some of these examples at international can be seen such as
the Silk Route, Spice Route which not only serve well for tourism
promotion but are subjects of intense research and continued
nominations with UNESCO, ICOMOS and other research universi-
ties across the world. Project Mausam in India hinted at such an
initiative but needs to be further defined by India for countries
to collaborate. Some of the proposed heritage circuits for India
may be considered as below:
1. 38 World Heritage Sites of India – how they narrate the story of
India through various historical periods and a range of heritage
typologies (from caves, temples, forts, stepwells to urban ensem-
bles, cities, railways and modern heritage)
2. Coastal Routes to be defined under Project Mausam linking
with neighbouring countries. (See the recent case of Angkor
Vat, Cambodia connecting with Bagan, Myanmar increasing
tourism/ research/cultural exchange potential for both sites or
the Silk Route, Spice Route etc)
3. Ancient Roads/ Routes of India - Uttarapath and Dakshinpath/
On the footsteps of Ashoka
4. Sindhu Saraswati / Harrapan sites of India
5. Iconic living temples of India – linking stories of the Agamasha-
tras and Stapathis in the south to the Sompuras in the north.
6. Fortifications of India especially since India has more than 1000
forts of different kinds showcasing its Military Landscape from the
mountains to the desert, forest and coastal regions. (an excellent A NITI AAYOG REPORT 217
international example for such a circuit is the European Network
of Forts – Forte Cultura http://www.forte-cultura-project.eu/)
7. Satyagraha Sites of India (already on tentative list). This can be
steered by the Ministry of Culture under the Gandhi Sites Mission
in association with ASI. Some of the sites such as Ag Khan Palace,
Pune has already been undertaken as a model site for conser-
vation by ASI.
Each thematic circuit could be researched further and devel-
oped specifically by ASI in a manner that it also links with re-
search activities, conservation works and knowledge exchange
activities besides adding to the visitor footfall and tourism. Heri-
tage sites should be linked with tangible and intangible benefits.
3.4. Promotion and Marketing
The heritage of India needs to be propagated and dissemi -
nated, for which social media is the most suitable medium. The
Ministry of Culture/ ASI need to launch a ‘Heritage India’ brand
and engage an agency for Digital Medium Planning and Buying
which would drive organic and inorganic traffic with Search En-
gine Optimisations and App Store Optimisations. The role of the
Agency would include strategic planning for brand promotion
and co-branding with other brands like ‘Incredible India, specific
channel plans, production and creative services restricted to
Hindi and English initially, media planning and buying and post
buy reporting and media optimisation and collaborating with
‘influencers’ and noted bloggers.. The objectives are to increase
awareness and engagement on digital channels including You
Tube and FM radio channels, increase Facebook, Twitter, Insta-
gram followers, enhance website visitors and ensure that app(iOS
and android) installs increase. Such targets should be quantified
and service level agreements framed in the contract. Simultane-
ously agencies can be hired for merchandise branding. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 218 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 219
14. Action Plan for Heritage
Management in India IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 220 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 221
A complete overview of the India’s heritage as summarised in
this report provides a fair idea of the existing gaps at various lev-
els. Based on the gap analysis and subsequent recommenda -
tions as per this report, the Key Action Points for each section are
summarised as below:
1. National Database and Documentation
1.1 National Archaeological Database to be made. National GIS
Database for monuments and sites to be authenticated and val-
idated with ISRO.
National GIS Database for monuments and sites to be initiated
with ISRO which may support a GIS team wing to be established
in ASI. By utilising the collaborative effort initiated by ISRO and
the Ministry of Culture, it is possible to collate all GIS and Non-GIS
archaeological database into a Single National Archaeological
Database. This can be a significant achievement as part of the
Digital India programme, at par with other geospatial databases
used by Central and State governmental agencies. It is import-
ant that this database should be consulted before authorizing
any construction near archaeological sites, ensuring that past
errors resulting in irreparable loss to heritage and escalating costs
can be mitigated. This national archive should be made public-
ly accessible under the Digital India programme, where it can
assist decision makers (development authorities, state depart-
ments, etc.) and help citizens plan for future economic growth
while preserving the fragile remnants of our past.
1.2 NMMA to be reactivated with budget and staffing to com-
plete its previous listing of built heritage and antiquities.
Policy for notification/denotification to be finalised immediately
to arrive as a final list of centrally protected monuments by ASI
Workshops need to be organised with national institutes and
organisations such as the American Institute in Gurgaon, the
French Institute in Pondicherry and INTACH to synergize with oth-
er protected and unprotected heritage repositories. Further list-
ing of monuments needs to be undertaken at National level to
complete the Mission work.
For antiquities database, 3D photography of objects in all collec-
tions and of murals and images is also necessary, which would
facilitate the expansion of virtual museums. The JATAN software
should be utilized for documenting all the objects in the posses-
sion of ASI and other museum.
1.3 Extend ongoing initiative for Archives Data to be accessible
digitally and Archives to be stored as per conservation norms
ASI needs to focus on digitisation of its photographic collection,
its estampage collection in Mysore, and on the records in the old
Circles which have yet to be transferred to the new Circles, and
of its property registers. ASI should take up the collective Photo
(Back Page) View of Taj Mahal, Agra; Source - Wikimedia Com-mons
Akbar’s Throne and central pillar,
Fatehpur Sikri; Source - Wikimedia
Commons IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 222
Documentation project proposed by CSMVS, Mumbai and British
Museum, UK as a pilot project to achieve an international role
model for photo documentation.
2. Use of Technologies for National Heritage
2.1 New technology like Photogrammetry & 3D Laser scanning
should be used for documentation, surveys, excavation and
conservation works.
LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and Drone Surveys to be
used to document monuments and sites. Each national monu-
ment should be 3D Laser scanned within the next 3 years and
some of this documentation should be available in the public
domain.
2.2 ASI and State Archaeology Departments across India should
consider an inhouse setup or a tie up with an associate depart-
ment, IT Companies for complete digitisation and documenta-
tion of their monuments and sites on a similar model as Rajdharaa
in Rajasthan.
2.3 Collaboration with Foreign Universities for introduction of lat-
est techniques in exploration and excavations should be under-
taken. ASI should collaborate with National and International
organisations for training of staff in use of advanced documen-
tation, survey and monitoring techniques to be used for mon-
uments and archaeological sites. (Refer section 12 for specific
institutional collaborations for ASI).
2.4 Technology is needed for e-governance and one-window for
permissions and clearances as well.
2.5 Advanced Technology for Promotion and Marketing of sites
needs to be actively used to cater to all visitor kinds – school chil-
dren, families, researchers and other segments of society.
3. Conservation of National Heritage
3.1 National Policy on Conservation needs to be implemented
vigorously
ASI should practice its conservation policy clause wise before
approval of any conservation project to be carried out on site
by any Circle SA. The format for approval of conservation works
within ASI needs to be revised including a checklist box for clause
wise adherence to National Policy at the time of approval of
estimates. It needs to be ensured that there is a conservation
plan prepared for the site which adhered to all sections of the
Policy – including a value based, scientific and holistic approach A NITI AAYOG REPORT 223
to conservation as outlined in section 4,5 and 6 of the policy.
Articles on documentation 4.01, 4.04, 4.07, 4.21, 5.07 and 7.05 of
National Policy on Conservation to be put into practice by ASI
and all State Archaeology departments.
ASI also needs to compile and make a Manual of Orders, Poli-
cies and SoPs for annual verification of properties, objects and
manuscripts on encroachments on violation of provisions of the
National Monuments Authority Act, the licensing provisions for
excavation and report writing, on estate management as well
as its other myriad activities like MoUs with State Governments
and relating to “living” monuments.
3.2 Conservation Plan be prepared for the site before undertak-
ing any conservation works
An overall conservation masterplan should be made for the
whole project and should be approved by a committee of lead-
ing professionals before execution. Some sites should be identi-
fied where architectural members/ remains can be assembled
(e.g. Sannati, Tadapatri) and restored on the pattern of Angkor
Vat restorations done by ASI.
A manual for conservation based on the integration of Nation-
al Policy and John Marshall’s Manual needs to be urgently pre-
pared for use of all Circles. Similarly, ASI needs to create its own
schedule of rates and also revise the Works Code. A system of
separation of technical and financial powers as per CPWD norms
was introduced in 2016.ASI should have a system of periodically
reassessing the delegation of financial powers. It should be man-
datory for a Note to be generated following each site inspection
by an officer at any monument. To simplify matters and ensure
a timely note is recorded, a ‘Site Inspection register’ available
online could be maintained at all monuments to be filled in by
visiting officers or independent experts.
3.3 Provision for Work Audit needs to be incorporated
The format for approval of conservation works should be framed
including a checklist box for clause wise adherence to National
Policy for all Annual Conservation Works submitted by all Circles
of ASI. All completed works of circles should have provision of
work audit based on this framework.
3.4 Region-wise empanelment of crafts persons
Engagement of Craftspeople as per Section 6 in National Policy
needs to be implemented by empanelling craftspeople region
wise by each ASI Circle.
3.5 National Level awards to be given to ASI Circles, State Gov-
ernments and other heritage custodians
ASI Head Office should allocate National Level awards to be giv-
en to ASI Circles, State Governments and other heritage custodi-
ans to recognise good conservation works. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 224
4. Excavation and Exploration of Archaeological
Sites
4.1 Draft of Excavation and Exploration Policy to be finalized and
adopted after public discussion within 6 months period. Imple-
mentation of the policy should be taken up as per clauses for
excavation, prioritisation and publication.
4.2 ASI Vision Plan to be made for exploration and excavation.
The vision plan will help to prioritize sites to be taken up for exca-
vation based on their zoning and categorization.
4.3 Development of laboratories for post-excavation analysis.
Use of scientific methodologies and development of laborato-
ries for post-excavation analysis. Collaboration to be established
with concerned laboratories within 6 months.
4.4 Archaeology as a separate Cadre
Adequate budget allocation and recognition of Archaeology
as a Cadre and de-licensing of exploration works (Refer Chapter
8, Upgradation of ASI, Page no. 150)
4.5 Publication of Excavation Reports within 6 months period
Submission of all pending reports on excavation and exploration
within 6 months. These should be published within the stipulated
deadline mentioned in the draft Excavation and Exploration Pol-
icy of ASI.
4.6 Re-exposing and putting the excavated sites in public do-
main
Sites excavated by ASI and other associated institutions across
India should be protected and conserved adequately with cov-
erings to allow public access and visitors. The sites should be
showcased with proper interpretation and visitor facilities.
5. Developing Site Museums
5.1 Budget 2020-21 proposed five archaeological sites to be de-
veloped as iconic sites with on-site Museums. These should be
completed in next 3 years. The proposed museums are Rakh-
igarhi (HR), Hastinapur (UP) Shivsagar (Assam), Dholavira (GJ)
and Adichanallur (TN). Clear Action Plan to be finalized for all.
5.2 ASI should finalize world class projects for 2 site museums
Hampi and Sarnath within next 3 months. Some work on these
museums has already been initiated. Residential quarters should
be built for staff of site museums that are located in remote areas.
A model site museum should also be set up at Ahichchhatra ar-
chaeological site in UP A NITI AAYOG REPORT 225
5.3 The guidelines for Museums adopted by ASI in 2013 (as part of
MoU with the Getty Conservation Institute) should be practiced
in all 6 identified spheres of Museum Development for any site
museum of ASI:
1. Research and Dissemination
2. Preservation and Conservation
3. Interpretation and Presentation
4. Education and Outreach
5. Visitor Services and Amenities
6. Administration and Management
5.4 An inter-disciplinary team of specialists, archaeologists, cu-
rators, exhibition designers need to be engaged.
For each site museum a scientific and specialist assessment
should be carried out. This should be aimed at listing immediate,
short term (one year), medium term (2-5 years) and long term (5-
10 years) actions to bring available knowledge, technology and
equipment to each of the Site museums.
5.5 Financially sustainable and revenue generation models to be
adopted for Museum Operations and Maintenance.
There should be focus on adaptive reuse and community use
of museum structures with more involvement of community and
sustainable components such as cafes, crafts souvenir shops and
exhibition spaces for revenue generation.
6. Heritage Tourism, Revenue generation and
Marketing
6.1 Adopt Revenue Generation Model through PPP Schemes
Push for revenue growth will require investments towards improv-
ing services, facilities and attractions that will generate visitor in-
terest and eventually footfall. These investments can be funded
through a public-private partnership that will allow the govern-
ment to ensure that heritage conservation remains primary focal
area and that commercial interest does not interfere with that
objective. This is true for both currently ticketed as well as other
sites. PPP Mode can be adopted to attract funding from various
Public and Private Sector Enterprises. Collaboration with state
governments for undertaking development works – to be under-
taken jointly by ASI and State Governments while core conser-
vation activities are to be undertaken by ASI only (e.g., Raigad
Model). Ministry of Tourism to directly give funds to ASI for devel-
opment of amenities around a monument rather than giving it to
various state tourism departments
Economic sustainability is a key challenge in conservation and
development of heritage sites for tourist/visitor interest, state
funding can get it going, but it is critical that a self sustaining eco-
nomic cycle kicks in, this is especially true for the major protected IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 226
monuments, and these have potential to generate revenue that
can help conserve, protect and develop the others.
6.2 Professional and focused marketing effort with Information
Technology
A professional and focused marketing effort (with a strong digital
component) is required to generate visitor interest; this must fac-
tor in the sheer number of monuments, hence a need for a clear
strategy that will promote the ASI assets effectively. This strategy
must also be integrated with state level tourism plans for impact
on the ground.
Even though ASI has adopted online ticketing, wifi facility on
sites, online permissions and e-governance, but the website of
the Archaeological Survey of India is not updated and needs
a more rigorous check for weekly updates. Most of the circle
websites are non-functional because the annual maintenance
funds have not been disbursed to the IT professionals handling
the website.
6.3 Each ASI site to be treated as separate profit centres
Efforts are made to generate revenue through the monument. In
addition to entry fee revenue is also generated through granting
permissions for film shooting, culture events, sale of publications,
grass auction, fruit auction, sale of photographs, etc. There is a
proposal to bring more centrally protected monuments under
the category of ticketed monument. A decision has been taken
to open souvenir shops at selected monuments. In this direction
an MoU has been signed with Handicrafts and Exports Corpora-
tion (Ministry of Textiles). Initially shops will be opened at Qutub
Minar and Sarnath.
Food and Beverage revenues are largely not leveraged to the
extent possible, sites with already heavy footfall loose a massive
opportunity here, These F&B services can be provided to cater
to the wide range of socio-cultural;-economic diversity that we
represent, this component has immense potential. Lease/Rent-
al/ Revenue Sharing models are used globally in this respect that
can be mirrored.
ASI should consider starting with a few sites to try different models
to serve as profit centres, there is no one glove fit all option here,
an open mind set is required. Key monument clusters should
have revenue targets with appropriate accountability within ASI.
6.4 ASI revenues to be ploughed back to the site
Currently, ASI has no surplus revenue and depends on the an-
nual budget allocation. Provision should be made for special
authorities for the primary ticketed monuments so that fee from
each monument can be directly utilized for the upkeep of the
monument,
Mechanism for retaining money earned out of entrance tickets A NITI AAYOG REPORT 227
and other sources for the purpose of conserving and maintaining
monuments to be evolved in consultation with relevant ministries.
6.5 National Culture Fund – To be made autonomous
The cumbersome procedures and reporting chain in NCF need
to be re-looked at in particular in order to amend the structure
and make it more conducive and efficient. The CEO should be
the Member Secretary of the Executive Committee with a board
of luminaries of the business world should be appointed to the
Board of the Fund.
6.6 Processing of the pending MoUs under Adopt a Heritage to
be accelerated
The success of this initiative would be possible if ASI is more liberal
and open to adopting tourist friendly practices, without impact-
ing their core responsibility of preservation of the monuments. A
positive relationship between ASI and Tourism needs to be put in
place. Delays in required permissions and clearances is presently
hampering the implementation of the project at several sites.
A high-level Committee with representatives from the Ministries of
Tourism and Culture, ASI and concerned State Government / UT
Administration may be set up for resolving issues and expediting
approvals, for moving ahead with the Adopt a Heritage project.
6.7 Crowdfunding/ community funding/ CSR
From ‘crowd funding’ to ‘community funding’ new funding mod-
els are thriving, ASI can consider opening up to local commu-
nities to make them stakeholders, community participation can
provide solutions both in terms of visitor interest as well as finan-
cial support, but this will need a huge shift in how ASI functions
as on date. This can also assist in managing the encroachment
issue more effectively.
It is also important to include local community in review of de-
signs and maintenance of monuments. E.g., volunteers for heri-
tage walks, maintenance of historical spaces, creating opportu-
nities for local economy (crafts and other production), etc.
The ASI should prepare or commission project proposals that
could be attractive for corporates to fund. Implementation for
conservation works could be undertaken by the ASI or a third
party. Restoration of the Humayun’s Tomb Finial was possible
with funding from Titan Company; conservation of Rahim Khan-
i-Khanan’s Tomb. with funding from Indigo and conservation of
Sabz Burj with funding from Havells. These examples need to be
replicated on a national scale
6.8 Tourism Experience to cater to all segments of Society:
All heritage sites should develop special programmes for engag-
ing School students’ visits with a round the year calendar for chil-
dren’s workshops, activities and events. Special Heritage walks IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 228
to enhance visitor experience with proper interpretation and sto-
rytelling on site or specialised interpretation centre needs to be
implemented. Souvenir shops with innovative local crafts prod-
ucts need to be established.
The signages need to be pleasing and legible. All ASI Blue Boards
should be redesigned them with details about the site. Orien-
tation and sensitizing of guides, car drivers and Police officials
around the sites/ monuments needs to be taken up. All Heritage
Sites have to be made disaster resilient. App based guide details
should be made available in public domain
A Domestic Tourists Marketing Strategy needs to be developed
and implemented for capitalising each heritage site to its opti-
mum interlinking both tangible and intangible benefits, events,
programs, performances besides the built heritage experience
of the site.
7. Upgradation of the Archaeological Survey of
India
7.1 Horticulture and Landscape
ASI needs to draft an approach paper on landscaping and water
hydrology and recreation of traditional water systems. This may
be an extension to the National Conservation Policy that does
mention some points related to landscape. Until this approach
paper gets framed, clause 4.18 for new landscaping and 4.19 for
retaining historic landscape may be followed in practice. Historic
water systems in forts and settlements and, traditional stepwells
are an important heritage typology that needs to be addressed
separately by ASI through engagement of hydrology experts.
Conservation Plan needs to ensure that landscape, horticulture,
water and hydrology features are incorporated before approval
of estimates for any conservation works.
7.2 Revive Underwater Archaeology
Pilot Project to be undertaken with other countries along with
specialised training with NIO and other international agencies
like The Netherlands Ministry of Culture is supporting a number
of South Asian and South East Asian countries in underwater ar-
chaeology training programs.
7.3 Induction of best of talents
within the organisation with flexibil-
ity in engaging professionals, Pay-packet at par with the market
(instead of government fixed rates) and flexi-pool system to at-
tract talent for conservation, designing and creating site muse-
ums, world class facilities, nomination dossiers, etc.
ASI also has many consultants on its rolls. However, it can be rec- A NITI AAYOG REPORT 229
ommended that in case posts are not being filled up through the
UPSC route, then consultants can be hired for one to two years
contracts at appropriate rates to bring in the requisite multi-dis-
ciplinary and professional expertise. Moreover, there should be
more focus on collaboration with agencies from all over the
world in different fields such as DNA laboratory, geology, IT relat-
ed agencies, site development, etc. It means that there is need
for development of multidisciplinary approach in ASI.
7.4 Creation of ICC Model (Cambodia Model)
ASI and MEA model which was operational for Cambodia and
other overseas projects including the following may be made
operational:
• Dedicated Cell for Special Projects – e.g., Ladakh, Fateh-
pur Sikri, Hampi, Champaner-Pavagadh, etc.
• Creation of Special Ad-Hoc group of experts for monitor-
ing projects
• Hiring of multi-disciplinary experts for each project and
provision for hiring experts
• Bi-annual field visits and Technical sessions for effective
monitoring
7.5 Restructuring of ASI
The Action Plan for restructuring proposed by ASI includes:
The restructuring proposal submitted by ASI to MoC involves cre-
ation / abolition of posts so as to reorganise different cadres to
the extent possible in a pyramidal manner, consistent with the
requirements of posts on a functional basis, restricting lateral en-
try at group B non-gazetted level and the entry level of Group
A. In between, the departmental officers would move upward
on promotion basis only. Presently, due to direct recruitment at
multiple levels, ASI is unable to fill up vacancies with persons hav-
ing requisite qualifications and experience. This is the underlying
principle of the proposal to be followed.
Division-wise additional posts to be included as approved by
MoC: (Refer Annexure for detailed note on Restructuring of ASI)
Archaeology cadre
It is proposed to reduce the strength at Assistant Archaeologist
level and to increase the number of posts at the Assistant Su-
perintending Archaeologist level (Group B Gazetted). This is jus-
tified on the ground that at the field level, the archaeologists
have to interact with higher officials of the State Government,
manage Museums, World Heritage Sites and important ticketed
monuments and needs to be conferred with powers to expend
money. Therefore, more number of officers are required at the
Gazetted level.
Conservation cadre:
The pay scale of engineers in CPWD starts with the entry level IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 230
of Level-6 (Junior Engineer) in CPWD. The minimum requirement
for JE is Diploma in Civil Engineering. In ASI, the entry level starts
at Level-2, followed by Level-4, then Level-6. From Level-6 on-
wards it is on the same pattern as in CPWD, because in ASI per-
sons with ITI qualifications are also engaged for work in the mon-
uments. In the restructuring proposal, it has been proposed to
abolish the posts of Level-2 (Junior Conservation Assistant) and
to make the entry level at Level-4 (Conservation Assistant). How-
ever, sub-stantial increase at Level-6 (equivalent to JE of CPWD)
has been proposed.
Further, the overall strength of conserva tion staff is proposed to
be increased to the extent that a minimum of 4 staff (1 Sr.CA +
3 CA) are available per sub-circle (as against the existing ratio of
2.5 conservation staff per sub-circle) to cater to an average of 20
monuments with proportionate increase at the supervisory level.
Branches:
Strengthening Epigraphy Branch
Rationalisation of posts in this Branch has been recommended to
facilitate smooth upward mobility of the personnel joining at the
entry grade. More experts in Sanskrit/Dravidian, Persian/Arabic
need to be sourced from universities and training programs for
ASI epigraphy branch need to be organised with them.
The Horticulture Division
It is proposed to raise the number of Divisions to at least 06, cor-
responding to the proposed number of ASI Regional Offices. Ac-
cordingly, proportionate increase in the staff strength has also
been proposed. To ensure effective supervision of the gardens
at the field level with persons having requisite professional qualifi-
cations, it is also proposed to increase the strength of Horticulture
Assistant Gr.II at Level 4 and to altogether abolish the present en-
try level posts of Foreman (Hort.). The educational qualification
prescribed for the post of Foreman (Horticulture) in Level 2 is BSc.
(Agri.) and as per the guidelines, the said qualification is sufficient
for entry at the level of Horticulture Assistant Gr.II at Level 4.
Administration Division
Moderate increase in the number of staff strength has been pro-
posed in Administration Division keeping in view the increase in
the number of field offices. The posts of Store Keeper and Assis-
tant Store Keeper are proposed to be abolished as these func-
tions can be performed by UDC / LDC with adequate training.
There are a number of senior level posts in ASI without sanctioned
posts of stenographers at the appropriate level to assist them.
Hence, increase in the strength of stenographers at various levels
has also been proposed. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 231
Creation of new PAOs for ASI
ASI is presently handling a budget of Rs.1000 crores, whereas,
there are just 02 PAOs, at Delhi and Hyderabad, to cater to scru-
tiny and passing of bills, maintenance of GPF accounts of around
5600 personnel and settlement of pension which is in the range
of one case per working day. Therefore, it is proposed to open
04 more PAOs to correspond with the 06 Regional Directorates of
ASI with a staff component of 01 PAO, 02 AAOs, 06 Accountants
per PAO raising the staff strength from the existing 35 to 54. These
posts will be got encadred with organized Accounting cadres
to ensure availability of experienced officers to handle budget
& accounts and to exercise effective financial control over ex-
penditure.
Auxiliary support services (Survey, Drawing, Photography, Art,
Modeling Divisions)
The PAC in its Report dated December, 2018 has recommended
that ‘more emphasis should be given to recruitment of technical
experts rather than auxiliary manpower’. Most of the technical
support services provided by the personnel in these Divisions are
presently available on outsourcing basis and the Department
may hire such services as and when needed. Therefore, it is pro-
posed to abolish 73 out of 110 vacancies lying vacant in these
05 Divisions.
Miscellaneous & Driver cadres
There are a number of miscellaneous isolated posts in ASI for ren-
dering various support services. As it is possible to outsource such
services, it is proposed to abolish such posts which are lying va-
cant as well as those which would fall vacant in the coming few
years. Similarly, the vacant posts of Drivers are also proposed
to be abolished as the vehicles can be driven by MTS with val-
id driving license or can be outsourced. Accordingly, 10 posts
of Drivers and 21 miscellaneous posts which are presently lying
vacant are proposed for abolition. In future, as part of phased
abolition, 121 of such posts will be abolished as and when they
fall vacant.
7.6 UGC Scales
Archaeology:
The Archaeological Cadre is currently the backbone of ASI. Ar-
chaeologists conduct archaeological explorations, excavations,
village surveys, as well as surveys of archaeological monuments
and sites, temples and buildings. They study the materials recov-
ered in situ, in their collections and also antiquities in the Museums
under their control which include sculptures, coins, rare objects,
textiles, skeletal materials etc. They write Reports on their work
and publish research papers, besides giving lecturers, training
researchers and PG students in exploration, excavation and ar-
chaeology. Many supervise doctoral theses, are expert examin-
ers and even write dossiers for the World Heritage Committee for
listing as World Heritage Sites. The conservation and preservation IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 232
of monuments is monitored and supervised by Superintending
Archaeologists, who bring their knowledge of ancient architec-
tural canons, geology and environment. The archaeologists of
ASI have post-independence made the major discoveries relat-
ing to the Harappan civilisation in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana
and UP. Unfortunately, however, ASI’s ability to attract good tal-
ent is hampered by the fact that UGC scales have not been
extended to ASI. This has also led to attrition of talent from ASI
to Universities. The work of archaeologists in ASI is by its very na-
ture both research and applied research oriented, and includes
teaching and training. Uniform pay scales would also facilitate
easy interchange of academics by deputation between Univer-
sities and ASI.
Epigraphy:
The disciplines of archaeology and epigraphy are intertwined.
Each reinforces the other in identifying ancient sites, analysing
antiquities, and interpreting archaeological finds. The survey of
monuments and inscriptions as well as the decipherment of in-
scriptions and scripts by the Epigraphy cadre requires a knowl-
edge and the application of Indian history and philology, my-
thology and literature. This is a scholastic task, and the research
done is published. This once vibrant cadre, now near defunct,
needs to be resuscitated in the interests of retrieving India’s past.
The entry level in this branch is Assistant Epigraphist and the es-
sential academic qualification is post-graduation. Director Epig-
raphy, level 12, is a promotion post for Supdt Epigraphist, failing
which it is to be filled by deputation. However, there are no can-
didates for either promotion or deputation. Similarly, the posts of
Jt DG in Epigraphy, which are to be filled by deputation (from
Universities) are vacant. These unfilled posts need to be revived
and the entry level post of Assistant Epigraphist be equated with
UGC scales of Assistant Professor (Pay level 10) and so on and
the two posts at the apex level of the cadre at Jt DG level can
be equated with Professor (HAG) Pay level 15. Such enhance-
ment of pay scales could draw the requisite talent which is now
attracted to Universities and even deputationists from Universi-
ties. Provisions should be made in their service rules to give some
weightage to teaching, training, research and extracurricular
activities besides academic qualifications at the time of giving
a higher grade pay. The UGC regulations should be studied and
modified to ASI requirements. The expansion of the archaeolog-
ical cadre need not be premised on the attrition of epigraphy.
Under no circumstances should the posts be surrendered merely
because they are not filled up.
The estampage collection of the Epigraphy branch of ASI should
be totally digitised and categorised and uploaded onto muse-
umsofindia.gov.in for the benefit of researchers and encourag-
ing multivocality. There has to be a special focus on the deci-
pherment of the Harappan script and a study of the links, if any,
to the Brahmi script. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 233
Pay scale:
The following pay structure is proposed for the existing designa-
tions in the Archaeological Survey of India, keeping in view of the
role of functions performed at the various levels, responsibilities,
etc., in consonance with the UGC pay structure:
* The Director General, ASI, thus can also function as Vice Chan-
cellor of the Institute of Archaeology functioning under the Ar-
chaeological Survey of India.
The proposed pay structure in comparison / equivalent with
the UGC pay structure will also enable the ASI officers to select
teaching roles in the Institute of Archaeology (Refer Ch 12, Page
no. 205-206 for information on establishment of Institute of Cul-
ture) functioning under the Archaeological Survey of India as
well as attract better talent and rejuvenate the academic and
research activities of the organisation. However, for it to be suc-
cessful it would also require approval of the Restructuring of ASI
so that the requisite number of posts are available.The present
full cadre strength in both the divisions is 379 against which the
proposed combined strength submitted to MoC is 457.
At present there is only a transfer policy for the archaeology cad-
re. There should be a transfer policy for all cadres under which all
officers should serve a prescribed part of their career in the North
East and Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.
Provisions should be made in the service rules to give some
weightage to teaching, training, published research and extra-
curricular activities by suitably adapting a modified version of
UGC regulations.
The current annual expenditure of ASI on salaries and emolu-
ments is an estimated Rs. 360 crores. The additional expenditure
for ASIs restructuring proposal which was submitted to Ministry of
Finance is Rs 43 crores. In addition, the cost of giving UGC scales
to both archaeology and epigraphy cadres is Rs. 21.22 crores,
thus making it a total cost of Rs 64.22 crores per annum.
S.No.DesignationPay Level
Equivalent or com-parable in University
Pay Level
Proposed pay structure
1.Director General*15/16Vice Chancellor 16 Rs. 2,10,000 + Rs. 11,500 p.m. special allowance
2.Addl. Director General14 Pro Vice Chancellor14/15Rs. 1,82,000 + Rs. 5,000 p.m. spe-cial allowance
3.Joint Director General13 Professor (HAG) 15 Rs. 1,82,200 - 2,24,000 + Rs. 5,000 p.m. special allowance
4.Director12 Professor 14 Rs. 1,44,000 - 2,24,100
5.Superintending Archaeologist/ Epigra-phist
11 Associate Professor13ARs. 1,31,000 - 2,16,000
6.Deputy Superintending Archaeologist/ Epigraphist
10 Assistant Professor12 Rs. 79,800 - 2,09,200
7.Assistant Superintending Archaeologist/ Epigraphist
7 Assistant Professor11 Rs. 68,900 - 2,08,700
8.Assistant Archaeologist/ Epigraphist 6 Assistant Professor10 Rs. 57,700 - 1,77,500 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 234
8. Urban Heritage – MoHUA and ASI
8.1 NMA to activate (100 + 200m) boundaries with MoHUA and
town planners
NMA has been mandated to grant NOC for construction activ-
ities in the regulated area of ASI monuments. It is integrating an
online application system (NOAPS) with various states and local
bodies. So far, successfully 717 urban local bodies of 9 States are
integrated while ULBs of 6 more states are in progress. This action
needs to be expedited and links with all ULBs should be estab-
lished for ease of business in approval of works around ASI sites
and monuments.
MoHUA to issue and advisory to all States and UTs for CTPs and
Rural Town Planning officials to provide site plans for ASI sites in
their area and review framing of bye laws in collaboration with
NMA and ASI. Chief Town and Country Planners should be in-
volved in framing bye-laws that are to be prepared by NMA for
all Heritage sites.
ASI to prepare an action plan for making all site plans for 3691
monuments and sites within 6 months.
ASI to immediately send a letter of request for support in pre-
paring site plans and framing of byelaws to the City Town and
Country Planning Offices through MoHUA.
8.2 Heritage Impact Assessment needs to be conducted for in-
frastructure projects in all cities where such projects are under-
taken in the vicinity of Central/State protected/ locally protect-
ed monuments, sites or historic city cores.
8.3 Smart cities heritage projects to follow HRIDAY toolkit model
HRIDAY Scheme by MOHUA for 12 Heritage cities had incorpo -
rated a Heritage Toolkit for landscaping, street furniture, lighting,
signage and other such elements in the city to blend with the
historic character of the city. These toolkits should be adopted or
customized as per heritage of each city under the Smart cities’
heritage works.
8.4 ASI to compile and publicise a state wise list of encroach-
ments.
At least 2-3 sites across India should be taken up on pilot basis
and encroachments should be removed to serve as model cas-
es for the rest. Currently, the Act only penalises ASI officials. The
same should be extended to other stakeholders and encroach-
ers. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 235
9. World Heritage (UNESCO)
Setting up of an independent World Heritage PMU with Ministry
of Culture: A World Heritage Project Management Unit (PMU) in-
volving World Heritage Experts, ASI and other stakeholders needs
to be set up to ensure following specific actions for World Heri-
tage in India.
9.1 Strengthen conservation and management of 38 World Heri-
tage Sites
State of Conservation and Site Management status should be re-
viewed for all 38 World Heritage Sites and action taken on World
Heritage Committee decision for each property. PMU with ASI
should ensure that other organisations such as the State Govern-
ments, Railways and MoEFCC are taking action on recommen -
dations for their World Heritage Sites.
9.2 Strategize World Heritage nominations (National and Trans-
national) for India
National and Transnational Nominations should be prioritised
each year with a 5 year plan. Transnational nominations on Hin-
du/Buddhist circuits with Asian countries may be targeted as a
priority.
Immediate proposals could be – Serial nomination of Ashokan
edict sites with South Asian countries, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pa-
kistan and Afghanistan; ‘Spread of Buddhism in Southeast Asia
through India’, ‘Chola and Srivjijaya Empire’s 10th-15th CE with
sites linking countries from India to Indonesia along the Indian
Ocean. Uttarapath (serial National Nomination) should be tak-
en on priority for nomination after Dholavira is submitted in 2020.
Sites of Satyagraha movement is another important pan India
nomination on tentative list to be taken up for inscription. Since
India has only 1 slot for nomination per year, so focusing specif-
ically serial nomination will allow adding more sites with a single
inscription.
9.3 Annual calendar for capacity building workshops and activi-
ties with State Government should be developed.
9.4 Project ‘Mausam’ to be capitalized for transnational nomina-
tions.
Cultural exchange on sea voyage proposed between India and
China at Mahabalipuram to be initiated under Project Mausam.
9.5 Establish UNESCO Category II Centre for Cultural Exchange in
Asia-Pacific.
Once the Indian Institute of Culture is fully functional as an um-
brella institution for Archaeology, Museum Studies and others at
the Noida Campus of ASI, it can be proposed to be recognized
as a UNESCO Category 2 Centre for Cultural Exchange for the
entire Asia Pacific region. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 236
This PMU will also strengthen India’s candidature to be re-elect-
ed in the next elections of the World Heritage Committee due in
October- November 2021.
10. International Collaborations for India’s Heri-
tage
10.1 Implement more Conservation projects in other countries
MEA has recently taken a significant action on International Con-
servation Projects by floating an EoI for empanelment of conser-
vation consultants (structural/civil engineers) with minimum age
limit of 35 years till post retirement stage. These empanelled con-
sultants will be engaged in overseas conservation projects with
MEA in association with ASI teams and deputed for short term,
mid-term and long-term conservation works on overseas sites of
partner countries.
10.2 Cultural exchange on sea voyage proposed between In-
dia and China at Mahabalipuram to be initiated under Project
Mausam.
A cultural exchange on sea voyage between India and China
has been proposed in the Nov 2019 meeting between PM, India
and President, China at Mahabalipuram. MEA and ASI should
initiate this activity under Project Mausam.
10.3 Collaboration for Marketing of India’s Heritage Sites
International Heritage Circuits should be developed jointly with
other countries specially where shared heritage is evident such
as the Buddhist circuit and Hinduism circuit with South Asian and
South East Asian countries.
11. Skill Development, Community Employment
and Institutional Collaborations
11.1 Creation of an Indian Institute of Culture (IIC)
As suggested by MoC to be the premier National Institution for
education, training and skilling manpower in Archaeology, Con-
servation, Museology, Archives and related fields. A detailed
Concept Note is drafted by the Ministry of Culture to define the
range of disciplines and courses to be covered through this in-
stitute (Refer MoC Concept Note for IIC in Annexure). An insti-
tute of excellence at the national level that is multi-disciplinary,
research-based and practice-led will serve the most essential
needs in the culture sector by promoting education, facilitating
research, creating leadership, developing technical guidance A NITI AAYOG REPORT 237
and supporting skill development in the country.
It is proposed that while this Institute will be centred at the Pandit
Deendayal Upadhyaya Institute of Archeology, Greater Noida,
other mini centres across the country can also be envisaged in
this model. The proposed Indian Institute of Culture should be a
deemed university, wherein there should be a flexibility to hire
experts from other countries
11.2 Institutional Collaborations
As per gaps recognised in Documentation, Archaeology, Con-
servation, Management etc for ASI in the first section of this re-
port; following collaborations are proposed with specialised in-
stitutions for strengthening the technical knowledge of ASI as an
organisation:
S.No.Institute for CollaborationArea of Collaboration
1. IIT Madras, NCHS Training for conservation cadre and MTS on structur-
al safety, mid-level staff for specialised training pro- grams, engagement of NCHS for structural analysis of ASI monuments. Collaborative research programs to be established
2. National Institute of Ocean- ography, Goa
Underwater Archaeology Training Programs and Proj-
ect Mausam
3. Deccan College, Pune Excavations
4. MSU, Baroda and CSMVS Mumbai
Conservation Training Programs, Museum workshops and best practice, Material conservation lab
5. AIIS, GurugramDocumentation Training programs for ASI/Support in documentation and listing
6. WII, UNESCO C2C Specialised Training Programs for Cultural Landscape, World Heritage nominations and Site Management Plans, Periodic Reporting workshops for WHS. Project Mausam- natural components and climate change issues
7. Birbal Sahni Institute of Pa- laeobotany and AnSI
Scientific research and testing for excavations with reference to palaeobotany, Biotech and Domain ex-
perts for DNA Analysis
8. Department of Conserva-
tion, SPA New Delhi/Bhopal/
CEPT ICOMOS India
Heritage Impact Assessment Reports, Conservation
Management Plans
9. Department of Landscape
Architecture, SPA and oth-
ers
Landscaping and Horticulture
10.Hydrology Department in In-
stitutions
Water
11.IIT Gandhinagar GIS Mapping and other techniques of digital docu-
mentation IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 238
11.3 Propose the Institute of Archaeology with its enhanced
framework and deemed to b e a University to function as UN-
ESCO Category II Centre on “Shared Heritage for Asia-Pacific
region” (e.g., UNESCO C2C, WII Model at Dehradun) with the In-
stitute of Archaeology. Enhancement of the status of the existing
Institute of Archaeology with establishment of more technical
courses catering to the South Asian and SE Asian professionals.
Development of state-of-the-art scientific laboratories applica-
ble to archaeology and conservation with Research and Devel-
opment facilities.
11.4 Skill Development under Hunar se Rozgaar program under
MoT and under Skill Development Ministry.
As also mentioned in the Concept Note, the Institute of Culture
will serve as an important resource for Skill Development pro-
grams and will help in generating more employment for archae-
ologists, conservators and museum experts in the Public Sector. It
may also be converged with similar programs such as the cultur-
al mapping of artists by the Ministry of Culture, Hunar se Rozgar
program under the Ministry of Tourism and other specialized ones
under Skills Development Ministry. Attempts should be made to
engage local persons and craftspeople in their home states and,
also to support MNREGA Schemes for such employment.
12. Vision, Branding and Marketing Model - Refer
Chapter 13
International Collaborations may also be explored with various institutes for specialised studies. Some of these already identified ones are:
1. The Cultural Heritage Agen-
cy of the Netherlands (RCE)
Underwater Archaeology Training programs for ASI through NIO, Goa. The agency has expressed a keen interest including funding the program through their ongoing shared heritage program in India
2. Getty Conservation Institute, LA, USA
Museum Training Programs/ Specialised Material Conservation Training Programs for Adobe
3. ICCROM, RomeSpecialised Material Conservation training programs for Stone, Lime, other materials
Specialised Risk Management Training Programs
4. ICOMOS with IGNCA Thematic Studies of various categories – Rock Art, His-
toric Cities, Cultural Landscapes, Stepwells and Wa-
terbodies etc.
Walkway into Ahom Tomb, Siv- asagar district, Assam; Source - telegraphindia.com A NITI AAYOG REPORT 239 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 240 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 241
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trieved October 30, 2019, from http://amrut.gov.in/content/citiescovered_map.php
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India. (2018b, August 14). List of Cities
covered by AMRUT: ATAL MISSION FOR REJUVENATION AND URBAN TRANSFORMATION. Re-
trieved October 30, 2019, from http://amrut.gov.in/content/cities_list.php
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www.adoptaheritage.in/
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http://tourism.gov.in/
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in/sites/default/files/annualreports/Report_0.pdf A NITI AAYOG REPORT 243
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india IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 244 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 245
List of Annexures
Volume 2 has the following annexures:
1. PMO Order
2. ASI National Policy for Conservation
3. ASI Draft Policy for Excavation
4. ASI Guidelines for Museum
5. Minutes of Working Group Meetings
6. Minutes of Workshop with ASI
7. Feedback from Working Group members
8. INTACH Document
9. Note from MoHUA
10. Note from MoC on Restructuring of ASI and Institute of Culture
11. Learning from International Best Practices
12. Adaptive Reuse and Historic Interiors IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 246 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 247 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 248
Working Group Report on
Improving Heritage Management in India
Govt. of India
NITI Aayog IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 2 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 3
Working Group Report on
Improving Heritage Management in India
Govt. of India
NITI Aayog IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 4
2.
Under Fundamental Duties of the Constitution of India, Article 51A.f specifies
“It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to value and preserve the rich heritage
of composite culture.”
Article 49 of the Constitution of India stipulates:
“It shall be the obligation of the State to protect every monument or place or object
of artistic or historic interest, declared by Parliament by law to be of national impor-
tance, from spoilation, disfiguration, destruction, removal, disposal or export, as the
case may be”. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 5
The Constitution of India has divided the jurisdiction over these monuments, cultural
heritage, and archaeological sites as follows:
Union: Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological sites and remains,
declared by Parliament, by law to be of national importance.
State: Ancient and Historical Monuments other than those declared by Parliament
to be of national importance.
Concurrent: Besides the above, both the Union and States have concurrent jurisdic-
tion over archaeological sites and remains other than those declared by law and
Parliament to be of national importance
Article 253 of the Constitution of India, enables Parliament to legislate for the im-
plementation of any treaty, agreement or convention with any other country or
countries, or any decision, made at any international conference, association or
other body. Any such legislation can be enacted even if the subject matter of the
legislation is an item in the State List of the Constitution of India. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 6
3.
“We should be aware of the International Con-
ventions that are relevant to the protection and
conservation of art and cultural heritage and to
which India is a signatory.”
-Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diver-
sity of Cultural Expressions. Paris, 20 October 2005
-Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultur-
al Heritage. Paris, 17 October 2003.
-Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cul-
tural and Natural Heritage. Paris, 16 November 1972.
-Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing
the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cul-
tural Property. Paris, 14 November 1970.
-Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Cultur-
al Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. The Hague, 14
May 1954.
-Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the
Event of Armed Conflict with Regulations for the Execu-
tion of the Convention. The Hague, 14 May 1954. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 7
Vision
“Value, protect, conserve, interpret and foster India’s unique and di-
verse Archaeological and Built Heritage as;
- a channel for continuing cross cultural linkages at the international
level
- a means for nation building and testimony to India’s cultural identity
at the national level and,
- a development tool for socio-economic upliftment at the local level
and sustainability for future generations,
with an all-encompassing, inclusive, multisectoral and multidisci-
plinary approach involving the entire gamut of heritage stakeholders
from the myriad custodians and range of heritage experts to the visi-
tors as well as citizens of India.” IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 8
Executive Summary
India’s cultural heritage and, inparticular, its archaeological and
built heritage is unparalleled in the world.
India has one of the largest geo-political expanses and one of
the greatest volume and diversity in heritage. This vast heritage
repository of India is recognized globally as significant part of its
unique cultural identity. Even beyond India, a number of coun-
tries across the world, house some of the best specimens of our
county’s heritage in their museums often narrating the glory of
Indian culture along with the tales of colonial legacy; while oth-
ers in south east Asia have extraordinary monuments standing as
testimony to the spread of Indian culture.
An initial survey indicates the total quantum of India’s built heri-
tage and archaeological remains may roughly amount to a total
of 400000 plus heritage structures across the country including
the centrally protected monuments, state protected monuments,
heritage buildings under various religious trusts, historic cities and
archaeological sites.
The potential of India’s unsurmountable heritage remains un-
tapped until now – simply because it exists in myriad forms, shapes
and experiences across various states and, no Single Overarch-
ing Vision for Heritage of India has guided its protection/preser-
vation/promotion till date. Unlike other western nations, India’s
Cultural Heritage shows continuity since centuries where age old
traditions continue to be practiced.
Currently, India’s Heritage is underfinanced and, a Compre-
hensive Vision for Heritage Budget and Planning with innovative
means of financing is essential. This heritage does not just con-
stitute the important markers of India’s past but also presents a
unique opportunity for generating employment and incomes
through heritage tourism and local development. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 9
The impact of protecting, conserving, interpreting and showcas-
ing India’s built heritage needs to be recognised at multiple lev-
els:
a. International Level - As part of a Universal Shared Heritage
to build global relations in future by connecting with stories and
routes of cultural exchange through history and, learning from
international practices.
b. National Level - As a tool to Nation Building, and branding of
its unique cultural identity with iconic sites and magnificent mon-
uments in each region of India including its World Heritage Sites
that narrate its rich, complex and layered history.
c. Local Level - To guide sustainable development of its historic
cities and sites at local level linking directly with reuse and so-
cio-economic benefits to the community while addressing the
UN Sustainable Development Goals at the same time
The Vision for India’s immovable Heritage can be stated as”
“Value, protect, conserve, interpret and foster India’s unique and
diverse Archaeological and Built Heritage as;
- a channel for continuing cross cultural linkages at the interna-
tional level
- a means for nation building and testimony to India’s cultural
identity at the national level and,
- a development tool for socio-economic upliftment at the local
level and sustainability for future generations,
with an all-encompassing, inclusive, multisectoral and multidis-
ciplinary approach involving the entire gamut of heritage stake-
holders from the myriad custodians and range of heritage ex-
perts to the visitors as well as citizens of India.”
This report attempts to review the entire built heritage scenario
in India – protected and unprotected. It provides an overview
of the current status of built heritage, protected and unprotect-
ed, structuring and status of institutions involved in heritage man-
agement, existing gaps in conservation, archaeology, heritage
management, outreach, promoting and marketing of India’s
heritage, assessment of various heritage projects under Archae-
ology Departments along with Tourism and Urban Development.
It also assesses the potentials for Capacity Building through var-
ious institutions involved in Heritage Management across India
and, looks at ways of International collaborations for managing
and promoting this heritage.
Between the demarcation of Protected and Unprotected, this
heritage of India is facing serious conservation, preservation,
maintenance and management challenges. The moot point is
whether the mere job of custodians, is administrative, identifica-
tion of monuments and sites and notification with conservation
or is it time for our heritage institutions to look beyond their co- IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 10
lonial mandates in order to collaborate with other government
and non-government organisations to showcase our unique and
vast heritage with best of heritage management practices.
This report by NITI Aayog is an effort to understand these current
challenges for heritage management in India and to provide a
future roadmap along with an appropriate branding of India’s
invaluable Archaeological and Built Heritage.
The implementation of the Vision and its objectives needs to be
multisectoral in nature to be implemented via various ministries’,
State Department and Private Trusts in conjunction with the nodal
body i.e. the ‘Archaeological Survey of India’.
The implementation strategy broadly covers following key points
specified for PMO Working Committee mandate: Restructuring
of ASI, Creating a National Database, Connecting with People,
Defining Byelaws for Prohibited and Regulated Areas around
Monuments, Support to State Government and other organisa-
tions such as Temple Trust, Waqf Boards and others, Heritage as a
tool for development and employment generation and, Capac-
ity Building for Heritage Management at all levels in partnership
with national and international institutions.
A complete overview of the India’s heritage as summarised in
this report provides a fair idea of the existing gaps at various lev-
els. Based on the gap analysis and subsequent recommenda -
tions as per this report, the Key Action Points for each section are
outlined as below:
1. National Database and Documentation
1) National Archaeological Database to be made. National GIS
Database for monuments and sites to be authenticated and val-
idated with ISRO.
2) NMMA to be reactivated with budget and staffing to com-
plete its previous listing of built heritage and antiquities.
3) Extend ongoing initiative for Archives Data to be accessible
digitally and Archives to be stored as per conservation norms
2. Use of Technologies for National Heritage
1) New technology like Photogrammetry & 3D Laser scanning
should be used for documentation, surveys, excavation and
conservation works.
2) LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and Drone Surveys to
document monuments and sites
3) Collaboration with Foreign Universities for introduction of latest
techniques in exploration and excavations should be undertak-
en.
4) Technology is needed for e-governance and one-window for
permissions and clearances as well
5) Advanced Technology for Promotion and Marketing of sites A NITI AAYOG REPORT 11
needs to be actively used to cater to all visitor kinds – school chil-
dren, families, researchers and other segments of society
3. Conservation of National Heritage
1) National Policy on Conservation needs to be implemented
and put into practice vigorously by ASI and State Archaeology
Departments (Refer annexure for National Policy).
2) Conservation Plan be prepared for the site before undertak-
ing any conservation works
3) Provision for Work Audit for conservation of centrally protected
monuments needs to be incorporated
4) Region-wise empanelment of crafts persons to be taken up.
5) National Level awards to be given to ASI Circles, State Gov-
ernments and other heritage custodians
4. Excavation and Exploration of Archaeological Sites
1) Draft of Excavation and Exploration Policy to be finalized and
adopted after public discussion within 6 months period
2) ASI Vision Plan for thematic priortisation of exploration and ex-
cavation to be framed and implemented.
3) Use of scientific methodologies and development of laborato-
ries for post-excavation analysis. Collaboration to be established
with concerned laboratories within 6 months.
4) Archaeology to be recognised as a separate Cadre
5) Publication of Excavation Reports to be completed within 6
months period
6) Re-exposing and putting the excavated sites in public domain
with interpretation centre to showcase to visitors
5. Developing Site Museums
1) Budget 2020-21 has proposed five archaeological sites to be
developed as iconic sites with on-site Museums. These should be
completed in next 3 years.
2) The proposed museums are Rakhigarhi (HR), Hastinapur (UP)
Shivsagar (Assam), Dholavira (GJ) and Adichanallur (TN). Clear
Action Plan to be finalized for all.
3) ASI should finalize world class projects for 2 site museums Ham-
pi and Sarnath
within next 3 months. A model site museum should also be set up
at Ahichchhatra archaeological site in UP
4) Guidelines for Museums adopted by ASI in 2013 should be
practiced for Museum Development for all site museum of ASI:
a. Research and Dissemination
b. Preservation and Conservation
c. Interpretation and Presentation
d. Education and Outreach
e. Visitor Services and Amenities
f. Administration and Management
5) Inter-disciplinary team of specialists, archaeologists, curators,
exhibition designers need to be engaged. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 12
6) Financially sustainable and revenue generation models to be
adopted for Museum Operations and Maintenance with cafes
and Souvenir shops.
6. Heritage Tourism, Revenue generation and Marketing
1) Adopt Revenue Generation Model through PPP Schemes
2) Professional and focused marketing effort with Information
Technology and Promotion
3) Each ASI site to be treated as separate profit centre
4) ASI revenues to be ploughed back to the site
5) National Culture Fund to be made autonomous
6) Processing of the pending MoUs under Adopt a Heritage to be
accelerated
7) Crowdfunding/ community funding/ CSR to be targeted
along with Complete Tourist Experience to cater to all segments
of Society and Officials: School students’, families, guides, drivers,
police officials and others. A Domestic Tourists Marketing Strat-
egy needs to be developed and implemented for capitalising
each heritage site to its optimum interlinking both tangible and
intangible benefits, events, programs, performances besides the
built heritage experience of the site.
7. Upgradation of the Archaeological Survey of India
1) Horticulture and Landscape: ASI needs to draft an approach
paper on landscaping and water hydrology and recreation of
traditional water systems.
2) Revive Underwater Archaeology and strengthen Epigraphy
Branch
3) Restructuring of ASI: Induction of best of talents within the or-
ganisation with flexibility in engaging professionals, Pay-packet
at par with the market (instead of government fixed rates) and
flexi-pol system to attract talent for conservation, designing and
creating site museums, world class facilities, nomination dossiers,
etc.; Creation of ICC Model (Cambodia Model) with a Dedicat-
ed Cell for Special Projects – e.g., Ladakh, Fatehpur Sikri, Hampi,
Champaner-Pavagadh, etc (Refer Chapter 8 and Annexure for
detailed note on Restructuring of ASI). UGC scales to be given to
Archaeology and Epigraphy.
8 Urban Heritage – MoHUA and ASI- NMA for encroachments
1) NMA to activate (100 + 200m) boundaries with MoHUA and
town planners
2) ASI to compile and publicise a state wise list of encroach-
ments. At least 2-3 sites across India should be taken up on pilot
basis and encroachments should be removed to serve as model
cases for the rest.
3) Heritage Impact Assessment needs to be conducted for infra-
structure projects in all cities where such projects are undertaken
in the vicinity of Central/State protected/ locally protected mon-
uments, sites or historic city cores. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 13
4) Smart cities heritage projects to follow HRIDAY toolkit model
9. World Heritage
1) Setting up of an independent World Heritage PMU with Minis-
try of Culture: A World Heritage Project Management Unit (PMU)
involving World Heritage Experts, ASI and other stakeholders
needs to be set up to ensure following specific actions for World
Heritage in India.
a. Strengthen conservation and management of 38 World Heri-
tage Sites
b. Strategize World Heritage nominations (National and Transna-
tional) for India
c. Annual calendar for capacity building workshops and activi-
ties with State Government should be developed.
d. Project ‘Mausam’ to be capitalized for transnational nomina-
tions.
e. Establish UNESCO Category II Centre for Cultural Exchange in
Asia-Pacific.
This PMU will also strengthen India’s candidature to be re-elect-
ed in the next elections of the World Heritage Committee due in
October- November 2021.
10. International Collaborations for India’s Heritage
1) Implement more Conservation projects in other countries on
the Cambodia Model
2) Cultural exchange on sea voyage proposed between India
and China at Mahabalipuram to be initiated under Project
Mausam.
3) Collaborate with other countries for Marketing of India’s Heri-
tage Sites
11. Institutional Collaborations and Skill Development
1) Creation of an Indian Institute of Culture (IIC): MoC to establish
this premier National Institution for education, training and skilling
manpower in Archaeology, Conservation, Museology, Archives
and related fields to be located at the Pandit Deendayal Upa-
dhyaya Institute of Archeology, The proposed Indian Institute of
Culture should be a deemed university, wherein there should be
a flexibility to hire experts from other countries
2) Establish Institutional Collaborations with various national and
international institutions and Universities for training and capacity
building
3) Propose the Institute of Archaeology with its enhanced frame-
work and deemed to b e a University to function as UNESCO
Category II Centre on “Shared Heritage for Asia-Pacific region”
4) Skill Development under Hunar se Rozgaar program under
MoT and under Skill Development Ministry. Attempts should be
made to engage local persons and craftspeople in their home
states and, also to support MNREGA Schemes for such employ-
ment, IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 14 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 15
12. Nomenclature and Branding of ASI and India’s Heritage
Considering the extended framework and mandate of ASI, it
is feasible that the nomenclature should reflect more than ‘Ar-
chaeological Survey of India’ in its name.
A number of new names have been presented in the Action Plan
in last section of this report but the most preferred one may be
considered as ASHMI (Archaeological Survey and Heritage Man-
agement of India) with the acronym ‘ASHMI’ in Hindi indicating
‘Rock born, hard and strong’, an adjective suitably applicable
for India’s everlasting, eternal heritage primarily carved in stone.
It also extends to the Hindi term ‘ashmibhut’ meaning fossilized.
The branding tagline for India’s heritage needs to sync with the
Tourism tagline of ‘Incredible India’ which has already made a
strong presence. So, it should be a tagline that may be used in-
dependently or in conjunction with the Tourism Tagline too. A
few options have been suggested in the report, for example ‘liv-
ing legacy’ of ‘Incredible India’ or ‘Vatan-e-Virasat’.
The heritage of India needs to be propagated and dissemi -
nated, for which social media is the most suitable medium. The
Ministry of Culture/ ASI need to launch a ‘Heritage India’ brand
and engage an agency for Digital Medium Planning and Buying
which would drive organic and inorganic traffic with Search En-
gine Optimisations and App Store Optimisations. The MoT’s initia-
tive of Heritage Circuits does not cover the expanse of heritage
variations that exist in India. So, ASI needs to consider packag-
ing the iconic centrally protected sites in specialised circuits that
link thematically in specific historic-cultural groups attracting not
only the general tourist but also specialised academic tours, in-
ternational visitors who selectively visit connected world heritage
sites, historic architectural tours.
Besides above key action points, the annexures to this report pro-
vide all relevant official documents for implementing the action
plan. The annexures also include examples of International Best
Practice and Adaptive Reuse case studies. Adaptive Reuse is
one of the key models in conservation to achieve sustainability
with built heritage. Considering India’s commitment to the UN
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2030 and, the country’s
immeasurable built and archaeological heritage, adaptive re-
use would be an ideal proposition to reintegrate the past fabric
in a meaningful development for the present and future heri-
tage.
Asfi Mosque, Bara Imambara
Lucknow; Source - wikimedia
commons IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 16
A working group under the chairmanship of CEO, NITI Aayog has
been created by the Prime Minister’s Office (Ref: PMO ID No.
580/31/C/13/2019-ES.2 dated 11 June, 2019; copy of the order
at Annexure I) with the objective to “Improve Heritage Manage-
ment in India” with the following mandate:
• Examine ‘the management of heritage structures and sites in
the country;
• Required institutional changes to improve its management,
• Ways and means to involve the private sector and local com-
munities in the process; and
• Possibilities of enhancing tourism and employment through
heritage management.
The Working Group comprised the following members:
• CEO, NITI Aayog - Chairman
• Secretary, Ministry of Culture - Member
• Secretary, Ministry of Tourism - Member
• Director General, ASI - Member–Convenor
• Member Secretary, INTACH - Special Invitee
• CEO, Aga Khan Trust for Culture - Special Invitee
Setting up of the
Working Group A NITI AAYOG REPORT 17
Methodology Adopted
by the Working Group
The Working Group, in all, met three times for a series of discus-
sions and deliberations. A national workshop on Archaeology
and Conservation in India was also organised by the Working
Group. During these meetings, a series of presentations were
made by ASI to present its activities, gap analysis, allocation and
utilization of funds, recent initiatives and achievements and pro-
posed a road map. Presentations were also made by INTACH for
creating bye-laws for monuments and CEO, Aga Khan Trust for
Culture (AKTC) regarding proposed structure for heritage man-
agement in India. Useful comments were also given by special
invitee Shri Ravindra Singh, IAS (Retd.) and Shri Tarun Vijay, Chair-
man, NMA and ex-officials of ASI and Museums.
In the Workshop ASI, State Archaeology Departments, Region-
al Directors of ASI, NMA, eminent faculty from the academia,
development and Research organization also participated and
provided their valuable inputs.
In addition, Chairman of the WG, CEO, NITI Aayog also invited
representatives and domain experts in the fields of archaeology,
conservation, architecture and heritage management and invit-
ed their comments.
The chronology of meetings of the Working Group held under
the chairmanship of CEO, NITI Aayog is as follows:
• Order for the constitution of the Working Group - 11 June, 2019
• First meeting of the Working Group - 03 July, 2019
• Second Meeting of the Working Group - 19 August, 2019
• Third Meeting of the Working Group - 20 August, 2019
• National Workshop on Archaeology and Conservation in India
– 4th November, 2019 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 18
Cover image - Rani ki Vav - Wikimedia Commons
2. Red Fort, Delhi; Source - dailyhunt.in
3. Ellora Caves, Maharashtra
Image on A NITI AAYOG REPORT 19
Contents
Vision....................................................................................................................................7
Executive Summary............................................................................................................8
Setting up of the Working Group......................................................................................16
Methodology Adopted by the Working Group..............................................................17
Contents.............................................................................................................................19
Acknowledgements..........................................................................................................21
Preface...............................................................................................................................23
.
Ch 1. India’s Built Heritage................................................................................................24
1. Introduction.....................................................................................................................27
2. Categories of Built Heritage in India.............................................................................30
Ch 2. National Database and Documentation...............................................................56
1. Existing Systems of Database and Documentation...................................................59
2. Gaps and Recommendations......................................................................................60
3. Key Action Points............................................................................................................62
Ch 3. Use of Technologies for National Heritage............................................................64
1. Existing Advanced Documentation Techniques........................................................67
2. Gaps and Recommendations......................................................................................69
3. Key Action Points.............................................................................................................71
Ch 4. Conservation of National Heritage........................................................................72
1. Existing Status of Conservation and Preservation in India.........................................75
2. Conservation Projects undertaken by ASI in India.....................................................76
3. Gaps and Recommendations......................................................................................84
4. Key Action Points.............................................................................................................89
Ch 5. Excavation and Exploration of Archaeological Sites..........................................90
1. Existing Status of Excavations and Explorations..........................................................93
2. Gaps and Recommendations......................................................................................93
3. Key Action Points.............................................................................................................97 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 20
Ch 6. Developing Site Museums .....................................................................................98
1. Existing Situation of Museums .....................................................................................101
2. Gaps and Recommendations....................................................................................103
3. Key Action Points...........................................................................................................107
Ch 7. Heritage Tourism, Revenue Generation and Marketing....................................108
1. Existing Revenue Generation .....................................................................................111
2. Existing Schemes and Programs..................................................................................113
3. Gaps and Recommendations....................................................................................127
4. Key Action Points...........................................................................................................131
Ch 8. Upgradation of the Archaeological Survey of India..........................................134
1. Exisitng Situation of the Archaeological Survey of India ........................................137
2. Branches of ASI.............................................................................................................139
3. Gaps and Recommendations....................................................................................144
4. Key Action Points...........................................................................................................149
Ch 9. Urban Heritage – MoHUA and ASI.......................................................................154
1. Existing Schemes and Missions....................................................................................157
2. Gaps and Recommendations....................................................................................168
3. Key Action Points...........................................................................................................173
Ch 10. World Heritage (UNESCO)...................................................................................174
1. Existing Status of World Heritage in India...................................................................177
2. Gaps and Recommendations....................................................................................177
3. Key Action Points...........................................................................................................183
Ch 11. International Collaborations for India’s Heritage.............................................184
1. Existing Bilateral Cooperation – MoUs with ASI for Conservation works Overseas .....
...........................................................................................................................................187
2. Gaps and Recommendations....................................................................................193
3. Key Action Points...........................................................................................................195
Ch 12. Skill Development, Community Employment and Institutional Collaborations
..........................................................................................................................................196
1. Existing Schemes for Skill Development and Community Employment.................199
2. Institutional Collaborations..........................................................................................200
3. Gaps and Recommendations....................................................................................202
4. Key Action Points...........................................................................................................205
Ch 13. Vision, Branding and Marketing Model.............................................................208
1. Framing a Vision for India’s Heritage ........................................................................211
2. Strategy..........................................................................................................................213
3. Branding.........................................................................................................................214
Ch 14. Action Plan for Heritage Management in India................................................218
Bibliography.....................................................................................................................241
List of Annexures ............................................................................................................245 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 21
Acknowledgements
I am thankful to the working group members Shri Yogendra Trip-
athi, Secretary, M/o Tourism, Shri Arun Goel, Secretary, M/o Cul-
ture, Smt Usha Sharma, Director General, Archaeological Survey
of India and Member Convenor, Shri Ravindra Singh, Former Sec-
retary, M/o Culture, Shri Ratish Nanda, Aga Khan Trust and Shri
Divay Gupta, INTACH for their outstanding contribution and pro-
viding their expertise, administrative and technical support in the
implementation of this Report. Without their superior knowledge
and experience, the report would have lacked in quality of out-
comes. Their contribution had been immensely valuable.
Implementation would not have been possible if we did not have
the support of many individuals and officials from several orga-
nizations for their rich inputs. I would like to extend my sincere
gratitude to Shri Ravindra Singh, Ex-Secretary Culture, Shri Tarun
Vijay, Chairman, NMA, Shri B.R. Mani, Director-General, National
Museum (retired) and several senior officials of ASI who shared
their expertise and knowledge. Our special thanks to Shri N K Dik-
shit, Shri R.C Agrawal, Shri R.S.Bisht, Shri B.M Pande, Director, ASI
and Shri Navneet Soni, Member Secretary, NMA for their insights
from their wide-ranging and years of experience in heritage con-
servation, excavation and management.
I would also like to thank Shri Avinash Mishra, Adviser (Tourism
and Culture), NITI Aayog, Shri Janhwij Sharma, Joint DG, ASI, Dr.
Shikha Jain, Director, DRONAH, Ms Sharmistha Sinha, Deputy Di-
rector, NITI Aayog, Dr. Namrata Singh Panwar and Ms Arunima
Chandra, Young professionals of NITI Aayog for working tirelessly
in every step to ably facilitate the process and contribute in pre-
paring this report. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 22
4. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 23
Padmapani Painting at Ajanta
Caves, Maharashtra; Source -
deccanherald.com IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 24
1. India’s Built
Heritage
500,000+ heritage sites
and monuments 3691 ASI
Protected
Monuments
38 UNESCO
World Heritage
Sites A NITI AAYOG REPORT 25
400,000 +
Religious Heritage
Sites
1800 +
Archaeological
Sites
50
historic cities
6000 + State
Archaeology
Protected
Monuments IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 26
5. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 27
1. Introduction
The rich and vibrant culture of the Indian sub-continent is en-
dowed with, perhaps, the most valuable and diverse built her-
itage along with a significant genre of living monuments in this
world. Amongst India’s rich repository of heritage sites and mon-
uments, of the protected ones include 30 (of 38) cultural edifices
declared as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO, and approximately
3,691 monuments in the custody of Archaeological Survey of In-
dia (ASI) declared as monuments of national importance. Be-
sides this, around 5000 plus monuments are protected under the
Archaeology Departments of various State Governments and a
significant number of temples, mosques, gurudwaras, churches
(around 4,50,000 plus) under the custody of religious endow-
ments and trusts. This still does not account for India’s large re-
serve of urban heritage in its living historic cities, two of which
(Ahmedabad and Jaipur) are also recognised as World Heritage
Sites by UNESCO. Considering the quantum of each historic city
to be approximately 5000 plus historic structures (from 15-20,000
of total dwelling units) and, with more than 60 such historic cities
across India, a tentative number of 300000 can be easily added
to the total. India’s rural heritage (roughly around 80,000 struc-
tures with tribal settlements) is now being further recognised un-
der the category of ‘Cultural Landscape’ with the World Heri-
tage inscription of Kanchendzonga National Park on 2016 on
World Heritage list and, Apatani Cultural Landscape, Cold desert
cultural landscape of Spiti-Ladakh is on the tentative list.
Despite the efforts, a number of heritage structures do not come
under any formal system due to lack of infrastructure and funds.
These unprotected monuments and heritage structures are
brought to public notice and listed mainly due to the intervention
of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), such as Indian Na-
tional Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). Government
organisations like NMMA, IGNCA and ASI’s Village Surveys have
also generated such listings of unprotected heritage in the last
decade which gives us a fair idea of the quantum of our coun-
try’s vast heritage. Between the demarcation of Protected and
Unprotected, this heritage of India is facing serious conservation,
preservation, maintenance and management challenges. The
moot point is whether the mere job of custodians, is administra-
tive, identification of monuments and sites and notification with
conservation or is it time for our heritage institutions to look be-
yond their colonial mandates in order to collaborate with other
government and non-government organisations to sustain the
1
“Among India’s rich repository of heritage sites and monuments, of the
protected ones include 30 (of 38) cultural edifices declared as World
Heritage Sites by UNESCO, and approximately 3,691 monuments in
the custody of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) declared as mon-
uments of national importance.”
Arjuna’s Penance, Mahabalipu-
ram IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 28
“This report by NITI Aayog is an effort to understand the current chal-
lenges for heritage management in India and provide a future road-
map along with an appropriate branding of India’s invaluable Ar-
chaeological and Built Heritage.”
Qutb Minar complex, Delhi; Source - wikipedia A NITI AAYOG REPORT 29
integrity, authenticity and cultural value of our tangible heri-
tage for future generations and also protect, conserve, re-
search and showcase our unique and vast heritage with best
of heritage management practices.
This report attempts to review the entire built heritage scenario
in India and provides an overview of the current status of built
heritage, protected and unprotected, structuring and status of
institutions involved in heritage management, existing gaps in
conservation, archaeology, heritage management, outreach,
promoting and marketing of India’s heritage, assessment of
various heritage projects under Archaeology Departments
along with Tourism and Urban Development. It also assesses
the potentials for Capacity Building through various institutions
involved in Heritage Management across India and, looks at
ways of International collaborations for managing and promot-
ing this heritage.
This report by NITI Aayog is an effort to understand the current
challenges for heritage management in India and provide a
future roadmap along with an appropriate branding of India’s
invaluable Built Heritage including archaeological remains. Af-
ter a comprehensive assessment of the gaps in the protected
and unprotected Heritage Management in India under various
Central and State Institutions along with review of various fund-
ing schemes for heritage under Central Ministries, the report
provides a final recommendation and action plan for India’s
Heritage under following sections:
1. National Database and Documentation
2. Use of Technologies for National Heritage
3. Conservation of National Heritage
4. Excavation and Exploration of Archaeological Sites
5. Developing Site Museums
6. Heritage Tourism, Revenue Generation and Marketing
7. Upgradation of the Archaeological Survey of India
8. Urban Heritage – MoHUA and ASI
9. World Heritage (UNESCO)
10. International Collaborations for India’s Heritage
11. Skill Development, Community Employment and Institution-
al Collaborations
12. Vision, Branding and Marketing Model IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 30
7.
This chapter gives an overview on India’s built heritage and its
current status. This includes the Centrally Protected Monuments
and Sites, the built heritage under State Archaeology Depart-
ments and various Temple Trusts/Religious institutions across In-
dia as well as other protected and unprotected heritage under
public and private sectors like CPWD, national and international
NGOs working in this field like Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC),
Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Inter-
national Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and World
Monuments Fund (WMF).
2. Categories of Built Heritage in India
2.1 Centrally Protected Monuments/ Sites
ASI is the custodian of 3691 monuments and archaeological sites
and remains, all declared Nationally protected monuments, un-
der its AMASR Act, 1958. These include 22 monuments and com-
plexes declared as world heritage properties by UNESCO. The
process of identifying more monuments for protection is a con-
tinuous and an on-going exercise. The 1.03-1.09 sections of the
National Conservation Policy adopted by ASI in 2014 gives an
understanding of a better and wider definition of ‘Monuments’
which is not reflected in the original AMASR Act -
“Monuments” comprise a vast array of human-built edifices,
either standing or underground or still buried, and these reflect
tangible manifestation of India’s rich past. Monuments include
archaeological sites and remains, caves and rock shelters, rock-
cut temples, monoliths, sculptures and bas-relief panels, under-
ground structures and architectural heritage representing various
categories, e.g., religious, secular, defensive, funerary, land-
scapes, etc. The monuments may be ‘functional’ or ‘non-func-
tional’ depending upon whether or not these are functioning as
per their original intended use.
1.04 “Monuments” were often built as part of a wider urban, rural
or natural context / setting and not constructed in isolation. Thus,
monuments should be conceived as inseparable part of their im-
mediate context or setting.
1.05 Monuments reflect myriad applications of building materi-
als, such as, mud, wood, stone, brick, lime, metal, glass, etc., or
composite material application, used under different construc-
tion techniques, often representing different architectural styles
and styles of ornamentation (structural and applied), reflecting
influences from other regions and diverse cultures due to cultur-
al interactions in the past. There are considerable regional and
local variations in monuments in terms of materials, styles and
techniques also due to influence of vernacular (indigenous) ar-
chitecture. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 31
1.06 All Monuments, once declared monuments of national im-
portance, irrespective of their living or non-living status, transcend
their original function and should be valued and conserved in a
spirit of being exemplars of past cultures and represent exempla-
ry human creativity, building crafts tradition, patronization, and
architectural and/or artistic and/or engineering accomplish-
ments. These monuments also serve as tangible manifestation of
historical and cultural events and developments of our past that
spreads over several millennia.
1.07 All monuments that are declared monuments of national
importance are deemed to have high value / significance –
archaeological (including architectural, artistic, scientific, en-
gineering and technological), historical (including events and
association), cultural (including religious and intangible) and
ecological. Monuments can have either a single or a combina-
tion of these values, which contribute to their importance at the
national level.
1.08 All monuments are irreplaceable and non-renewable cul-
tural resource of the country, a by-product of a multi-ethnic and
diverse culture. Irrespective of their scale, location and type,
monuments, once declared so, should be regarded as National
Treasures or National Icons. Utmost care must be taken to pro-
tect and preserve them for posterity.
1.09 The understanding and interpretation of a “Monument” has
changed with time, over the past 100 years, worldwide. Many
more categories of historic buildings and sites are considered
heritage and are being conserved by countries across the world.
The process of identifying monuments of national importance
also representing underrepresented and / or including types,
such as, but not limiting to, for instance, historic gardens, historic
cities (settlements and precincts), industrial heritage, vernacular
heritage, cultural landscapes, cultural routes, etc., should regu-
larly continue.
Adarsh Smarak
Taking a holistic approach towards conservation, development
of centrally protected monuments, ASI has identified 100 mon-
uments as Adarsh Smarak throughout the country to be con-
served and developed as model monuments in the first phase.
These monuments will be equipped with all basic amenities such
as washrooms, drinking water, signage, cafeteria, interpretation
centres, wi-fi facility, etc. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 32
“Present list of Centrally Protected Monuments/ Sites include 3691
monuments and 143 ticketed monuments ”
S.No.State/UT Wise
Number of Protected Monuments and Sites
Ticketed Monuments
1. Andhra Pradesh and Tel- angana
50003
2. Arunachal Pradesh 7-
3. Assam9605
4. Bihar3005
5. Chhattisgarh5001
6. Delhi17410
7. Goa5105
8. Gujarat317-
9. Haryana2302
10. Himachal Pradesh 0502
11. Jammu & Kashmir 2804
12. Jharkhand03-
13. Karnataka74713
14. Kerala10101
15. Madhya Pradesh 32608
16. Maharashtra24416
17. Manipur49-
18. Meghalaya04-
19. Mizoram53-
20. Odisha21805
21. Punjab61-
22. Rajasthan22703
23. Tamil Nadu8611
24. Uttar Pradesh 14119
25. Uttarakhand21-
26. West Bengal10603
Present list of Centrally Protected Monuments/ Sites and ticketed monuments
Note - Additionally, few more monuments are also ticketed in the Union Territories adding to a total of 143 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 33
2.2 State Archaeology Departments
Besides ASI as the custodian of centrally protected monuments
and a central guiding body for archaeology and conservation,
several states across India have their own Departments of Ar-
chaeology for the State Protected Monuments and Museums. A
number of these State Archaeology Department were formed
pre-independence during the British period as parallels to ASI
for state level works by the Princely States. After Independence,
the earlier State Departments of Archaeology were recognized
under the various newly formed State Governments along with
establishment of new departments of state archaeology across
the country. These departments have adapted and adopted
the AMASR Act to translate as a State Archaeology Act for main-
tenance, preservation and protection of monuments under the
State/ UT. These State Acts for Archaeology were adopted in dif-
ferent years post-independence by various states.
A brief overview of the State Departments of Archaeology is pro-
vided in the table below, the information in the table is tentative
and needs to be verified by ASI.
Vishnudol Joysagar, Assam.
Source - Rofiuddin Ahme, Wiki-
media Commons IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 34
State/ Name of
Archaeological
Department
State Archaeological
Acts
No. Conservation works
Andhra Pradesh
Department of
Archaeology and
Museums
Andhra Pradesh An-
cient and Historical
Monuments and Ar-
chaeological Sites and
Remains Rules 1960.
277 Total Temples Conservation works taken
up : 133 no’s
Total Forts Conservation works taken up :
3 no’s
Total New Museums Construction & Up
gradation of Museum works taken up : 16
no’s
Total Buddhist Sites Conservation works
taken up : 6 no’s
Establishment of New Shilparamam : 6
no’s
The 13th Finance commission grants
were provided in the year 2011-2015 af-
ter which the above given conservation
works were executed.
Arunachal
Pradesh
Directorate of re-
search - archae-
ological section
1.The Arunachal
Pradesh Ancient Mon-
ument, Archaeological
Sites and Remains Pres-
ervation Act, 1990.
2. The Arunachal
Pradesh Heritage Act,
2015
7 Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Assam
Directorate of
Archaeology
1.The Assam Ancient
Monument and Re-
cords Act, 1959
2. The Assam Ancient
Monument and Re-
cords Rules 1964.
117
sites and
monu-
ments
Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Bihar
Directorate of
Archaeology
Bihar Ancient Monu -
ments and Archaeo -
logical Sites’ Remains
and Art Treasures Act,
1976.
42 Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Chhattisgarh
Directorate of
Culture and Ar-
chaeology
The Madhya Pradesh
Ancient Monuments
and Archaeological
Sites and Remains
(Amendment) Act,
1970.
The Above given Act
functions for Chhat-
tisgarh, even though
the Act pertains to the
Govt. of MP.
58 Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Goa
Directorate of
Archives and
Archaeology
1. The Goa Ancient
Monuments and Ar-
chaeological Sites and
Remains Act, 1978 and
Rules, 1980.
51 Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 35
Haryana; Source - archaeol-
ogyharyana.nic.in
Kalyani at Melkote, Karna-
taka; Source - karnatakaar-
chaeology.gov.in
Odisha; Source - odishacul-
ture.gov.in/Archaeology/
Roopmati Pavilion, Mandu,
Madhya Pradesh; Source -
mptourism.in IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 36
State/ Name of
Archaeological
Department
State Archaeological
Acts
No. Conservation works
Goa
2. The Goa, Daman
and Diu Treasure Trove
Rules, 1975.
Gujarat
Directorate of
Archaeology and
Museums
The Gujarat Ancient
Monuments and Ar-
chaeological Sites and
Remains Act, 1965.
361 Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Haryana
Directorate of
Archaeology and
Museums
The Monuments are
maintained under the
1964 Act of Govern-
ment of Punjab.
34 Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Himachal
Pradesh
Department of
Language, Art
and Culture
The Himachal Pradesh
Ancient and Historical
Monuments and Ar-
chaeological Sites and
Remains Act, 1976
8 monu-
ments no-
tified and
are still in
process.
Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Jharkhand03 Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Karnataka
Department of
Archaeology
Museums and
Heritage
1. Mysore Ancient Mon-
uments Preservation
Act, 1925.
2. The Karnataka An-
cient Monuments and
Archaeological Sites
and Remains Act, 1961
860 The Conservation wing in the department
for the conservation of monuments was
established in the year 1974. The upkeep
and maintenance of selected monu-
ments are being
carried out under the action plan ap-
proved by the government of Karna-
taka. At present the conservation of
Chamararajeshwara temple at Chama-
raja Nagara has been happening since
2 years (since 2017) which is currently at
the final phase.
Kerala
Kerala State
Department of
Archaeology
Kerala ancient mon-
uments and archae-
ological sites and re-
mains act
- 1968.
183 The department has studied and followed
the directives of international organi-
sations like United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization(UN-
ESCO)and International Centre for the
Study of the Preservation and Restoration
of Cultural Property
(ICCROM) on how to preserve heritage
structures. In 1964, the department de-
clared East Fort and other forts in the city
of Thiruvananthapuram as Protected
Monuments.
Recently, conservation works were exe-
cuted at the Thripunithara Hill Palace in
the year 2018. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 37
State/ Name of
Archaeological
Department
State Archaeological
Acts
No. Conservation works
Madhya Pradesh
Directorate of
Archaeology,
Archives and
Museums
1.Madhya Pradesh An-
cient Monuments and
Archaeological Sites
and Remains Act, 1964.
2. The Madhya Pradesh
Ancient Monuments
and Archaeological
Sites and Remains
(Amendment) Act,
1970.
497 The conservation & restoration works was
carried out in most of the State Protected
Monuments in the previous years. A num-
ber of Conservation Plans and DPRs were
prepared under funding through 13th FC
with overall project being monitored by
the World Monuments Fund on behalf of
the Department.
The conservation & restoration work on
some important monuments was tak-
en up in the financial year 2009-10 viz.
Narwar Fort Shivpuri, Garkundar Fort Ti-
kamgarh, Raja Mahal & Jahangir Mahal
Orchha, Taj Mahal Bhopal, Jainabad ki
sarai & Masjid Burhanpur, Fort Dhar,Dhar
in Madhya Pradesh.
Maharashtra
Directorate of
Archaeology and
Museum
Maharashtra Ancient
monuments, Antiquity
and remains – 1960.
375 MoU signed between ASI and State for
Raigadh (ASI monument) in 2017 where
state can take up conservation works in
ASI monuments. Conservation of state
monuments being carried out by the de-
partment
Manipur
The Manipur State
Archaeology
051, as per
a report
published
in 2013.
Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Meghalaya
Department of
Art and Culture
The Meghalaya Heri-
tage Act, 2012
9 ancient
remains
declared
while the
rest are in
process
Govt.
Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Mizoram
Art and Culture
Department
Mizoram Ancient Mon-
uments and Archae -
ological sites and Re-
mains Act, 2001
64 Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Nagaland
The Department
of Art & Culture
Not present Not pres-
ent. The
State only
has Cen-
trally pro-
tected
monu -
ments.
Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 38
State/ Name of
Archaeological
Department
State Archaeological
Acts
No. Conservation works
Odisha
Odisha State
Archaeology
Odisha Ancient Monu-
ments Preservation Act
of 1956.
218 Under the Integrated Coastal zone Man-
agement Project (ICZMP), seven monu-
ments having archaeological, architec-
tural, sculptural and historical importance
have been identified for conservation
and improvement.
Conservation of these monuments is un-
der progress. Besides, forty days Capaci-
ty building workshop for traditional stone
masons have been organized.
Punjab
Directorate of
Cultural Affairs,
Archaeology and
Museums
The Punjab Ancient and
Historical Monuments
and Archaeological
Sites and Remains Act,
1964.
85 23 state monuments conservation works
was taken up under 13th FC approx. cost
of 100 crores. The works are in finishing
stage with some monuments also adapt-
ed to reuse.
Rajasthan
Department of
Archaeology and
Museums
The Rajasthan Monu -
ments, Archaeological
Sites and Antiquities
(Act, 1961).
342 monu-
ments, 43
sites and
21 muse-
ums
State Archaeology prepared their own
schedule of rates since 1990s and are
carrying out conservation works through
empanelled conservation architects with
preparation of Conservation Plans/DPRS
using this SoR and including master crafts-
people actively since 2005.
Sikkim
Tamil Nadu
State Department
of Archaeology
Tamil Nadu ancient
and historical monu-
ments and archae-
ological sites and re-
mains Act- 1966.
91 To preserve the regional history of Tamil
Nadu, the Department of Archaeology is
protecting monuments-districts 91 monu-
ments spread all over the
State. These monuments, which contain
historical inscriptions or have architec-
tural & artistic value, throw light on an-
cient heritage. They provide a wealth of
information for the reconstruction of the
State’s history.
Telangana
Department of
Heritage
Telangana Heritage
(Protection, Preserva-
tion, Conservation and
Maintenance) Act,
2017.
347 With the 13th Finance Commission Grants,
the Department has taken up 81 works in
two phases for the conservation of Mon-
uments covering the ten districts of the
State of Telangana. The Department has
submitted proposals for conservation of
Monuments and upgradation of Muse-
ums (61 works) to the 14th Finance Com-
mission (2015-2020) for a sum of Rs.100
crores.
Tripura
Not present
The Tripura Ancient
Monuments and Ar-
chaeological Sites and
Remains Act, 1997
8
All the
monu-
ments are
centrally
protected.
Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 39
Laxmana temple, Sirpur, Chattis-
garh; Source - asiraipurcircle.in
Hill Palace Museum; Source -
archaeology.kerala.gov.in
Akhnoor Fort, Jammu; Source -
asisrinagar.com IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 40
State/ Name of
Archaeological
Department
State Archaeological
Acts
No. Conservation works
Uttar Pradesh
Directorate of
Archaeology and
museums
The U.P. Ancient and
Historical Monuments
and Archaeological
Sites and Remains Pres-
ervation Act, 1956.
143 Limited posts of five Conservation Assis-
tants (Junior Engineers) and one Archae-
ological Enginior are created for the con-
servation of protected monuments in the
department. In view of the number of
protected monuments and sites located
in different parts of the state more posts
should be created to look after them.
Proper training to enhance the expertise
of conservation assistants as per estab-
lished conservation norms is highly need-
ed.
About Rs 36 crore have been released so
far during the last five years for the con-
servation of State Protected monuments
under the 13th Finance Commission. Sev-
enteen monuments are being conserved
with this grant through the Uttar Pradesh
Avas evam Vikas Parishad.
Uttarakhand
Directorate of
Culture
The State follows the
1956 Act of Uttar
Pradesh under the rati-
fication of the Reorgan-
isation Act, 2000.
71 Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
West Bengal
Directorate of
Archaeology and
Museums
The West Bengal Pres-
ervation of Historical
Monuments and Ob-
jects and Excavation
of Archaeological Sites
Act, 1957
100 Several conservation projects of the state
protected monuments are included in
the 13th Finance Commission plan.
Mizoram
Art and Culture
Department
Mizoram Ancient Mon-
uments and Archae -
ological sites and Re-
mains Act, 2001
64 Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Nagaland
The Department
of Art & Culture
Not present Not pres-
ent. The
State only
has Cen-
trally pro-
tected
monu -
ments.
Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 41
Union Territory/
Name of De-
partment
Archaeological ActsNumber Conservation works
Delhi
Department of
Archaeology
Delhi Ancient and His-
torical Monuments and
Archaeological Sites
and Remains Act - 2004.
19 de-
clared
protected
under an
ongoing
survey of
238 in total
Department of Archaeology has com-
pleted two sets of conservation of mon-
uments conserving 33 monuments and
conservation of 3rd set of 18 monuments
is in progress. In addition conservation
work of Dara Shikoh Library Building at
Kashmere Gate and conservation of Sa-
rai of Azim Ganj inside National Zoologi-
cal Park are in progress.
Ladakh
The monuments
in Ladakh come
under the “Direc-
torate of Archives,
Archaeology and
Museums, Jammu
and Kashmir”.
Ancient Monuments
Preservation Act, Sam-
vat 1977.
The monuments in Ladakh come under
the “Directorate of Archives, Archaeolo-
gy and Museums, Jammu and Kashmir”.
LakshadweepInformation to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
ChandigarhInformation to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Daman and DiuInformation to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Andaman and
Nicobar Islands
Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
PondicherryInformation to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Dadra and Nagar
Haveli
Information to be sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in their database.
Jammu and Kash-
mir
Directorate of Ar-
chives, Archaeol-
ogy and Museums
1. Ancient Monuments
Preservation Act, Sam-
vat 1977.
2.Jammu and Kashmir
Ancient Monuments
Preservation (Amend-
ment) Act, 2010.
55 The department has undertaken con-
servation work at number of protected
monuments such as Bahu Fort Jammu,
Hari Parbat Fort Srinagar, Bhimgarh fort
Reasi, Moughal Sarai Chingus Rajouri, An-
cient Temple Kothiar Anantnag, Mehjoor
house Mitrigam Pulwama, Fort complex
Jasrota Kathua Mubarak mandi heritage
complex, etc. The recent conservation
work involves the conservation of Hari
Parbat fort built by Afghan Governor in
1808, Atta Muhammad Khanin Kashmir
which has been conserved since 2006.
Union Territories IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 42
The State Departments and UTs amount to a total of 4,538 (ap-
prox. 5000 no) monuments and sites protected across India. They
have varying capacities for undertaking conservation and ar-
chaeology works and are supported by State tourism depart-
ments for marketing and promotion of their monuments. Most of
the State Archaeology Departments are short of staff and lack
a vision for overall works in archaeology and conservation. Few
like Rajasthan and Karnataka have been very active since their
initiation. Rajasthan is the only State Archaeology Department
which has 3 of its own state protected sites on World Heritage
List. However, with major funding was available to several State
Archaeology Departments under the 13th FC, a number of other
State Departments such as MP, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Kerala etc
have become more equipped and active to handle conserva-
tion works. While Rajasthan probably remains the only depart-
ment to formally adopt the SoR, these have been drafted by
other states such as Punjab, MP and AP though pending for final
approval. Documentation or basic database of monuments with
States in a challenge. Rajasthan has some edge in this where
DoIT, GoR has completed LiDAR survey of its 22 sites, forts and
others with complete walkthroughs including its use for interpre-
tation and games etc. Telangana has linked with AKTC for the
Qutb Shahi Tombs to showcase a role model for holistic conser-
vation approach. More such models may be available with var-
ious states.
2.3 Temple Trusts and Committees
Amid the nineteenth and mid twentieth century a number of
religious monuments related associations got legal recognition
as the Government established different laws, for example, the
Societies Registration Act of 1860, The Religious Endowments Act
of 1863, The Indian Trusts Act of 1882 and the Charitable Endow-
ments Act of 1890. Such institutions gave open acknowledgment
to the intention of the organizers and amplified the security of the
law to their salaries and property; however these authorizations
were fairly gentle and did not force strong regulatory controls.
The British Government later included two more enactments i.e.
the Charitable and Religious Trusts Act, 1920 and (ii) the Trade
Unions Act, 1926.
There are approximately 4,50,000 temples under the control of
trusts. This is the largest segment of India’s Heritage and man-
aged through Private Trusts with minimal intervention from Public
Sector. Some of them also provide model cases for Conservation
works and self-sustainability through involvement of stakeholders
which need to be incorporated in living monuments’ conserva-
tion works for Centrally Protected and State Protected Monu-
ments.
The information in the following table is tentative and needs to
be verified by ASI. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 43
State WiseHR & CE/ Temple
Committees/ Tem-
ple trusts
Acts/ Laws Remarks
Jammu &
Kashmir
The Dharmartha
trust is managing
175 temples
The status of -Bill from Kashmiri Hindu
Shrines and Religious Places (Man-
agement and Regulation) Bill to
Shrines and
Religious Places of Hindus of Kashmir
(Management and Regulation) Bill
Ladakh – Buddhist
Monasteries as exam-
ples
Haryana 9 Gurudwara under
SGPC
Shitla Mata Mandi, Gurgaon and
Devi Mandir, Panchkula
9 Gurudwara under
SGPC in Haryana
Himachal
Pradesh
The Himachal Pradesh Hindu Public
Religious Institutions and Charitable
Endowments Act, 1984
Act 18 of 1984
2 Gurudwara under
SGPC in Himachal
Pradesh;
Dalai Lama Trust in Hi-
machal Pradesh (pre-
serves and conserves-
eg- TASHI LHUNPO
MONASTERY)
UttarakhandShri Badarinath Ke-
darnath temple
committee was
formed in 1939 for
worship of the Shri
Badarinath, in which,
in the year 1942 the
other 45 temple in-
cluding Shri Kedar-
nath were included.
The management is
done by the dona-
tion funds received
by the temple com-
mittee.
2018- Uttarakhand High court-
In order to maintain the sanctity of
the temples and for the better ad-
ministration of the Hindu Religious In-
stitutions and Charitable Endow-
ments, including public temples, and
for the protection and preservation
of the properties of such institutions/
Endowments, it is necessary to make
legislation.
The other trusts are- Badri Kedar Tem-
ple Committee, Jageshwar Dham
trust
As per the require-
ment, the BKTC con-
sults ASI in terms of
conservation works (
eg. Kedar nath)but
largely the works at
temples is done by the
PWD department
Uttar
Pradesh
Department of reli-
gious affairs
(Dharmartha
vibhag)
Uttar Pradesh Charitable Endow-
ments Extension of Power Act, 1950
1. Charitable Endowments U.P.
Amendment Act, 1952
2. United Provinces Charitable En-
dowments Rules, 1943
3. Religious Endowments Uttar
Pradesh Amendments Act, 1951
Uttar Pradesh Hindu Religious Insti-
tutions Prevention of Dissipation of
Properties (Repeal) Act, 2000
Dharmarth Karya Vibhag, Uttar
Pradesh was established on 19th De-
cember 1985 with the aim to execute
all work related to dharmarth institu-
tions and temples of Uttar Pradesh
successfully. All temples & religious
places of state comes under the ju-
risdiction of the Department of Reli-
gious Affairs, U.P.
Objective: The main
objective of the de-
partment is to provide
the basic facilities like,
route management,
accommodation, light
management, drink-
ing water facility, food-
ing facility
etc. at several reli-
gious places of Uttar
Pradesh. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 44
State WiseHR & CE/ Temple
Committees/ Tem-
ple trusts
Acts/ Laws Remarks
Punjab 84 gurudwaras THE SIKH GURDWARAS ACT, 1925
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS.
SGPC Act
84 Gurudwaras under
SGPC; Golden Temple
as example for conser-
vation
BiharThe Bihar Hindu Religious Trust
(Amendment) Act, 2013 Act 4 of 2013
Example of Ma-
habodhi Trust manag-
ing the World Heritage
Site of Bodhgaya
JharkhandJharkhand Hindu Religious Trust Act,
1950
Information to be
sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in
their database.
Odisha Over 16000 temples
and 450 mutts
Orissa Hindu Religious Endowments
(Amendment Bill), 2012
Lingraj temple trust,
Mutts of Puri, Jaganna-
tha, and Ekamrashet-
ra, Bhubaenswar;
Arunachal
Pradesh
No act
ManipurGovind ji Temple trustManages the Govind
Ji temple in Imphal
AssamNo act
MizoramNo act
MeghalayaNo act
NagalandNo act
TripuraNo act
Rajasthan 62798Grant in Aid Rules, 1958
Rajasthan Fund Service Rules, 1959,
Rajasthan Public Trust Act 1959, 1962,
Rajasthan Devasthan State and Sub-
ordinate Service Rules, 2000, Rajas-
than Grant In Aid to Temples And
Other Religious and Charitable Insti-
tution Rules, 2010, Rajasthan Religious
Buildings and Places Act, 1954, 1957
GujaratThe Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950Information to be
sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in
their database.
MaharashtraMaharashtra Temples or Religious In-
stitutions (Management and Regula-
tion) Bill, 2012 status?
Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, 1950
Information to be
sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in
their database. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 45
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple,
in Srirangam, near Tiruchirappali;
Source - Wikipedia
The local ladies engaged in res-toration of artworks in the monas-teries in Ladakh; Source - thebet-
terindia.com
Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai; Source - Wikipedia IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 46
State WiseHR & CE/ Temple
Committees/ Tem-
ple trusts
Acts/ Laws Remarks
GoaSI and State Depart-
ment manages the
historic churches while
some of the village
panchyat also are in-
volved in preservation
and conservation of
Biodiversity (Chicalim
committee)- not sure
about the historic
buildings
Madhya
Pradesh
831 temples under
Dharmasva Depart-
ment
Religious Trust & En-
dowments Depart-
ment
Government of
Madhya Pradesh-
Almost 12,000 tem-
ples
Draft rules - Madhya Pradesh public
place (eligious buildings and activi-
ties regulation) rules, 2015
ChhattisgarhChhattisgarh Public Trusts Act, 1951,Information to be
sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in
their database.
Andhra
Pradesh
24, 622The Andhra Pradesh Charitable and
Hindu Religious Institutions and En-
dowments Act, 1987 (Andhra Pradesh
Act No. 30 of 1987)
Need to mention Tir-
upati Trust among oth-
ers
Karnataka 1297Hindu Religious Institutions and Char-
itable Endowments Act, popular-
ly known as ‘Muzrai’ Act, 1997 and
Rules 2002.
Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions
and Charitable Endowments, 2002.
There are 1297 notified temples in
Bellary district, A Grade 7 temples,
B Grade 12 temples, C Grade 1278
temples. The temple income is spent
for the necessary expenditure and
development works.
The information is just
for Bellary district; some
of the websites claim
that there are approx-
imately 2 lakh temples
Kerala 1248 temples under
Travancore Devas-
wom Board (TDB)
Kerala Travancore – Cochin Hindu
Religious Institutions Act, 1950
Tamil Nadu 38,360 temples un-
der HR & CE Depart-
ment
Hindu Religious Institutions and Chari-
table Endowments Act, 1959
TelanganaInformation to be
sourced by ASI at the
earliest, for inclusion in
their database.
DelhiNo Act A NITI AAYOG REPORT 47
Most of the Temple Trusts, Buddhist Monasteries, Waqf Boards and
others such as SGPC for Gurudwaras are managing their religious
institutions quite well. While each of them has been following in-
structions for maintenance of the religious heritage under their
custodianship as prescribed in their traditional texts; in the last
decade few of these institutions have become very conscious of
built heritage conservation as a new discipline. They have also
realized the historic, artistic and architectural significance of their
religious heritage as a monument along with its strong associa-
tional and religious value for the larger public. As such, a cou-
ple of institutions have engaged in formal conservation works
through professionals within the framework of their Trusts without
disturbing the ritualistic and living nature of this heritage. Such
conservation examples may be supported and guided by ASI,
that show a more inclusive approach to the living heritage which
is the essence of India. However, with the immense quantum of
our religious heritage it is still a challenge for these institutions to
manage their heritage. Except for the few that generate enough
funds through their operations, other lesser known temples and
religious structures are not in a good condition.
Golden Temple, Amritsar; Source - timesofindia.com
Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhgaya;
Source - gettyimages IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 48
2.4. CPWD and other Unprotected Heritage – Public and
Private
CPWD has 50 Built Heritage monuments under its jurisdiction in-
cluding the Rashtrapati Bhawan, North and South Block and
even fewer sites protected by (not owned) by ASI such as Vice-
regal Lodge. A complete list is as shown in the table.
In the last 5 years, CPWD has undertaken rigorous conservation
works in coordination with ASI, INTACH and engagement of con-
servation professionals. MoHUA has also published CPWD man-
ual for heritage conservation and an audit of its conservation
works which are exemplary documents. Besides CPWD, State
PWDs and Urban local bodies or Panchayats also have signif-
icant heritage buildings which are unprotected heritage. All
such government bodies require sensitization and training to val-
ue and conserve this heritage while continuing its use/ adaptive
reuse as the case may be. It is finally the examples of heritage
conservation undertaken by the Public Sector which will inspire
the private historic house owners to retain their heritage homes
and historic character of our old cities.
INTACH as an all India level Ngo has played an important role in
last 30 years in providing guidance for listing and conservation
of unprotected heritage. It has even evolved a Charter on Un-
protected Heritage of India which is a good reference base also
quoted by CPWD in their various works, Besides this, INTACH Her-
itage Academy is also providing training programs in heritage
for officials at various levels – IAS Academy at Mussoorie, Local
bodies for Smart City Heritage and PWD officials in various states.
More recently, urban heritage of India i.e. its historic city cores
are being taken up for major urban conservation works through
MoUD programs of HRIDAY, SMART and AMRUT and, also as part
of UNESCO World Heritage City (Ahmedabad and Jaipur). This
aspect if further explained under the MoHUA programs for heri-
tage in Section IV.
There are other heritage properties with Railways and State Pub-
lic Works Departments and Municipal Corporations which require
to be further listed and added in the database for protection,
conservation and reuse.
“In the last 5 years, CPWD has undertaken rigorous conservation works
in coordination with ASI, INTACH and engagement of conservation
professionals.” A NITI AAYOG REPORT 49
Restoration of courtyards by
CPWD; Source - Conservation
and Audit of Heritage Buildings,
CPWD
Replacement of stone on the
walls and the corridors in the
North and South Block, New Del-
hi; Source - Conservation and Au-
dit of Heritage Buildings, CPWD
Greenery Work in the Courtyard of the Ministry of Finance at North Block by CPWD; Source - Con-servation and Audit of Heritage Buildings, CPWD
Next Page - Rashtrapati Bhavan
illuminated for Republic Day;
Source - https://www.goodfon.
com/ IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 50
S.
No.
Heritage Buildings
New Delhi
1. Rashtrapati Bhawan11.Jaipur House
2. Parliament House12.Bikaner House
3. Building within the President Estate 13.Faridkot House
4. Jaipur Column14.Darbhanga House
5. North & South Block15.Naval Officer Mess (Kota House)
6. Hydeabad House & Complex16.Jaiselmer House
7. Gandhi Sadan Smriti17.Patiala House
8. Teen Murti House18.Bahagal Pur House
9. Indira Gandhi Memorial
10 Vice President’s House
NCT of Delhi
19. Session House at North End Road
20. Press Building & DC Office at 5 Sham Nath Marg
21. Delhi Vidhan Sabha
Shimla Central Division - 1
22. The Bernloe Cottages27.The Cedar
23. Eddleston28.Railway Board Building
24. Earmeston29.Kennedy College Building
25. Grand Hotel30.Claiiriount Building
26. Vice Regal Lodge31.Garon Castle Building
Kolkata
32. Indian Museum38.Passport Office at Gurusaday
33. Asiatic Society39.Passport office at Ballygunge Palace
34. National Library40.Victoria Memorial Hall
35. India Govt. Mint41.Central Govt. Office at 5 Esplanade
East Kolkata
36. GSI (HQ) Main Building42.Fort William
37. BSF (HQ) Office at Gurusaday
Mumbai
43. Nav Bhavan49.Exchange Building, Ballard Pier
44. Scindia House50.NOMA (CJ), Hall Port
45. Exchange Building
46. Old Custom House
47. New Custom House, Ballard Pier
48. Nav Bhawan, Ballard Pier
List of Heritage Buildings under the jurisdiction/maintenance of CPWD A NITI AAYOG REPORT 51 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 52
2.5 NGOs in Heritage Conservation and Management in
India
2.5.1 Aga Khan Trust for Culture
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) focuses on the physical,
social, cultural and economic revitalisation of communities in the
developing world. It includes the Aga Khan Award for Archi-
tecture, the Aga Khan Historic Cities Programme, the Aga Khan
Music Initiative, the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada, the
on-line resource Archnet.org and related programmes. Cultural
activities in India are undertaken by the the Aga Khan Trust for
Culture (AKTC). The largest cultural project to date has been
the restoration and revitalisation of Humayun’s Tomb, including
its gardens. These activities have since expanded to social and
cultural programmes in the neighbouring Nizamuddin area, as
well as to Sunder Nursery and a number of monuments in the his-
toric district. In Hyderabad, a project to restore the Qutb Shahi
tombs is also underway.
2.5.2 Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage
The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH)
was founded in 1984 in New Delhi with the vision to spearhead
heritage awareness and conservation in India. Today INTACH is
recognized as one of the world’s largest heritage organizations,
with over 190 Chapters across the Country. In the past 31 years
INTACH has pioneered the conservation and preservation of not
just our natural and built heritage but intangible heritage as well.
Headquartered in New Delhi, it operates through various divi-
sions such as Architectural Heritage, Natural Heritage, Material
Heritage, Intangible Cultural Heritage, Heritage Education and
Communication Services (HECS), Crafts and Community Cell,
Chapters, INTACH Heritage Academy, Heritage Tourism, Listing
Cell and Library, Archives and Documentation Centre.
INTACH’s mission to conserve heritage is based on the belief that
living in harmony with heritage enhances the quality of life, and
it is the duty of every citizen of India as laid down in the Constitu-
tion of India.
2.5.3 International Council On Monuments and Sites
ICOMOS works for the conservation and protection of cultural
heritage places. It is the only global non-government organisa-
tion of this kind, which is dedicated to promoting the application
of theory, methodology, and scientific techniques to the con-
servation of the architectural and archaeological heritage. It is
a network of experts that benefits from the interdisciplinary ex-
change of its members, among which are architects, historians,
archaeologists, art historians, geographers, anthropologists, en- A NITI AAYOG REPORT 53
Huma yun’s T omb Conser vation
Restoration of tilework at Humayun’s Tomb (top)
required four years of experimentation. The skills
acquired by local youth will be used to restore tile
work on all monuments that stand in the setting of
Humayun’s Tomb, such as Nila Gumbad (centre).
Youth and w omen groups ha ve been tr ained in diverse
skills ranging from computer operations to paper cutting
(bottom pictur e) to create economic opportunities
A prominent intervention was the removal of cement plaster and the restoration
of the decorative star-shaped patterns on the facade of the 68 mini-mausoleums
on the ground level where 160 Mughal family member s, including Dara Shikoh,
are buried.
For the Mughal builders, the tiles on the roof canopies represented a reminder of
their Persian ancestr y. In the 21
st
century, however, the tiles represented a craft
skill lost in India. The conservation process required four years of experimentation,
which was started under the guidance of master craftsmen from U
zbekistan – who
trained y outh from the adjoining Nizamuddin Basti in tile making.
URBAN LANDSCAPE APPROACH
The outstanding universal value of the Humayun’s Tomb complex is also derived
from it it being at the heart of an ensemble of 16
th
century garden tombs. Together
with conservation works on Humayun’s Tomb, the adjoining monuments of Nila
Gumbad, Isa Khan’s garden-tomb, Bu Halima’s garden- tomb, Arab Serai gateways,
Sundarawala Mahal and Burj, Batashewala group of Monume nts, Chausath
Khambha, Hazrat Nizamuddin Baoli and adjoining monuments are all part of the
on going project. In all cases, the setting of these monuments is also undergoing
conservation, and landscaping or/and urban improvements .
CULTURE AS A TOOL FOR DEVELOPMENT
The resident communities of Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti are beare
rs of living
cultural traditions that have survived for over seven centuries. Yet many
residents here did not have access to basic urban services. The project, through
improvements in education, health, sanitation and infrastr ucture, has aimed to
improve the quality of life. Physical upgrading has always been accompanied by
training and empowering residents. Neighbourhood parks have been landscaped ,
housing improvements undertaken in partnership with house owners and
suppor t provided to the municipality to undertake a major str eet improvement
programme . Performance areas have been created for the practitione rs of
Quww ali music traditions that were created here in the 14
th
century by Hazrat
Amir Khusrau and continue to draw a wide audience .
In order to dissemin ate the knowledge acquired during the conservation project,
several publications will be produced, and the accumulated documenta tion will
be made a vailable on the pr oject w ebsite - www .nizamuddinrenewal.org.
Aga Khan Trust for Culture,
with co-funding of Sir Dorabji Tata Trust
and in par tnership with the Archaeolog ical Sur vey of India
under took the conser vation of Huma yun’s Tomb
and associa ted str uctures dur ing 2007-2013.
Huma yun’s Tomb - Sundar Nursery - Hazra t Nizam uddin Basti
URBAN RENEW AL INITIA TIVE
AGA KHAN TRUST FOR CULTURE
For more information please visit www.akdn.or g or contact the Aga Khan Trust for Cultur e,
P.O. 3253, Hazrat Nizamuddin East, New Delhi 110013 Email: info@nizamuddinrenewal.org
Follow on: www.nizamuddinrenewal.org or Facebook: www.facebook.com/NizamuddinRenewal IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 54
gineers and town planners.
ICOMOS India, is a membership based organization that pro-
vides a forum where individuals and representatives of institu-
tions concerned with the conservation, protection, rehabilita-
tion and enhancement of cultural heritage sites and places
can meet to exchange information and views on principles
and practices in the field.
2.5.4 World Monuments Fund
World Monuments Fund is a private nonprofit organization
founded in 1965 by individuals concerned about the accel-
erating destruction of important artistic treasures throughout
the world. oday, with affiliate organizations established in Brit-
ain, India, Peru, Portugal, and Spain — World Monuments Fund
sponsors an ongoing program for the conservation of cultural
heritage worldwide.
Established in 2015, WMF India serves as a local representative
for WMF, assisting with project management and outreach.
World Monuments Fund has had a significant presence in India
for over 20 years since the inception of the Watch. Its earliest
project was the study and stabilisation of Jaisalmer Fort. Work
continued here for over 15 years until the site was deemed in a
good enough condition to close our involvement. Many other
sites across India have received funding and technical support
over the years. These include: Pardesi Synagogue in Kochi, Taj
Mahal, The Krishnadevaraya Temple in the World Heritage site
of Hampi, and the Dwarkadeesh Temple in Ahmedabad fol-
lowing extensive earthquake damage.
WMF India was set up to partner with international and national
organizations as well as donors to focus on heritage conserva-
tion projects and awareness programmes in India.
(Next Page) Work undertaken by WMF in Dwarkadeesh Temple following to stabilize earthquake damage; Source - gujarattour-
ism.com A NITI AAYOG REPORT 55 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 56
1. National Archaeological Database to be
made
2. National GIS Database for monuments
and sites with ISRO to be authenticated and
validated
3. Extend ongoing initiative for Archives Data
to be accessible digitally and Archives to be
stored as per conservation norms
2. National Database and Documentation A NITI AAYOG REPORT 57 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 58 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 59
This chapter gives an overview on the National Mission on Mon-
uments and Antiquities (NMMA) which was responsible for the
creation of the national database of the built heritage of India,
along with gap analysis, management and requisite recommen-
dations for a National Database and Documentation. The short-
comings have substantially been pointed out along with recom-
mendations for achieving the objectives of the NMMA.
1. Existing Systems of Database and
Documentation
1. National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities
The National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities was launched
in 2007. Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is the nodal agency
for NMMA to implement the various activities all over the coun-
try. The time frame prescribed for its completion was five years. Its
mandate covers a comprehensive database with
• National Register on Built Heritage & Sites
• National Register on Antiquities.
The objectives of NMMA
1. Documentation and creation of suitable database on built
heritage and sites for information and dissemination to planners,
researchers etc. and for better management of such cultural re-
sources.
2. Documentation in a uniform format developed by NMMA, of
all Antiquities that are available in the form of Registered Antiqui-
ties, Catalogued Antiquities with Central as well as State Govern-
ments, Private museums and collections, Universities, etc.
3. Promote awareness and sensitize people concerning the ben-
efits of preserving the historical and cultural aspects of built heri-
tage, sites and antiquities.
4. Extend training facility and capacity building to the concerned
State Departments, Local bodies, NGOs, Universities, Museums,
Local communities etc.
5. Help in developing synergy between institutions like Archae-
ological Survey of India, State Departments, concerned Institu-
tions and NGOs to generate close interaction.
6. Publication and Research
2. Bhuvan App
Bhuvan is a web based utility launched on August 12, 2009 which
allows users to explore a set of map based content prepared
2
Laser Scanning being done for documentation; Source - geo -
spatialworld.net IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 60
by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and is associated
with various sections of Government of India to enable the use
of Geospatial technology like Toll Information System for National
Highways Authority of India, Islands information System for MHA,
Cultural heritage sites for Ministry of culture etc. The information
for the platform is obtained from the government of India sourc-
es or through Crowdsourcing. Bhuvan offers detailed imagery of
Indian locations compared to other Virtual Globe Software, with
spatial resolutions ranging up to 1 metre.
There have been several difficulties with the Bhuvan App related
to compatibility and accessibility. For the monuments, the app
shows the protected boundary, prohibited boundary and regu-
lated boundary. The authenticity and validation of the location
of the sites and monuments mapped in the app is still in progress
which doesn’t make it a reliable source of information.
2. Gaps and Recommendations
Interface of the Tourism (Mon- uments) Section of the Bhuvan App; Source - bhuvan-app1.nrsc. gov.in/
Homepage of NMMA’s website; Source - nmma.nic.in A NITI AAYOG REPORT 61
GapsRecommendations
Centralised Database
There is no centralised database of archival
records, drawings and photo archives
There is no inventory which is maintained
centrally, on an all India basis, in the ASI for
recording all the artefacts, antiquities and
sculptures found and collected during ex-
cavations, explorations or village to village
survey. In many cases, the excavated an-
tiquities are not even accessioned and just
stored in the ASI Circle offices, monuments
and store rooms.
A number of State Departments have pub-
lished the list of monuments and sites under
them but a large number do not even pro-
vide such details on their website. Besides,
detailed documentation, GIS map for sites
and monuments is completely missing in all
cases.
A complete national level database with
state wise distribution of heritage structures
under Temple Trusts and committees is miss-
ing.
a. Inventory of Centrally Protected Monu-
ments- should be updated once every 5
years with a schedule for their periodic in-
spection by each field office and further
updating on a regular basis. Most of the no-
tifications declaring monuments of national
importance are of the colonial era and of-
ten do not describe the metes and bounds.
Such problem monuments should be identi-
fied and solutions found in consultation with
the state authorities, using archival data,
revenue records and survey maps.
b. A systematic photo documentation of all
national monuments should be revived, and
each monument documented on a period-
ic basis.
c. National Mission on Monuments and Sites
should be revitalised with a new policy as its
role is to create a National register for built
heritage and sites and antiquities.
d. Listing Criteria for National Cultural Her-
itage Sites of Outstanding National Value
as approved by Ministry of Culture in 2015
should be used to list National Sites that fall
beyond the ‘centrally protected monu -
ments’ definition to cover historic cities, cul-
tural landscapes and other categories (Re-
fer annexure for details).
e. A storage and access system for this digital
documentation should also be accessible to
scholars worldwide through the ASI website.
f. Architectural drawings of standing ruins
and monuments are a key requirement for a
proper understanding of monuments and to
plan conservation works.
g. The ASI must prepare on a priority basis a
portfolio of architectural documentation of
all protected monuments. In many cases, ar-
chival drawings will require to be updated. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 62
3. Key Action Points
3.1 National Archaeological Database to be made. National GIS Database for
monuments and sites to be authenticated and validated with ISRO.
National GIS Database for monuments and sites to be initiated with ISRO which may support
a GIS team wing to be established in ASI. By utilising the collaborative effort initiated by ISRO
and the Ministry of Culture, it is possible to collate all GIS and Non-GIS archaeological da-
tabase into a Single National Archaeological Database. This can be a significant achieve-
ment as part of the Digital India programme, at par with other geospatial databases used
by Central and State governmental agencies. It is important that this database should be
consulted before authorizing any construction near archaeological sites, ensuring that past
errors resulting in irreparable loss to heritage and escalating costs can be mitigated. This
national archive should be made publicly accessible under the Digital India programme,
where it can assist decision makers (development authorities, state departments, etc.) and
help citizens plan for future economic growth while preserving the fragile remnants of our
past.
Conceptual framework for Na- tional Archaeological Database proposed by Experts at NIAS, Bengaluru A NITI AAYOG REPORT 63
3.2 NMMA to be reactivated with budget and staffing to complete its previous list-
ing of built heritage and antiquities.
Policy for notification/denotification to be finalised immediately to arrive as a final list of cen-
trally protected monuments by ASI
Workshops need to be organised with national institutes and organisations such as the Amer-
ican Institute in Gurgaon, the French Institute in Pondicherry and INTACH to synergize with
other protected and unprotected heritage repositories. Further listing of monuments needs
to be undertaken at National level to complete the Mission work.
For antiquities database, 3D photography of objects in all collections and of murals and im-
ages is also necessary, which would facilitate the expansion of virtual museums. The JATAN
software should be utilized for documenting all the objects in the possession of ASI and other
museum.
3.3 Extend ongoing initiative for Archives Data to be accessible digitally and Ar-
chives to be stored as per conservation norms
ASI needs to focus on digitisation of its photographic collection, its estampage collection in
Mysore, and on the records in the old Circles which have yet to be transferred to the new
Circles, and of its property registers. ASI should take up the collective Photo Documentation
project proposed by CSMVS, Mumbai and British Museum, UK as a pilot project to achieve
an international role model for photo documentation.
Estampage Collection of ASI; Source - asi.nic.in IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 64
3. Use of Technologies for National
Heritage
1. New technology like Photogrammetry & 3D Laser scanning should be used for
documentation, surveys, excavation and conservation works.
2. ASI and State Archaeology Departments across India should consider an inhouse
setup. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 65
3. Collaboration with Foreign Universities for introduction of latest techniques in explo-
ration and excavations should be undertaken.
4. Technology is needed for e-governance.
5. Advanced Technology for Promotion and Marketing of sites needs to be actively
used to cater to all visitor kinds. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 66 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 67
This chapter gives an overview on the use of technology for the
National Heritage of India, along with the need for the use of ad-
vanced documentation techniques for built heritage. There has
been a substantial advancement in the use of technology in the
field of built heritage worldwide though heritage organizations in
India are using it in a very limited manner.
1. Existing Advanced Documentation Techniques
New technology such as Photogrammetry and 3D Laser scan-
ning can provide extremely accurate documentation in a frac-
tion of time required with methods available till only a decade
ago. These and similar technologies have also become routine
and are available commercially or through institutions such as
the IITs. ASI currently does not have any inhouse advanced doc-
umentation techniques available with them though it has un-
dertaken such documentation for specific sties like the Rani ki
Vav with support of international organisations like CyARK. Laser
scanning is especially useful for sites with sculpture, murals for ob-
jects of antiquity as these cannot be documented accurately
using traditional tools such as manual architectural drawings. Use
of Drones to document monuments for tourism brochures has al-
ready commenced for a number of ASI and State Archaeology
sites. The technology can also be used to document inaccessi-
ble portions of monuments for condition assessment as well as for
use in interpretation centres.
While ASI has used LiDAR survey for some sites such as Rani ki Vav,
it does not have its own set up for advanced survey instruments.
The archaeologists are not equipped inhouse with state of art
instruments such as Drone or LiDAR Surveys which have now be-
come an accepted methodology in National Heritage depart-
ments worldwide. In India, the Department of Information and
Technology, Government of Rajasthan has initiated a complete
setup with CISCO and AutoCAD for LiDAR surveys of all Sate pro-
tected monuments. This model may be reviewed for a similar set
up to support ASI and can also be adopted by various state ar-
chaeology departments.
Rajasthan government, has found a way to integrate its digital
mission with one of the hallmarks of the state — its rich heritage
which includes its gorgeous havelis, temples, and other historical
monuments. With the multi-pronged objective of ensuring sus-
tainable development, empowering its citizens, and establishing
good governance, the Rajasthan government’s Department of
Information Technology & Communication (DoITC) has come up
with a GIS initiative — Rajdharaa.
Described as ‘a unified gateway for a spatial decision support sys-
tem’, Rajdharaa is a platform that enables the maintenance of
standardised geographic information system (GIS) assets across
the state. This is the first of its kind initiative by any state govern-
ment across the country. Rajdharaa has been established with
Pointcloud showing the part sec-
tion of the Rani ki Vav in Ahmed-
abad; Source - cyark.org
3 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 68
the primary aim of developing a state-wide web-based geo-por-
tal to acquire, process, store, distribute, and improve the utilisa-
tion of geospatial data in adherence with the Open Geospatial
Consortium (OGC) standards. The project has also enabled the
development of a data clearing house, which is the gateway
of the geospatial data being generated by various agencies of
the state government. While the key objective of Rajdharaa is
a smarter state and better governance, there are two key fea-
tures working in tandem and furthering the mission of Rajdharaa
— preserving the state’s monuments and creating a land bank
management system.
Rajdharaa project consists of three phases:
Phase 1:
The first phase of the project involved creating a digital 3D model
of historical and archaeological sites. The project team scanned
the important historical structures of the state using a combina-
tion of laser terrestrial scanning and aerial photogrammetry cap-
ture through drones. The data thus collected was processed and
stored in point clouds and 3D models through Autodesk ReCap
360. These models were then combined with GIS visuals to create
a complete 3D digital model of the structure.
Phase 2:
In the second phase the project team transferred the point
clouds into Autodesk Revit to build a detailed building informa-
tion model (BIM), which can be used for maintenance and res-
Rajdharaa – A GIS initiative for
Heritage by the Department of
Information and Technology, Ra-
jasthan; Source - gis.rajasthan.
gov.in A NITI AAYOG REPORT 69
toration of projects in the future.
Phase 3:
In the third phase, the team used high-resolution digital cameras
to capture ancient artwork and sculptures, as well as architec-
tural features of the buildings. These were then converted into
3D models and point clouds using Autodesk ReCap 360 and Au-
todesk ReMake. These 3D models are used for research and con-
servation purposes and displayed in virtual exhibitions. They can
also be 3D printed to make replicates in case of necessity. Also,
high-end technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augment-
ed reality (AR) are also being deployed in the project.
2. Gaps and Recommendations
(Next Page) 3D Laser scan of Hu-
mayun’s Tomb; Source - akdn.org
GapsRecommendations
1. Continued reliability on manual docu- mentation techniques which lack accuracy and are time consuming. No inhouse ad- vanced documentation techniques avail -
able within ASI. The application of modern scientific technology in various fields of ar- chaeology is ever growing. Several recent technologies such as Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), Magnetic and Resistivity Sur- vey, Global Information System (GIS) and Global Positioning System (GPS) were avail-
able for excavation. Not many officials use the above technology in excavations due to non-accessibility.
1. ASI should invest in advanced surveys, documentation and monitoring instruments to be available on site with various Circles. Circle officers should be trained in using these instruments.
2. Lack of adequate training avenues and
trained professionals with the knowledge of
the advanced documentation techniques.
2. Workshops and collaborations with inter-
national universities and organisations deal-
ing with advanced documentation tech-
niques like Cy-Ark, CIMS Lab, CIPA, IITs etc.
shouls be encouraged. Introduction of pro-
grammes and courses related to advanced
documentation techniques in the higher lev-
el of studies at the Institute of Archaeology,
ASI.
3. Long procedures for taking permissions
to use equipment for documentation in the
heritage sites because of lack of knowledge
amongst the administration and the public.
3. Systems to be put in place for permissions
from the adminstration and owners for using
equipment in the heritage sites and struc-
tures. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 70 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 71
3. Key Action Points
3.1 New technology like Photogrammetry & 3D Laser scanning should be used for documen-
tation, surveys, excavation and conservation works.
LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and Drone Surveys to be used to document monu-
ments and sites. Each national monument should be 3D Laser scanned within the next 3
years and some of this documentation should be available in the public domain.
3.2 ASI and State Archaeology Departments across India should consider an inhouse setup
or a tie up with an associate department, IT Companies for complete digitisation and docu-
mentation of their monuments and sites on a similar model as Rajdharaa in Rajasthan.
3.3 Collaboration with Foreign Universities for introduction of latest techniques in exploration
and excavations should be undertaken. ASI should collaborate with National and Interna-
tional organisations for training of staff in use of advanced documentation, survey and mon-
itoring techniques to be used for monuments and archaeological sites. (Refer section 12 for
specific institutional collaborations for ASI).
3.4 Technology is needed for e-governance and one-window for permissions and clearanc-
es as well.
3.5 Advanced Technology for Promotion and Marketing of sites needs to be actively used to
cater to all visitor kinds – school children, families, researchers and other segments of society. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 72
4. Conservation of
National Heritage A NITI AAYOG REPORT 73
1. National Policy on
Conservation needs
to be implemented
vigorously
2. Conservation Plan
be prepared for the
site before
undertaking any
conservation works
3. Provision for Work
Audit needs to be
incorporated
4. Region-wise em-
panelment of crafts
persons
5. National Level
awards to be given
to ASI Circles, State
Governments and
other heritage
custodians IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 74 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 75
1. Existing Status of Conservation and Preservation
in India
The Archaeological Survey of India follows the Conservation
Manual of Sir John Marshall which was published in 1923. The
conservation manual by Sir John Marshall provided guidelines for
the protection and preservation of the ancient monuments/ sites
with structural remains unearthed from the excavations. Preser-
vation and conservation of sites has also been addressed in the
adopted National Policy on conservation and preservation of
monuments/ sites.
The National Policy for Conservation of the Ancient Monuments,
Archaeological Sites and Remains (NPC-AMASR) draws lessons
and inspirations from the ASI’s rich legacy for conservation and
acknowledges the adoption of contemporary approaches to
conservation, management and protection of monuments and
archaeological sites, and proposes various principles of interven-
tions within and around them. The Policy also acclaims available
traditional craftsmanship in the country and the use of tradition-
al building materials, practices and skills as an integral part of
the conservation process. It deals with topical aspects like the
management of tourism and development (within and around
a monument), as well as issues of capacity building and building
of partnerships with multi-disciplinary organisations and institu-
tions. The Policy attempts to put a monument in perspective (as
a ubiquitous part of its setting) and underpins the role of local
communities. It focuses on all Ancient Monuments and Archae-
ological Sites and Remains, declared as monuments of national
importance under the AMASR Act, 1958 and does not, for the
time being, include unprotected built heritage. The Policy envis-
ages as a dynamic document and, as it is put into operation by
the ASI’s Archaeological officers and field staff since 2014, it is
subject to periodical reviews as may be decided by ASI.
4
Torana at Sanchi Stupa; Source - gettyimages
Conservation of monuments of
Delhi undertaken by ASI; Source
- sundayguardianlive.com IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 76
The Superintending Archaeologist (SA) of each circle inspects
monuments and sites. On the basis of inspection note and a con-
dition assessment note, the nature of works on the monument is
decided. The Superintending Archaeologist analyses fabric on
the basis of historicity, Architecture and requirement of conser-
vation while the Archaeological Engineer prepares the estimates
and the works to be executed. The conservation works is carried
out by the Conservation Assistant who is also the site in charge.
Once the financial and administrative approvals are received
from the relevant competent authority, the works undergo the
tender process and the suitable contractor who could provide
material and labour is selected and the work is executed under
the overall supervision of the superintending archaeologist.
Priority is given to works of urgent nature required to preserve
or consolidate a monument or special works at World Heritage
Monuments. The conservation works are carried out under the
Special repair budget (SR) while the regular maintenance of the
monuments is done under the Annual Repair budget (AR). Any
Conservation proposal drafted by the Superintending Archaeol-
ogist should go through this chain of approval.
The State Archaeology Departments have their own processes
for conservation of monuments adopted as per the State Ar -
chaeology Act or UT in each case.
2. Conservation Projects undertaken by ASI in
India
Maintenance of ancient monuments and archaeological sites
and remains of national importance is the prime concern of the
ASI. Several projects of conservation work, restoration and illumi-
nation undertaken by ASI have been highlighted.
2.1 Shey Palace, Ladakh
The original palace, now in ruins, was built near the Shey village
by Lhachen Palgyigon, the king of Ladakh (then called Maryul),
in the 10th century. The current Shey Palace and Monastery was
also built in 1655 on the instructions of Deldan Namgyal, in the
memory of his late father, Sengge Namgyal, below the first pal-
ace.
- Structural conservation was done for Shey Palace, Ladakh.
- Palace was in a dilapidated state and was restored using mud
blocks and traditional wooden elements in its exterior and inte-
rior.
Superintending Archaeologist
(The circle head)
Director
Conservation
Joint Director
General
Conservation
Director General A NITI AAYOG REPORT 77
Before and after the structural
conservation of Shey Palace IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 78
2.2 Residency, Lucknow
The Residency is a group of several buildings in a common pre-
cinct in the city of Lucknow. It served as the residence for the
British Resident General who was a representative in the court of
the Nawab. It was constructed during the rule of Nawab Saadat
Ali Khan II between 1780 and 1800 AD.
- Lucknow ASI undertook the restoration of cells that were in ru-
inous state.
- Bricks made to size were set in line mortar for preserving the
cells.
Before and after the restoration
of cells of Residency, Lucknow A NITI AAYOG REPORT 79
2.3 Galteshwar Mahadev Temple, Vadodara
The 12th century temple is unique in its style and of its period
because it is built in central Indian Malwa style, bhumija, without
influence of Paramara architecture and with influence of Gu-
jarati Chaulukya architecture. It has square garbhagriha (shrine
proper) as well as octagonal mandapa (dancing hall).
- One of the challenging task in the ongoing restoration is the
restoration of its Shikhara.
- Here original ornamental stone members of the shikhara,
stacked within the complex, were used in restoration.
Before and ongoing restoration work of the Galteshwar Mahadev Temple’s Shikhara IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 80
Before and after the restoration
of Chatta Chowk, Red Fort
2.4 Chatta Chowk, Red Fort A NITI AAYOG REPORT 81
Before and after lighting and illu-
mination of Diwan-i-Am, Red Fort2.5 Diwan-i-Am, Red Fort IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 82
Transformation of Qutb Minar
2.6 Qutb Minar, New Delhi A NITI AAYOG REPORT 83
Group of Monuments, Mahabali-
puram2.7 Group of Monuments, Mahabalipuram IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 84
3. Gaps and Recommendations
GapsRecommendations
a. Policy
The National Conservation Policy is well
structured by ASI and covers all significant
aspects of conservation. However, despite
being adopted since 2014, it is not being
practiced by ASI itself. The awareness for
policy is lacking whereas it should be spread
and practiced by all State Archaeology De-
partments. In 2014, it was adopted by the
State Archaeology of Rajasthan for its World
Heritage Sites though in practice, Rajasthan
State Archaeology is much advanced in
practicing few of National Policy clauses
such as, engaging local craftspeople and
drafting region wise conservation schedule
of rates within Rajasthan since 1991.
The ASI National Policy needs to be strict-
ly adhered to clause wise for any ASI con-
servation projects. Conservation works not
to be approved unless they conform to all
clauses of National Policy –4.06, 4.07 and
others. All Annual Conservation Plans to be
peer reviewed as per policy. By stating the
significant elements that need to be pre-
served at any site inappropriate Conserva-
tion works can be avoided. More so, when
staff responsible for the site might be from
another part of the country and not recog-
nize the cultural significance of the monu-
ments/ site in their care. Significance is also
important later in interpretation and tourism
promotion of the site.
b. Planning
As per policy it is essential that a holistic con-
servation plan through a multidisciplinary
team is prepared following a value based
and scientific approach before undertaking
any conservation works. However, in most
sites such as plan is missing and works are
being carried out on an adhoc basis. Com-
prehensive Site Management Plans (SMPs)
for property and buffer (with conservation,
interpretation and rescue, visitor manage-
ment, environmental management, buffer
management, disaster management, etc.)
are essential.
The policy states that a Conservation Plan
is to be prepared in advance of any con-
servation effort. In addition, a ‘completion
report’ should be prepared at the conclu-
sion of each project. No conservation fund-
ing to any site should be permitted without
the availability of a conservation plan that
should include architectural drawings, con-
dition assessment, photographic record,
statement of significance, names and qual-
ifications of those responsible – including ex-
ternal consultants. Conservation Plan should
be implemented in phases as per immedi-
ate, medium and long term actions.
The ASI needs to actively seek expertise on
a consultancy basis for each conservation
effort. Need for partnerships with various in-
stitutions and organisations for specialized
conservation works is required to fill in the
specific expertise gap in ASI. Such expertise
could include archaeology, engineering, hy-
drology, conservation architects, art/ urban
history, landscape architecture, geology,
botany, environmental sciences, hotel/ visi-
tor management, horticulture, finance, light-
ing design, new media design, fund-raising,
administration, archival research, exhibition
design amongst several others. It is neither
possible to employ the number of experts
required to ensure the conservation effort is
well informed nor cost-effective to employ
so many experts when projects are not to
scale. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 85
Restoration of wall paintings;
Source - DRONAH
GapsRecommendations
c. Implementation
An updated conservation manual, sched- ule of rates exclusively for items related to for conservation works, specific schedule for monitoring and supervision of work, involve- ment of craftspeople are essential aspects for undertaking site works as per conserva- tion policy. There is a lack of multidisciplinary approach to conservation work. Material Specifications, Scheduled Rates and there is no skilled resource pool of specialized ma- sons, artisans, Sthapatis, Sompuras etc. Due to these reasons, conservation work on sites are often adhoc and do not conform to ASI’s own National Conservation Policy. ASI has not defined any parameters for monitor-
ing of its sites and monuments even though this is an essential and critical part of conser-
vation. It only mentions inspection note per monument per year which is not sufficient. Detailed Monitoring parameters need to be developed as part of the conservation plan based on value and nature of each site, parts, artworks etc. Monitoring may also be divided into weekly surveys by CA, Sub circle level and monthly official visits at SA level.
Provision of work audit to be adopted. The segregation of conservation work of site management, visitor amenities from aca- demic work, archaeology, exploration, and excavation, epigraphy and temple and building surveys needs to be considered. Such conservation works can be approved and periodically reviewed by the archaeol- ogy vertical of ASI and other domain experts.
The existing system can be further strength-
ened for effective monitoring, conservation
and management. The nature of archae-
ological conservation is complementary to
each other and creating two verticals will
separate the core value of a monument / ar-
chaeological site linking to history, archaeol-
ogy, art, architecture, epigraphy, iconogra-
phy. Merely carrying out conservation work
based on engineering inputs may cause a
serious damage to the archaeological fab-
ric of a monument. It should be mandato-
ry for the Science Branch to accumulate all
international research on historical materi-
als and to disseminate the summary of the
same to all officers. Furthermore, it should
also be mandatory to precede any work –
using chemicals or any modern materials - at
any national monument with a documenta -
tion of the scientific investigation and a prior
writing of a conservation plan.
(Next Page) Conservation Works
of Jali at Khwab Gah at Red Fort,
Delhi carried by ASI; Source - ASI IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 86
GapsRecommendations
Supervision of Conservation works needs to
be of the highest standard by qualified and
experienced site supervisors in conservation
works. The ASI needs to ensure that no works
are carried out unsupervised. The supervisor
should maintain a daily log describing the
works carried out and supported by a pho-
tographic record. Initiating model projects
will help prioritize conservation of national
monuments in a planned manner. This will
also result in a trained cadre of conservation
professionals, create employment for crafts-
people and help preserve building crafts.
d. State Archaeology Departments
Almost every state in India, has its own ‘De-
partment of Heritage/Archaeology’ – re-
sponsible for monuments considered to be
of local importance. Several monuments
on the World Heritage list as well as those
on the tentative list are protected by State
Governments. At present there is only a min-
imum dialogue or interaction between the
ASI circles and the Archaeology depart-
ments in the States. In some cases, adjoining
monuments are protected by the ASI and
State respectively.
Except for 2-3 States, there is no adherence
to conservation norms such as preparation
of conservation plan, multidisciplinary ap-
proach including scientific analysis, land-
scape, risk management etc., schedule of
rates, supervision and monitoring etc. Prior-
itisation for monuments to be taken up for
conservation is missing.
A system needs to be developed to ensure
greater interaction, sharing of learning, joint
training programmes, possibly sharing re-
sponsibilities between the Circle and State
Archaeology. The State Departments should
adopt the National Conservation Policy of
ASI and put it into practice while undertak-
ing any conservation works on the state pro-
tected monuments. Each state should aim at
drafting a conservation manual customised
to styles, materials, techniques and crafts-
person-ship prevalent in the State. ASI may
take a lead in drafting such manuals based
on the range of their monuments across In-
dia. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 87
GapsRecommendations
e. Temple Trusts/Religious Institutions
A number of such religious trusts do not have
the resources or know-how to take up con-
servation works despite the inclination to do
so. Sometimes Conservation Works under-
taken by these organizations can damage
the structures substantially – one such case
is HR&CE where the devotees and subse-
quently the HC Judge filed Suo Moto case
on bad conservation works asking for a UN-
ESCO Mission to be taken up along with the
formulation of conservation guide lines and
manual as per traditional text of agama-
shastra and shilpashatras.
Special Training Programs to be offered by
ASI for such temple trusts/living monuments
who are open to learning about mainte-
nance, preservation and conservation of
their heritage structures. All stages of conser-
vation to be explained to them with training
programs for each. So, considering an av-
erage of 2 training programs per month, an
approximate budget of Rs. 2.5 Crores may
be allocated annually to ASI for its training
programs through the Institute of Archaeol-
ogy.
Exemplary cases of conservation taken up
by such institutions for example monasteries
in Ladakh, Golden Temple by SGPC, Ma-
habodhi Temple in Bodhgaya Trust and oth-
ers to be showcased as models for conser-
vation works to others. This is one segment of
India’s heritage which is quite self-sufficient
through their own funds generated through
the devotees that are channelized back
into conservation and maintenance of the
religious building. It is also fairly easy for them
to get funders for example,
Golden Temple works are often funded by
Sikh NRIs, Srirangam temple at Trichy and
many others in Tamil Nadu are funded by
TVS while a number of these were also fund-
ed through 13th Finance Commission. So, it
is only awareness and conservation training
that may be needed for the staff who main-
tains these religious buildings.
f. Unprotected Heritage and heritage buildings under CPWD
Heritage awareness and knowledge of Her-
itage Conservation are two aspects that
need to be focused on for unprotected her-
itage. These can be promoted through her-
itage manuals such as the ones prepared
by CPWD and through specialized training
program conducted by INTACH Heritage
Academy, UNESCO C2C- WII, Dehradun
and/ or Institute of Archaeology, ASI. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 88
Conservation Handbook by
CPWD; Source - cpwd.gov.in A NITI AAYOG REPORT 89
4. Key Action Points
4.1 National Policy on Conservation needs to be implemented vigorously
ASI should practice its conservation policy clause wise before approval of any conservation
project to be carried out on site by any Circle SA. The format for approval of conservation
works within ASI needs to be revised including a checklist box for clause wise adherence to
National Policy at the time of approval of estimates. It needs to be ensured that there is a
conservation plan prepared for the site which adhered to all sections of the Policy – includ-
ing a value based, scientific and holistic approach to conservation as outlined in section
4,5 and 6 of the policy. Articles on documentation 4.01, 4.04, 4.07, 4.21, 5.07 and 7.05 of
National Policy on Conservation to be put into practice by ASI and all State Archaeology
departments.
ASI also needs to compile and make a Manual of Orders, Policies and SoPs for annual veri-
fication of properties, objects and manuscripts on encroachments on violation of provisions
of the National Monuments Authority Act, the licensing provisions for excavation and report
writing, on estate management as well as its other myriad activities like MoUs with State Gov-
ernments and relating to “living” monuments.
4.2 Conservation Plan be prepared for the site before undertaking any conservation works
An overall conservation masterplan should be made for the whole project and should be
approved by a committee of leading professionals before execution. Some sites should be
identified where architectural members/ remains can be assembled (e.g. Sannati, Tadapa-
tri) and restored on the pattern of Angkor Vat restorations done by ASI.
A manual for conservation based on the integration of National Policy and John Marshall’s
Manual needs to be urgently prepared for use of all Circles. Similarly, ASI needs to create its
own schedule of rates and also revise the Works Code. A system of separation of technical
and financial powers as per CPWD norms was introduced in 2016.ASI should have a system
of periodically reassessing the delegation of financial powers. It should be mandatory for
a Note to be generated following each site inspection by an officer at any monument. To
simplify matters and ensure a timely note is recorded, a ‘Site Inspection register’ available
online could be maintained at all monuments to be filled in by visiting officers or indepen-
dent experts.
4.3 Provision for Work Audit needs to be incorporated
The format for approval of conservation works should be framed including a checklist box
for clause wise adherence to National Policy for all Annual Conservation Works submitted
by all Circles of ASI. All completed works of circles should have provision of work audit based
on this framework.
4.4 Region-wise empanelment of crafts persons
Engagement of Craftspeople as per Section 6 in National Policy needs to be implemented
by empanelling craftspeople region wise by each ASI Circle.
4.5 National Level awards to be given to ASI Circles, State Governments and other heritage
custodians
ASI Head Office should allocate National Level awards to be given to ASI Circles, State Gov-
ernments and other heritage custodians to recognise good conservation works. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 90
1. Excavation and
Exploration Policy to
be drafted and ad-
opted after public
discussion within 6
months period
3. Development
of laboratories for
post-excavation
analysis.
6. Re-exposing and
putting the excavat-
ed sites in public do-
main
4. Archaeology as a
separate cadre
5. Publication of
Excavation Reports
within 6 months
period
2. ASI Vision Plan to
be made for
exploration and
excavation.
5. Excavation
and
Exploration of
Archaeological
Sites A NITI AAYOG REPORT 91 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 92 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 93
1. Existing Status of Excavations and Explorations
Excavation and Exploration is the primary objective of the Ar-
chaeological Survey of India. Excavation includes functions such
as excavation and exploration. Other sub branches under this
also include underwater archaeology, epigraphy, prehistory
and Surveys (building survey, temple survey, village to village
survey). Excavation of archaeological remains has been one of
the primary responsibilities of the ASI. As per Sections 21 to 24
of the AMASR Act, 1958 an Archaeological Officer or an officer
authorised by him on this behalf or any person holding a license
granted in this behalf under the Act, may make excavation in
any protected or unprotected area. The ASI grants excavation
licenses and permissions, based on the proposals received from
different agencies like the ASI, State Departments of Archaeolo-
gy Universities and Research Institutions every year. The propos-
als are examined and recommendations are made by Central
Advisory Board of Archaeology (CABA) chaired by the Minister
of Culture and assisted by a Standing Committee of CABA. The
process is as below:
• Exploration and Excavation all over the country is regulated by
ASI
• Applications are invited every year by July end of a calendar
year
• A Standing Committee (SC) under Chairpersonship of Direc-
tor General, ASI, a sub-committee of Central Advisory Board of
Archaeology (CABA) scrutinizes and recommends for approval
• ASI regulates movement of samples for testing and analysis
abroad
ASI’s policy for Excavation and Exploration was approved in the
year 2015, but is under review keeping in view of the changing
conditions (Refer annexure for draft policy). As per the CAG Re-
port, the Survey was spending only 1 % of its total budget on
excavation/ exploration. Now it has been by the Ministry to in-
crease it to 5 % of total budget in first phase. It is praiseworthy
that due to crunch of fund, no excavation has been stopped
mid-way or not taken up in a year despite proven potential till
date.
2. Gaps and Recommendations
Excavated Site of Dholavira, Gu-
jarat; Source - visitindia.org.in
Ongoing excavation at Rakhi-
garhi, Haryana; Source - https://
www.outlookindia.com/
5 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 94
GapsRecommendations
a. Policy
A centralised information system at the ASI
HQ regarding the functioning of CABA, grant
of licenses, reasons for rejection of proposals
and status of accepted proposals is missing.
Only limited records of meetings held by
CABA are available. ASI adopted the Exca-
vation Policy in 2015. However, a need is be-
ing felt to update this policy keeping in view
the changing scenarios, advancement in
technology, etc.
a. Policy: Draft Exploration and Excavation
Policy needs to be finalised and adopted.
Five sub committees of CABA were formed
in 2009 to examine specific issues in the func-
tioning of ASI. These recommendations need
to be revisited. CABA should be reactivated
as a body for interaction with Universities and
other expert bodies and its meetings held in
the prescribed time frame. (Refer Annexure
for CABA constitution)
While drawing up action plans under the
policy, the Ministry should ensure adequate
allocation of funds and effective utilisation
by ASI for excavation and exploration of ar-
chaeological remains. The Ministry should ex-
amine the legality of calling for applications
for exploration. This needs to be delicensed.
b. Exploration and Excavation methodologies
These are not updated and there is not
much use of GIS and Remote Sensing in ex-
ploration. Prehistoric and Neolithic periods
are still undefined and not updated. There is
less understanding of Harappans and con-
temporary cultures (eg. Ahar-Banas, Central
Chalcolithic, Deccan Chalcolithic) or even-
post-Harappan / late-Harappan cultures
since Harappan script is not deciphered so
far.
ASI has held meetings to draft a vision plan
for exploration and excavation. Minutes of
this meeting held on 11/10/2018 (refer An-
nexure) has valid recommendations on cat-
egorisation of excavated sites, focus on zon-
ing of Indian subcontinent for excavations
and explorations to understand regional
perspectives, taking up Prehistoric site inves-
tigations, Neolithic sites in all zones, studies
of farming cultures, reinvestigation of chal-
colithic sites, archaeology of iron age, histor-
ical age with emphasis of early and medie-
val history, ceramic assemblages from India
and non-Indian ceramics from other coun-
tries with their contribution to archaeology.
c. Labs, Database and Training
There is absence of specialised laboratories
for testing and limited experts for Archae-
obotany (only 1 expert each from Deccan
College and Birbal Sahni Institute), Archae-
ozoology (2 experts from Deccan College),
Geoarchaeology (no experts), Anthropolo-
gy (1 expert from Deccan College), Material
Analysis, Ceramic Petrology (1 expert from
MSU, Vadodara), Experimental Archaeolo-
gy (no experts)
GIS based centralized database should be
mandatory for all exploration and excava-
tion activities. Introducing new technologies
for large-scale exploration, e.g. Drone, LiDAR
and Satellite Remote Sensing Surveys. Better
documentation strategies for excavations
enabling better data retrieval, visualization
and interpretation is essential. Testing and
Analysis of Archaeological Materials along
with Lab facilities dedicated to archaeology
need to be sourced. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 95
GapsRecommendations
There is absence of database for ancient
building materials for reference and analysis
(eg. bricks, mortars, metals, stones, weap-
onry, etc.) and lack of training centres for
advanced applications (statistics, GIS, flint
knapping, analytical techniques)
Partnerships with national and foreign uni-
versities: Greater interaction with academic
institutions – national and foreign – through
conducting joint excavations will lead to ful-
filling the objectives of the excavation with-
out recourse to scarce funds. This will also ful-
fil an important educational role in training
the next generation of archaeologists. India
can learn from the example of Egypt, where
access to foreign universities has led to both
a greater appreciation of Egyptian culture
worldwide but also a spate of new finds ev-
ery year. ASI should place standard formats
for MoUS and collaborations on their website
which may be sourced online by interested
universities /organisations to approach ASI.
In addition to the Excavation Branches, ded-
icated teams of archaeologists should be
available at excavation sites including those
engaged by the ASI only for specific exca-
vations.
d. Publication of Excavation Reports:
Writing of the report on excavation is an inte-
gral part of any archaeological excavation.
While in most of the cases of excavations,
the reports are still not submitted as there
is no specified timeframe. Delayed report
writing also affects the condition and count-
ing of antiquities found during excavation.
A mechanism needs to be developed for
identifying important excavations for publi-
cation, while the mandatory reports have to
be published annually in the ASI publication
“Indian Archaeology – A Review”. Till the
final report is published many of the items
remained in the custody of the excavator
without proper records should be made
available to the ASI.
Far too many excavations carried out by
the ASI in recent decades have not culmi-
nated in the excavation report even though
mandatory reports have been received and
published in Indian Archaeology - A Review.
Any excavation project should not be con-
sidered closed until the mandatory report is
submitted, within a stipulated time period.
For the excavation to result in a meaningful
conclusion, the report should be freely dis-
seminated through the ASI website and pub-
lications. The progress of excavations by li-
cences should be monitored online, and this
information should be available in the public
domain.
e. Condition of Excavated Sites
There is no specific policy on the main-
tenance and excavation of the ancient
mounds protected by ASI. Many of these
are not fenced and taken up for cultiva-
tion, while the ones fenced are often en-
croached. A number of significant mounds
such as the ones in Rakhigarhi remain unpro-
tected (ASI protects only 3 of the 7 mounds
in Rakhigarhi).
ASI should focus on re-exposing and put-
ting some of the excavated sites in public
domain along with more such excavated
sites to be identified for an integrated visi-
tor experience. Conservation of excavated
remains should be considered to be part of
the conservation process and be undertak-
en by specialized archaeologists in collabo-
ration with relevant expertise. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 96
Excavations in post-indepen-
dence era (1960s) at Kalibangan
showing 1. House complexes, 2.
Ploughed field, 3. Hearths and
drains, 4. Fortification ; Source -
ASI
(Next Page) Archaeological ex-cavations at Dhaba in northern India; Source - cosmomagazine
GapsRecommendations
Many sites with rich deposits of archaeo-
logical remains have been destroyed due to developmental activities. There is no provision to conduct a Cultural Resource Management or Archaeological Impact assessment before developmental projects are taken up on the site. The exploration programmes are major activities of any in- stitution partaking the exercise, which brings to light artefacts, coins, sculptures, etc. De- licensing of exploration activities will lead to unscrupulous collection and pillage of sites and remains. Instead of delicensing, suit-
able provisions mayu be introduced in the
AMASR Act and Rules
Where excavated sites could be considered
of visitor and academic interest, conserva-
tion efforts here could ensure that the site
can be allowed to remain and not be buried
at the end of the excavation. Allowing the
site to remain exposed may require addi-
tional action to protect the archaeological
sites within a covered enclosure. In such a
case the covering should be well designed.
International Guidelines adopted by UNES-
CO in Delhi in 1956 may be followed for this
purpose.
f. Excavations by State Archaeology State Departments
Archaeological works are carried out by
most State Archaeology department with
prior information and permission from ASI.
A number of states have worked on several
archaeological excavations in recent years.
However, no details of excavations or pub-
lished reports are available. The most recent
excavations undertaken in last 2 years are
the Keeladi site in Tamil Nadu in association
with ASI and Kunal in Haryana in association
with National Museum. The Patanam site
excavated in Muziris area of Kerala is part
of the spice route and archaeologists from
China were also invited to collaborate in the
excavations.
State Departments should have a regular in-
terface and annual training programs under
ASI for guidance in matters of archaeology,
excavations, national and international col-
laborations, publications etc. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 97
3. Key Action Points
3.1 Draft of Excavation and Exploration Policy to be finalized and adopted after public dis-
cussion within 6 months period. Implementation of the policy should be taken up as per
clauses for excavation, prioritisation and publication.
3.2 ASI Vision Plan to be made for exploration and excavation.
The vision plan will help to prioritize sites to be taken up for excavation based on their zoning
and categorization.
3.3 Development of laboratories for post-excavation analysis.
Use of scientific methodologies and development of laboratories for post-excavation analy-
sis. Collaboration to be established with concerned laboratories within 6 months.
3.4 Archaeology as a separate Cadre
Adequate budget allocation and recognition of Archaeology as a Cadre and de-licensing
of exploration works (Refer Chapter 8, Upgradation of ASI, Page no. 150)
3.5 Publication of Excavation Reports within 6 months period
Submission of all pending reports on excavation and exploration within 6 months. These
should be published within the stipulated deadline mentioned in the draft Excavation and
Exploration Policy of ASI.
3.6 Re-exposing and putting the excavated sites in public domain
Sites excavated by ASI and other associated institutions across India should be protect-
ed and conserved adequately with coverings to allow public access and visitors. The sites
should be showcased with proper interpretation and visitor facilities. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 98
1. Budget
2020-21 proposed five
archaeological sites to
be developed as iconic
sites with on-site
Museums. These should
be completed in next 3
years. Clear Action Plan
to be finalised.
2. Clear Action Plan
to be finalised for
the proposed mu-
seums in Rakhigarhi
(HR), Hastinapur (UP)
Shivsagar (Assam),
Dholavira (GJ) and
Adichanallur (TN).
4. An inter-
disciplinary team of
specialists,
archaeologists,
curators, exhibition
designers need to be
engaged
5. Financially
sustainable and
revenue generation
models to be adopted
3. ASI should finalize
world class projects
for 2 site museums
Hampi and Sarnath
within next 3 months
6. Developing
Site Museums A NITI AAYOG REPORT 99 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 100
1. Burzahom Site Museum
2. Kangra Fort Museum
3. Ropar Museum
4. Sheikh Chili’s Tomb, Thanesar
5. Kalibangan Museum
6. Jageshwar Museum, Almora
7. Purana Qila Museum, Archaeological Museum (Red Fort),
Indian War Memorial Museum (Red Fort), Swatantra San-
gram Sangrahalaya (Red Fort), Swadhinata Senani Smarak
Sangrahalaya (Salimgarh), and Children’s Museum, Delhi
8. Deeg Palace Museum
9. Fatehpur Sikri Museum
10. Taj Museum, Agra
11. Piprahwa Site Museum
12. Gwalior Museum
13. Residency Museum
14. Shivpuri Museum
15. Rani Jhansi Museum
16. Sarnath Museum
17. Vaishali Museum
18. Vikramshila Museum, Antichak
19. Cooch Bihar Palace Museum
20. Surya Pahar Museum, Goalpara
21. Chanderi Museum and Period Museum, Chanderi
22. Khajuraho Museum
23. Bodhgaya Museumm
24. Nalanda Museum
25. Hazarduari Palace Museum, Murshidabad
26. Sanchi Museum and Sir John Marshall Memorial, Sanchi
27. Archaeological Museum, Dholavira
28. Archaeological Museum, Lothal
29. Tamluk Museum
30. Ratnagiri Museum
31. Lalitgiri Site Museum
32. Konark Museum
33. Kondapur Museum
34. Bijapur Museum
35. Nagarjunakonda Museum
36. Amravati Museum
37. Badami Museum
38. Aihole Museum
39. Velha Goa Museum, Goa
40. Kamlapur Museum, Hampi
41. Halebidu Museum
42. Chandragiri Museum
43. Tipu Sultan Museum, Srirangapatana
44. Fort St George Museum, Chennai
45. Mattancherry Palace Museum
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
Archaeological Site Museums in
India; Source - asi.nic.in A NITI AAYOG REPORT 101
1. Existing Situation of Museums
1.1 Site Museums
ASI has 50 Site Museums at the moment at various centrally pro-
tected monuments. The concept of an Archaeological Site Mu-
seum has been derived from showcasing the artefacts near an
archaeological site / monument that have direct association
thus respecting its provenance. Site Museums are popular as
these present authentic information about a site through the re-
covered artefacts; intended for researchers and general visitors.
Initially site archaeological museums had static displays of ob-
jects so most site museums established in the past do not have
an engaging experience. ASI has now framed a new Vision for
Museums: Museums as edutainment centre through improved
display/ design and visual stores, photography room, activity
room, e-galleries, etc. Audience to have engaging / interactive
experience with interpretation/ interactions special walks, cura-
torial talks special activities (enjoyment, inspiration, creativity),
workshops/ training/ 3D-4D films and internships.
Most of the Archaeological museums have now been up-grad-
ed in terms of general layout, gallery plans, information/ inter-
pretative panels, lighting, disable-friendly environment, etc. In
order to nurture best practices in archaeological site museums,
guidelines have also been formulated in 2013 in association with
6
Indian War Memorial Museum, Naubat Khana of Red Fort, Delhi; Source - wikipedia IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 102
Getty Conservation Institute, USA and the British Museum, UK
(Refer annexures for detailed guidelines). These guidelines were
prepared to monitor museum development and management
in all its major spheres of activity and to fund research, conserva-
tion, interpretation, and visitor services and setting-up of efficient
management structures.
1.2 National Level Museums
National-level museums in India come directly under the admin-
istrative control of Ministry of Culture, Government of India. Al-
lahabad Museum, Indian Museum Kolkata, National Gallery of
Modern Art, National Museum, New Delhi, Salar Jung Museum
Hyderabad, Victoria Memorial Kolkata along with 23 science
centers under the National Council of Science Museums and 50
site museums under the Archaeological Survey of India are cat-
egorized as National Level Museums.
1.3 State Archaeology Museums
The state archaeology departments have their own museums
across various states and UTs in India, which are listed on the web-
site of each state archaeology/UT department website. These
zonal museums are located in different cities and sites, show-
casing rare antiquities and findings from excavation sites or col-
lections sourced from different museums, collectors or through
donations. Other than the state level museums, there are district
level and local museums as well, which are managed by the Ar-
chaeology departments.
Victoria Memorial Museum, Kol-
kata; Source - wikimedia com-
mons A NITI AAYOG REPORT 103
Website of the Directorate of
Archaeology, Archives and Mu-
seums, Madhya Pradesh; Source
- archaeology.mp.gov.in
2. Gaps and Recommendations
GapsRecommendations
1. Museum Policy
Though ASI has developed specific guide- lines for Site Museums in association with the Getty Conservation Institute in 2013, it has not been formally adopted as a policy. Neither are these guidelines followed during site museum planning and implementation.
ASI should adopt and adhere to the Muse- um Guidelines developed by them in 2013 in association with the Getty Conservation Institute.
2. Museum Planning and Expertise
There is no long term Museum Plan or in- volvement of required team of experts for designing the site museums. Usually the Cir- cle SA taken and initiative to display the ar- tefacts in the available site area.
Review of every site museum’s collection, display, condition of building by an inter-dis- ciplinary team will lead to the preparation of a Museum’s Development plan and define funding requirements and potential to meet museum objectives including improved visi-
tor experience and instilling a sense of pride in the local community. With a Development Plan being available, there can be a signifi cantly improved utilization of available funds and even the possibility of raising funds from IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 104
GapsRecommendations
non-governmental sources.
Modern museums need specialist consultants
– archaeologists, curators, local & art histori-
ans, architects, exhibition designers, graphic
design specialists, lighting design, engineers,
archivists, conservators, amongst others. An
inter-disciplinary team of specialists should
be available to every Superintending Ar-
chaeologist responsible for development of
an existing site museum or the creation of a
new facility. All of the above-mentioned spe-
cialists should be involved in the preparation
of a development plan for the site museum
and should provide SMART suggestions.
3. Museum Interpretation and Displays
Existing site museums lack interactive and
interpretive displays to explain the exca-
vations and relation of artefacts with the
site. At several site museums, the exhibition
has not changed since these were estab-
lished even though, our understanding of
the site would have evolved with improved
research. Also, availability of modern tech-
nology and equipment such as specialized
lights, AR and VR can help in significantly im-
proving the museum experience.
More interactive and digital displays should
be integrated with the gallery designs. Col-
lections on display should also ensure ambi-
ent environment for conservation and safety
of the artefacts.
4. Museum Facilities and Amenities
Existing site museums of ASI lack basic facili-
ties such as adequate number of toilets and
water points. They also need to be upgrad-
ed with basic amenities such as cafes and
souvenir shops.
4. Museum Facilities and Amenities: To
achieve financial sustainability, museum
shops with site specific souvenirs, cafes with
local cuisine, auditoriums for film shows, pub-
lication of available research on the site are
required. These could be rented out to pri-
vate operators on the basis of a carefully
written set of rules to ensure these facilities
not only bring in revenue but also enhance
the visitor experience. Operating costs also
need to be kept in check and use of renew-
able energy, energy efficient lighting and ar-
chitectural design can help lower operating
costs. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 105
Site Museum at Hampi; Source - ASISite Museum at Sarnath; Source - ASI
GapsRecommendations
5. Museum Outreach
Events and programs for exhibitions and
talks at the site museum are held through
the Circla SA. A regular calendar of activi-
ties is lacking. More involvement of the com-
munity will also help in enhancing the muse-
um experience.
Each museum should develop its annual
outreach program of activities, events and
exhibitions to engage all segments of visitors
– children, adults, families etc. To lower costs,
site. Museums should also actively seek vol-
unteers from the local community to man-
age visitors. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 106 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 107
3. Key Action Points
3.1 Budget 2020-21 proposed five archaeological sites to be developed as iconic sites with
on-site Museums. These should be completed in next 3 years. The proposed museums are
Rakhigarhi (HR), Hastinapur (UP) Shivsagar (Assam), Dholavira (GJ) and Adichanallur (TN).
Clear Action Plan to be finalized for all.
3.2 ASI should finalize world class projects for 2 site museums Hampi and Sarnath within next
3 months. Some work on these museums has already been initiated. Residential quarters
should be built for staff of site museums that are located in remote areas.
A model site museum should also be set up at Ahichchhatra archaeological site in UP
3.3 The guidelines for Museums adopted by ASI in 2013 (as part of MoU with the Getty Con-
servation Institute) should be practiced in all 6 identified spheres of Museum Development
for any site museum of ASI:
1. Research and Dissemination
2. Preservation and Conservation
3. Interpretation and Presentation
4. Education and Outreach
5. Visitor Services and Amenities
6. Administration and Management
3.4 An inter-disciplinary team of specialists, archaeologists, curators, exhibition designers
need to be engaged.
For each site museum a scientific and specialist assessment should be carried out. This should
be aimed at listing immediate, short term (one year), medium term (2-5 years) and long term
(5-10 years) actions to bring available knowledge, technology and equipment to each of
the Site museums.
3.5 Financially sustainable and revenue generation models to be adopted for Museum Op-
erations and Maintenance.
There should be focus on adaptive reuse and community use of museum structures with
more involvement of community and sustainable components such as cafes, crafts souvenir
shops and exhibition spaces for revenue generation.
Sheikh Chili’s Tomb, Thanesar;
Source - wikimedia commons IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 108
7. Heritage Tourism, Revenue
Generation and Marketing A NITI AAYOG REPORT 109
7. Crowdfunding/
community
funding/ CSR
8.Tourism
Experience to
cater to all
segments of
Society
Action
Points
1. Adopt
Revenue
Generation Mod
-
el through PPP
Schemes
2.
Professional
and focused
marketing effort
with Information
Technology and
Promotion
3. Each ASI
site to be treated
as separate profit
centres
4. ASI
revenues to be
ploughed back
to the site
5. National
Culture Fund –
To be made
autonomous
6.Processing
of the pending
MoUs under Adopt
a Heritage to be
accelerated IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 110 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 111
Krishna Temple, Hampi; Source -
gettyimages
1. Existing Revenue Generation
An average distribution of funds is allocated to all the field offic-
es. The field offices on a yearly basis prepare projections both for
revenue and capital outlay in the ensuring financial year. Priority
is given to works of urgent nature required to preserve or con-
solidate a monument or special works at World Heritage Mon-
uments. An annual conservation plan is drawn out by the field
offices of ASI,i.e., Circles and Mini Circles and submitted to the
headquarter for approval. It largely depends on the need and
wish and will of the concerned official.
A substantive step up in fund allocation (Rs 350 crores in 2016-17)
for construction of toilet blocks, publication and sales counters,-
cafeterias, landscaping and pathways, parking, parking path-
ways and drinking water units besides protected boundaries and
disabled friendly access account for much of the enhanced ex-
penditure since 2016-17. Such works are being executed through
WAPCOS and TCIL.
Revenue Generation Model
ASI’s overall expenditure grew by 18% from 2016-17 to 2017-18,
and 2% from 2017-18 to 2018-19, in parallel revenue growth was
10% and 22% respectively, indicating a positive trend that needs
to be continued, what is also evident is a push to spend more to-
wards actual conservation, maintenance and amenities aspects
that any other aspect. In 2016-17 ASI spent only 31% of its overall
expenditure towards conservation/maintenance; this was 44%
in 2017-18 and 42% in 2018-19. A welcome trend that must be
pushed for.
Recently, ASI has incorporated a range of online and e-facilities
for monuments that are appreciable.
Online E-ticketing – Online and computerised E-ticketing is im-
plemented at all 142 monuments and 30 Site Museums. Online
Combo Tickets are available for different monuments in Delhi
and Agra. Credit / Debit Card facility is also available.
Wi-fi facility – It has already been implemented at 31 monuments.
Online Permissions – Permissions have to be taken for Construc-
tion, Filming, Photography, Videography, Procurement of archi-
val images, Excavations and for holding special cultural func-
tions (for government functions only).
E-governance - Several online portals have been created for
connecting the field offices of ASI on a common e-platform fa-
cilitating paper-less office and speedy decision making.
However, the website of the Archaeological Survey of India is
7 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 112
not updated and needs a more rigorous check for weekly up-
dates. Most of the circle websites are non-functional because
the annual maintenance funds have not been disbursed to the
IT professionals handling the website.
Online and computerised E-ticketing is implemented at all 142
monuments and 30 Site Museums. Online Combo Tickets are
available for different monuments in Delhi and Agra. Credit /
Debit Card facility is also available.
Preparation of guidelines for categorization of a ticketed mon-
ument is in process. Generally, footfall of the visitors at the mon-
ument is taken into consideration while identifying new monu-
ment to be brought under category of ticketed monuments.
Year ASI’S OVERALL EXPENDITURE (Rs. In Crores)
EXPENDITURE ON CONSERVA -
TION, MAINTENANCE, AMENI-
TIES, ETC. (Rs. In Crores)
REVENUE EARNED FROM TICKETS (Rs. In Crores)
2016-17769.08 239.55223.34
2017-18939.40 410.77247.89
2018-19962.29 405.83317.20
e-ticketing service for monu-
ments on the ASI website; Source - asi,nic.in A NITI AAYOG REPORT 113
2. Existing Schemes and Programs
2.1 Ministry of Culture Schemes
The Ministry of Culture has several Systems, Programs and
Schemes that support funding, infrastructure and upgradation
of protected and unprotected heritage across India. The major
schemes are briefly summarised here:
i) National Culture Fund
The National Culture Fund (NCF) was established as a funding
mechanism distinct from the existing sources and patterns of
funding for the arts and culture in India. It was to enable institu-
tions and individuals to support arts and culture directly as part-
ners with its government.
The National Culture Fund (NCF) was set up by the Government
of India as a Trust under the Charitable Endowment Act, 1890
through a Gazette Notification published in the Gazette of India
28th November, 1996. NCF is managed by a Council and an Ex-
ecutive Committee. The Council is chaired by the Hon’ble Minis-
ter of Culture and has members representing the corporate and
public sector, private foundations and non-profit organizations.
The Executive Committee is chaired by the Secretary, Ministry of
Culture
Govt. of India vide their orders in Aug.-Sep.98 notified that the
donations to the national Culture Fund will be eligible for tax
benefit under section 10 (23C) (iv) and 80 G(2) of the Income Tax
Act. The National Culture Fund (NCF) was created as a Trust in
November 1996.
The NCF is managed and administered by a council to decide
the policies and an Executive Committee – to actualize those
policies. The Council is chaired by the Union Minister of Tourism
& Culture and has a maximum strength of 24 including both the
Chairman and Member Secretary, A team of 19 members rep-
resent various fields including corporate sector, private founda-
tions and not-for-profit voluntary organizations. The purpose for
this structure is to increase non-government representation in the
decision-making process.
Any State Government or voluntary organisation with a known
record of service in the field of art and culture and registered un-
der the Societies Registration Act 1860 (21 of 1860) or registered
as a Public Trust at least for the last two years will be eligible for
applying for financial assistance from the NCF for a specific proj
“The National Culture Fund (NCF) was established as a funding mech-
anism distinct from the existing sources and patterns of funding for the
arts and culture in India.” IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 114
ect. Individuals are not entitled to financial assistance under this
scheme.
ii) Museum Upgradation Scheme
The objective of the scheme is to provide financial assistance for
setting up of new Museums by State Governments and Societ-
ies, Autonomous bodies, Local Bodies and Trusts registered under
the Societies Act, to strengthen and modernize the existing mu-
seums at the regional, state and District level, digitization of art
objects in museums across the country for making their images/
catalogues available over the website and for capacity building
of Museum professionals.
Financial assistance is given for the establishment of new muse-
ums, development of existing museums, digitization of art objects
in the museums and training of museums professionals of muse-
ums managed by State Governments, Societies, Autonomous
bodies, local bodies, Academic Institutions and Trusts registered
under the societies Act. The broad range will include (a) muse-
ums having collections of Antiquities, Numismatics, Paintings, Eth-
Jaisalmer Fort received NCF fund- ing, Rajasthan; Source - myguid- erajasthan.com
City Palace Museum of Udaipur, Rajasthan funded under Museum Upgradation Scheme; Source - MMCF, Udaipur A NITI AAYOG REPORT 115
nological collections, Folk art and others including Art & Crafts,
Textiles, Stamps etc. (b) Online Virtual Museums displaying ob-
jects in any or all of the above disciplines and (c) Theme based
museums.
iii) Financial Assistance for Development of Buddhist/Tibetan Arts
and Culture
To give financial assistance to the voluntary Buddhist/Tibetan or-
ganizations including Monasteries engaged in the propagation
and scientific development of Buddhist/Tibetan culture, tradition
and research in related fields. This scheme can be utilised for
funding of art and building conservation works in Buddhist Mon-
asteries as it allocates upto Rs. 30 Lakhs for ‘Repairs, restoration,
renovation of ancient monasteries and Heritage Buildings asso-
ciated with Buddhism’.
Tawang Monastery, Arunanchal Pradesh can receive financial assistance; Source - wikipedia IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 116
Tirthankar circuit under the
Swadesh Darshan Scheme;
Source - swadeshdarshan.gov.in
Spiritual circuit under the
Swadesh Darshan Scheme;
Source - swadeshdarshan.gov.in A NITI AAYOG REPORT 117
2.2 Ministry of Tourism Schemes
For tourism infrastructure creation in the country, Ministry of
Tourism has two major schemes, launched during 2014-15, viz.
Swadesh Darshan - Integrated Development of Theme-Based
Tourist Circuits and PRASHAD Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spir-
itual, Heritage Augmentation Drive for development of tour-
ism infrastructure in the country including historical places and
heritage cities. 100 crores were provided to start the PRASHAD
Scheme.
i) Swadesh Darshan scheme
It has a vision to develop theme-based tourist circuits on the prin-
ciples of high tourist value, competitiveness and sustainability
in an integrated manner by synergizing efforts to focus on the
needs and concerns of all stakeholders to enrich the tourist ex-
perience and enhance employment opportunities. Under the
scheme fifteen thematic circuits have been identified for devel-
opment, as shown in the map.
Map of India showing the various circuits under the Swadesh Dar-shan Scheme; Source - swadesh-darshan.gov.in IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 118
Heritage Circuit - Often referred to as a living museum, India is
blessed with a rich history going back millennia, a vibrant heri-
tage and culture. With 36 UNESCO world heritage sites and about
36 in tentative list, the footfall and tourist interest in Heritage sites,
merits the intervention in Heritage Circuits. Aimed at preserva-
tion, sustenance and better interpretative components, the her-
itage circuit aims at meeting the needs of the global traveller.
Since the inception of the scheme, an amount of Rs. 6113.73
crore has been sanctioned for 77 projects with a total release
of Rs. 3250.72 crore (till 31.03.2019) covering all thematic circuits
under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme
During 2016-17 (up to 31.12.2016) Ministry of Tourism sanctioned
31 projects under Swadesh Darshan Scheme with Central Finan-
cial Assistance of Rs.2601.76 crore and Rs.506.47 crore has been
released.
“Aimed at preservation, sustenance and better interpretative com- ponents, the heritage circuit aims at meeting the needs of the global traveller.”
Statistics of projects and amounts sanctioned under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme; Source - swadeshdarshan.gov.in A NITI AAYOG REPORT 119
Details of Amount released under Swadesh Darshan
launched in 2014-2015, for Heritage related projectsS.
No.
State/AgencyProjectYear Amt. Sanc-
tioned (in
Cr.)
Amt.
Released
(in Cr.)
1. Madhya Pradesh Development of Heritage Circuit (Gwalior – Orchha –
Khajuraho – Chanderi – Bhimbetka – Mandu)
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
37.12
2016-17 99.77 19.95
2.Development of Buddhist Circuit in Sanchi-Satna- Re-
wa-Mandsaur-Dhar
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
3. Gujarat Development of Heritage circuit: Vadnagar- Mod-
hera and Patan
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
98.61 34.93
2017-1829.24
4.Development of Heritage Circuit in Ahmedabad- Ra-
jkot-Porbandar –Bardoli-Dandi
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
85 23.43
2016-17 93.48 18.7
5. Rajasthan Development of Heritage Circuit (Rajsamand (Kum-
bhalgarh Fort) -
Jaipur (Nahargarh Fort and Facade Illumination of
Major Arterial Roads of Walled City of Jaipur)- Alwar
(Bala Quila) – Sawai Madhopur (Ranthambore Fort
and Khandar Fort) – Jhalawar (Gagron Fort) – Chit-
torgarh (Chittorgarh Fort) Jaisalmer (JaisalmerFort)
Hanumangarh (Kalibangan, Bhatner Fort and Goga-
medi - Jalore (Jalore Fort)- Udaipur (Pratap Gaurav
Kendra)- Dholpur (Bagh-i-Nilofar and PuraniChawni)
– Nagaur (Meera Bai Temple)
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
99.6 33.82
2017-1819.92
6. Uttarakhand Integrated Development of Heritage Circuit in Kuma-
on Region – Katarmal –Jogeshwar-Baijnath-
Devidhura
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
79.12 24.58
2016-1716.39
7. Telangana Development of Heritage Circuit: Qutub Shahi Heri-
tage Park- Paigarh Tombs- Hayat Bakshi Mosque-
Raymond’s Tomb
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
99.42 24.94
8. Puducherry Development of Heritage Circuit2017-18 66.34 13.27
9. Uttar Pradesh Development of Heritage Circuit (Kalinjar Fort (Ban-
da)- Marhar Dham (Sant Kabir Nagar)- Chauri
Chaura, Shaheed Sthal (Fatehpur)- Mavahar Sthal
(Ghosi)- Shaheed Smarak (Meerut)
2016-17 41.51 3
10.AssamTezpur, Bamuni Hills, Kamalabari Ghat @ Majuli,
Samuguru Satra, Tribal Theme Village, Development
of Salmara Pottery Village, Peripheral Development
around Pond, Talatal Ghar - Main Complex @ Siv-
asagar, Joy Sagar, Rang Ghat, Chairaide Maidams
98.35
11.Punjab Anandgar Takhat Sri Keshgarh Sahib, Pathway Near
Sri Anandpur Sahib, TIC with Cafeteria and Premises
and Parking, Interconnecting roads of Sri Keshgarh
Sahib and Sri Bhora Sahib and Sri Qila Fatehgarh Sa-
hib, Cheema Park, Virasat e Khalsa, Naina Devi Road,
Samadhi of Shahid Uddham Singh Ji, Jajah Haveli
of Diwan Todar Mal, Mir Mi ran Tomb, Sadna Kasai
Tomb, Sher
Shah Suri Chowk on Srihind Morinda Road, Aam Khas
Bagh, Gurudwara Sri Jyoti Swaroop, Sanghol Tourism
Facilitation Centre, Chowk of Morinda Bela Road
and Sanduan Road, Car and Bus Parking with Mod-
ern Toilet, Canal Embankment Promenade Gazebos
and Benches, Gadi Sahib Gurudwara, TFC Saragar-
hi Memorial, General Site Development and Illumi-
nation, Old Railway Station, VR Show, VR at Jallian-
wala Bagh, Khatkar Kalan, Lord Shiv Mandir, Banda
Bahadur Singh, Gurudwara Parking and Associated
Infrastructure, Thakt e Akbari, Quila Mubarak, Sheesh
Mahal, Gurudwara Shri Katalgarh Sahib
2018-19 99.94 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 120
ii) PRASHAD Scheme
Under PRASHAD scheme, 41 sites have been identified at present
in 25 states for development. Since the inception of the scheme,
an amount of Rs. 857.61 crore has been sanctioned for 28 proj-
ects with a total release of Rs. 396.67 crore till 31.03.2019.
During 2017-18 (up to 31.12.2017) Ministry of Tourism had released
an amount of Rs. 907.36 crore for the projects sanctioned under
Swadesh Darshan Scheme and Rs. 83.24 crore for the projects
sanctioned under PRASHAD scheme.
Since its launch, total 21 projects were approved under the
scheme with sanctioned expenditure of Rs. 587.29 crore out of
which Rs. 203.06 was released up to 31.12.2017.
Map of India showing the PRASAD cities; Source - civilsdaily.com A NITI AAYOG REPORT 121 S.
No.
State/Agency ProjectYear Amt.
Sanc-
tioned (in
Cr.)
Amt. Re-
leased (in
Cr.)
1. Uttar Pradesh Development of Varanasi, Phase 1 Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
6.12
2.Development of Tourist Facilitation Centre at
Mathura
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
2.81
3.Development of Tourist Facilitation Centre at
Vrindavan
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
2.80
4.Development of Mathura Mega Tourist Cir-
cuit, Phase 2
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
3.60
5.Development of Varanasi, Phase 2 Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
10.21
6. Kerala Development of Guruvayur TempleJan 2018 to
Mar 2019
3.83
8.92
7. Andhra Pradesh Development of Sirisailam Temple Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
13.30
4.16
2017-18 47.45 9.49
8.Development of SirisailamJan 2018 to
Mar 2019
11.04
9.Development of Amaravati Town, Guntur
District as a Tourist destination
2015-16 28.36 22.69
10.Uttarakhand Integrated Development of Kedarnath Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
5
5.43
11.Development of Badrinath ji Dham Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
11.77
12.Punjab Development of Karuna Sagra Valmiki Sthal
at Amritsar
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
1.30
13.Tamil Nadu Development of Kanchipuram Temple Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
4.94
14.Development of Velankanni, Nagapattinan
district
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
1.47
15.BiharDevelopment of Vishnupad, GayaJan 2018 to
Mar 2019
0.76
2014-15
16.Development at Patna Sahib2015-16 41.54 33.23
17.Gujarat Development of pilgrimage amenities at
Somnath
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
9.98
3.44
18.Development of infrastructure facilities at
Somnath
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
1.24
7.79
19.Development of promenade at Dwarka Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
5.53
20.Development of infrastructure at Dwarka Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
1.60
2016-2017 26.23 5.25
21.Jammu and Kash-
mir
Development of Hazratbal, Srinagar Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
5.52
22.Maharashtra Development of pilgrimage infrastructure at
Trimbakshewar, Nashik
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
8.49
23.AssamDevelopment of Infrastructure in and around
Kamakhya temple in Guwahati
Jan 2018 to
Mar 2019
5.03
2015-16 33.98 16.99
Details of Amount released under PRASHAD Scheme
launched in 2014-2015, for Heritage related projects IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 122
Ministry of Tourism extends its financial support to Central Agen-
cies like Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Port Trusts of India,
India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) etc. to develop
the potential destinations under their jurisdictions/control. A total
of Rs 82.01 crore has been released to various Central Agencies
for creation of tourism infrastructure related projects during Jan-
uary, 2018 to March, 2019.
iii) Heritage Hotels
To conform to the expected standards for different classes of
tourists, especially from the point of view of suitability for inter-
national tourists, Ministry of Tourism classifies hotels under the star
rating system. Under this system, hotels are given a rating, from
One Star to Three Star, Four and Five Star with or without alcohol,
Five Star Deluxe, Heritage (Basic), Heritage (Classic), Heritage
(Grand), Legacy Vintage (Basic), Legacy Vintage (Classic) and
Legacy Vintage (Grand). Ministry has introduced online system
of receiving, processing and conveying/ granting approvals for
hotel project, Hotel classification/ reclassification status to func-
tioning hotels and project level approval for hotel under con-
struction. This online process has also been integrated with pay-
ment gateway.
iv) Rural Tourism
The scheme of Rural Tourism was started by this Ministry in 2002-
03 with the objective of showcasing rural life, art, culture and
heritage at rural locations and in villages. The villages which had
core competence in art and craft, handloom and textiles as
also an asset base in the natural environment were selected. The
scheme also aims to benefit the local community economically
and socially as well as enable interaction between tourists and
local population for mutually enriching experience.
Under this scheme, funds up to Rs. 50.00 lakh for infrastructure
(hardware) of development and up to 20.00 lakh for capacity
building (software) of activities, are provided to State Govern-
ment for each identified site. Till 2015, 153 rural tourism projects in
28 States/Union Territories have been sanctioned by the Ministry
of Tourism including 36 rural sites where UNDP has supported for
capacity building.
Narain Niwas Palace Hotel, Jai- pur; Source - timesofindia.india- times.com A NITI AAYOG REPORT 123
v) Adopt a Heritage
This project is a key initiative of the Ministry of Tourism in close col-
laboration with Ministry of Culture and Archaeological Survey of
India (ASI), to develop the heritage sites / monuments and mak-
ing them tourist-friendly to enhance the tourism potential and
their cultural importance in a planned and phased manner. The
project focuses on active participation of Public / Private sec-
tor companies and individuals to partner in the noble social re-
sponsibility initiative through putting forth proposal for adopting
monument package(s) as per their interest and viability in terms
of a sustainable investment model under CSR. It is essentially a
non-revenue generating project.
The response to the project has been very encouraging as agen-
cies who have come forward, includes not only public and pri-
Rural Tourism scheme has been started by the Ministry of Tourism
Poster of the Adopt a Heritage Scheme; Source - adoptaheri-tage.in (Next Page)
Jantar Mantar, Delhi has been taken up under the Adopt a Heri-tage Scheme; Source - Wikipedia IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 124 S.
No.
Agency/Monument Mitras Name of MonumentState/UT
1.Dalmia Bharat Ltd. Red FortDelhi
2.Gandikota FortAndhra
Pradesh
3.Adventure Tour Operators As-
sociation of India (ATOAI)
Gangotri Temple Area & Trail to GaumukhUttrakhand
4.Trail from Village Stok to base camp of Mt. Stok KangriJammu &
Kashmir
5.Bliss Inn (India) Pvt. Ltd. (VRe-
sorts)
SurajkundHaryana
6.Yatra Online Pvt. Ltd. Ajanta CavesMaharashtra
7.Qutub MinarDelhi
8.Hampi & Hazara Rama TempleKarnataka
9.Leh PalaceJammu &
Kashmir
10.Resbird Technologies Pvt. Ltd.Development of Multi-Lingual Audio Guide for 3
Iconic Sites:
(i) Amer Fort, Rajasthan
(ii) Mahabodhi Temple, Bihar
(iii) Chandni Chowk, Delhi
Rajasthan,
Bihar, Delhi
11.Development of Multi-Lingual Audio Guide for 9
Iconic Sites:
(i) Dholavira, Gujarat
(ii) Somnath, Gujarat
(iii) Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi
(iv) Red Fort, Delhi
(v) Purana Quila Delhi
(vi) Fatehpur Sikri, Agra
(vii) Taj Mahal, Agra
(viii) Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu
(ix) Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh
Gujarat, Delhi,
Agra, Tamil
Nadu,Madhya
Pradesh
12.Gol GumbadDelhi
13.Interglobe Foundation Abdur Rahim Khan –i-Khana
14.Drishti Lifesaving Pvt. Ltd.Bekal FortKerala
15.Aguada FortGoa
16.Akshar Travels Pvt. Ltd. Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological ParkGujarat
17.Rani ki Vav, Patan
18.Sun Temple, Modhera
19.Buddhist Caves, Uparkot, Junagadh
20.Heritage Hotel, Hampi (A unit
of Indo Asia Leisure Services
Ltd.)
Krishna Temple, HampiKarnataka
21.Orange County Resorts & Ho-
tels Ltd.
Elephanta Stables, Hampi
22.Pattabhirama Temple, Hampi
23.Zenana Enslosure (Lotus Mahal), Hampi
24.Hotel Malligi Pvt. Ltd. Ugra Narsimha Temple, Hampi
25.Badavilinga Temple, Hampi
26.Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels
(P) Ltd.
Jantar MantarDelhi A NITI AAYOG REPORT 125 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 126
Homepage of indiatheland-
ofbuddha.in website; Source - in-
diathelandofbuddha.in
vate industry/ individuals but also schools and law firms. Till date, a total of 600+ registrations have been received, of which 37 Let-ters of Intent (LOI) were issued to prospective Monument Mitras for 106 sites. The selected agencies become “Monument Mitra” through the innovative concept of Vision Bidding, where the agency with the best vision for the heritage/ tourist site is given an opportunity to associate pride with their CSR activities and also get limited visibility in the premises and the Incredible India website. So far, 26 Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) have been awarded to 12 Monument Mitras for twenty-four (24) sites and two (2) Technological interventions across India. A more rig-orous system of coordination between Tourism and ASI is is essen-tial to fully utilise these schemes.
vi) Buddhist website
The Hon’ble President launched the Ministry of Tourism website on important Buddhist sites - indiathelandofbuddha.in on 23rd August 2018 during the International Buddhist Conclave (IBC), 2018. This website aims to promote and showcase the rich Bud-dhist Heritage in India and highlight the major destinations visit-
ed by Buddha personally across the country besides showcasing the Buddhist Heritage left behind by his disciples including the modern monasteries. The aim of this website is to showcase and project the Buddhist Heritage in India and boost tourism to the
Buddhist sites in the country, cultivate friendly ties with countries and communities interested in Buddhism and to provide our visi-
tors an easier way to learn about Buddhist Heritage and to allow the tourist to browse information based on their own choice. The new website is interactive and gives better access to information on Buddhism, Footsteps of Buddha, Buddhist Heritage, Monaster-
ies and many more. Since launch (i.e. Aug 23, 2018), 1.4 Million people visited the Buddhist website and United States (14%), Aus-tralia (10.4%), UK (9.5%), Singapore (8.4%) and Germany (7.5%) are the top 5 countries of visitors. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 127
Interface of the Incredible India
App; Source - Incredible India
App
vii) Incredible India Mobile App
Ministry of Tourism, on the 27th of September 2018, launched the Incredible India mobile application, to cater to the mobile friendly generation and digital initiatives of the government. In- credible India App is an innovative project of Ministry of Tourism to assist the international and domestic tourist to showcase In- dia as a holistic destination, revolving around major experiences such as spirituality, heritage, adventure, culture, yoga, wellness and more.
3. Gaps and Recommendations
Ministry/ Organisation
Yearwise Budget for Heritage (in crores)
2016-17 2017-182018-19 2019-20 2020-21
ASI769.08 939.40 962.29 1036.41 1246.75
MoC
For the development of
new and existing museums
and NCF (CSR)
85.17 (new)
71.03 (existing)
76.39 (new)
76 (existing)
Primary
Corpus 19.50
- NCF;
80.60 (new)
105.98
(existing)
90.59 (new)
351.33
(existing)
109 (new)
180.9
(existing)
India’s Heritage is underfinanced
A Comprehensive Vision for Heritage Budget and Planning is essential
Innovative means of finances are needed. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 128
GapsRecommendations
National Culture Fund
NCF has not been very successful in execu-
tion of its projects. Since its inception it shows
35 completed projects among which only
3-4 are associated with major site works in
protected monuments. Few projects such
as Jaisalmer Fort have not been completed
to its end and donors such as World Monu-
ment Fund backed out of the project after
several years of non-action. It shows 17 on-
going projects which also indicate very slow
progress. One of the reasons for NCF failure
is due to lack of regular meetings and deci-
sion making of the Council and the Commit-
tee on various relevant matters which leads
to slow progress and disinterest of the donor.
The cumbersome procedures and reporting
chain in NCF need to be re-looked at in par-
ticular in order to amend the structure and
make it more conducive and efficient. NCF
should be made fully autonomous. The CEO
should be the Member Secretary of the Ex-
ecutive Committee with a board of luminar-
ies of the business world should be appoint-
ed to the Board of the Fund.
Museum Upgradation Scheme
This has been a very successful scheme of
the Ministry of Culture with more than 50 mu-
seums upgraded and new museums con-
structed by various State Governments and
Private Trusts. If the museum is located in a
historic structure then the scheme also al-
lows 30-40 of the grant amount to be utilised
in the conservation of the Museum building.
More State Governments and private foun-
dations need to avail of this scheme for con-
servation and reuse of their heritage build-
ings.
Facilities and Amenities under Tourism Schemes
The Tourism Schemes cover visitor facilities
in Monuments of National Importance and
State level. Gaps are observed in design and
implementation of such facilities in terms of
Reuse and Architectural Design that need
to be monitored by ASI and State bodies.
Monuments that do not attract a large num-
ber of visitors and those which have no asso-
ciated cultural/religious sensitivity should use
as venues for cultural programme with the
twin objectives of promoting the associated
intangible heritage as well as increasing visi-
tor numbers to such sites. Cultural events at
poorly visited monuments as well as ‘living
monuments’ will help increase awareness of
these sites and provide much needed alter-
nate cultural events for the city they stand
within.
a. Reuse Wherever possible, facilities built
earlier should be adapted to serve new
needs and effort should be made to house
facilities within portions of the monument it-
self. Reuse is recommended at historic sites
for being cost effective and as a means to
improving maintenance of sites. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 129
GapsRecommendations
b. Architectural Design Ticket counters, toi-
lets, drinking water points, site interpretation
centers, publication counters are often seen
to be built without any architectural design
inputs. Thereby disfiguring the historic char-
acter – often at the entrance zone of the
monument complex. It should be essential
for any facility being built at any national
monument to be designed by a registered
architect.
Furthermore, the ASI should set up a review
committee on the lines of the ‘Delhi Urban
Art Commission’ with external experts to re-
view any design prior to its construction.
c. Siting and sharing of facilities: In some
locations, facilities at monuments can also
serve the needs of the local community and
this should be encouraged where it is possi-
ble to do so without compromising the pres-
ervation of the monument in any respect.
Car park ing, toilets, gathering places in
densely populated or rural areas are some
facilities that can be shared with the com-
munity.
Car parks should be carefully placed and
designed in consultation with a conserva-
tion architect/ urban planner or landscape
architect. Car parks can be located a dis-
tance away from the site/ monument to en-
sure the character of a site is not compro-
mised to create a car park. No trees should
be cut to create a car park and appropriate
landscape treatment of the car park should
be mandatory.
d. Site Interpretation and Community Use:
It is important that finally the cultural signifi-
cance of the site and its history is communi-
cated to the visitors and community in the
best possible and simplest manner. All as-
pects of lifestyle, history, artwork, architec-
tural styles, water systems, setting and land-
scape should be communicated in the best
possible manner with authentic research
and use of latest display technology at Inter-
pretation Centres. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 130
GapsRecommendations
Visitor Management
Apart from building state-of-art and well-de-
signed infrastructure at ASI and State pro-
tected sites, there is a need for either great-
er collaboration with the ministry of tourism
or placing of visitor managers at each of the
popular monuments.
Special focus is required for visitor manage-
ment on site. Site managers for this purpose
are essential along with regular training of
on-site staff for handling specific locations.
Carrying Capacity Studies of sites need to
be conducted to ensure the optimum num-
ber allowed in a particular location/site at a
certain time.
Work Progress of MoT Schemes
Work Progress under SWADESH Darshan and
PRASHAD needs to be much faster. Most of
the projects promised by the State Govern-
ments are running behind schedule.
Progress under Adopt a Heritage Scheme
has been very slow, even for the MoUs
approved in 2018; not much work can be
seen in terms of on-site execution. Most
Monument Mitras are running behind their
committed schedule as per MoUs. The final-
isation of 14 new MoUs is pending since De-
cember 2018 (almost 1 year now). There is
a lack of coordination between Tourism and
ASI officials because of which the process of
approvals and execution is very slow. Mon-
ument Mitra’s also need to be monitored to
deliver quality work within the committed
time.
Monitoring Committee for Monument Mitra
under Adopt a Heritage to review ongoing
works under signed MoUs for their quality and
adherence to timeline ASI and MoT need
to urgently finalise the 14 pending MoUs for
Monument Mitra along with a timebound
delivery plan by the Monument Mitra. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 131
4. Key Action Points
4.1 Adopt Revenue Generation Model through PPP Schemes
Push for revenue growth will require investments towards improving services, facilities and
attractions that will generate visitor interest and eventually footfall. These investments can
be funded through a public-private partnership that will allow the government to ensure
that heritage conservation remains primary focal area and that commercial interest does
not interfere with that objective. This is true for both currently ticketed as well as other sites.
PPP Mode can be adopted to attract funding from various Public and Private Sector Enter-
prises. Collaboration with state governments for undertaking development works – to be
undertaken jointly by ASI and State Governments while core conservation activities are to
be undertaken by ASI only (e.g., Raigad Model). Ministry of Tourism to directly give funds to
ASI for development of amenities around a monument rather than giving it to various state
tourism departments
Economic sustainability is a key challenge in conservation and development of heritage
sites for tourist/visitor interest, state funding can get it going, but it is critical that a self sustain-
ing economic cycle kicks in, this is especially true for the major protected monuments, and
these have potential to generate revenue that can help conserve, protect and develop the
others.
4.2 Professional and focused marketing effort with Information Technology
A professional and focused marketing effort (with a strong digital component) is required to
generate visitor interest; this must factor in the sheer number of monuments, hence a need
for a clear strategy that will promote the ASI assets effectively. This strategy must also be in-
tegrated with state level tourism plans for impact on the ground.
Even though ASI has adopted online ticketing, wifi facility on sites, online permissions and
e-governance, but the website of the Archaeological Survey of India is not updated and
needs a more rigorous check for weekly updates. Most of the circle websites are non-func-
tional because the annual maintenance funds have not been disbursed to the IT profession-
als handling the website.
4.3 Each ASI site to be treated as separate profit centres
Efforts are made to generate revenue through the monument. In addition to entry fee rev-
enue is also generated through granting permissions for film shooting, culture events, sale
of publications, grass auction, fruit auction, sale of photographs, etc. There is a proposal to
bring more centrally protected monuments under the category of ticketed monument. A
decision has been taken to open souvenir shops at selected monuments. In this direction an
MoU has been signed with Handicrafts and Exports Corporation (Ministry of Textiles). Initially
shops will be opened at Qutub Minar and Sarnath.
Food and Beverage revenues are largely not leveraged to the extent possible, sites with al-
ready heavy footfall loose a massive opportunity here, These F&B services can be provided
to cater to the wide range of socio-cultural;-economic diversity that we represent, this com-
ponent has immense potential. Lease/Rental/ Revenue Sharing models are used globally in
this respect that can be mirrored. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 132
ASI should consider starting with a few sites to try different models to serve as profit centres,
there is no one glove fit all option here, an open mind set is required. Key monument clusters
should have revenue targets with appropriate accountability within ASI.
4.4 ASI revenues to be ploughed back to the site
Currently, ASI has no surplus revenue and depends on the annual budget allocation. Provi-
sion should be made for special authorities for the primary ticketed monuments so that fee
from each monument can be directly utilized for the upkeep of the monument,
Mechanism for retaining money earned out of entrance tickets and other sources for the
purpose of conserving and maintaining monuments to be evolved in consultation with rele-
vant ministries.
4.5 National Culture Fund – To be made autonomous
The cumbersome procedures and reporting chain in NCF need to be re-looked at in par-
ticular in order to amend the structure and make it more conducive and efficient. The CEO
should be the Member Secretary of the Executive Committee with a board of luminaries of
the business world should be appointed to the Board of the Fund.
4.6 Processing of the pending MoUs under Adopt a Heritage to be accelerated
The success of this initiative would be possible if ASI is more liberal and open to adopting
tourist friendly practices, without impacting their core responsibility of preservation of the
monuments. A positive relationship between ASI and Tourism needs to be put in place. De-
lays in required permissions and clearances is presently hampering the implementation of
the project at several sites.
A high-level Committee with representatives from the Ministries of Tourism and Culture, ASI
and concerned State Government / UT Administration may be set up for resolving issues and
expediting approvals, for moving ahead with the Adopt a Heritage project.
4.7 Crowdfunding/ community funding/ CSR
From ‘crowd funding’ to ‘community funding’ new funding models are thriving, ASI can con-
sider opening up to local communities to make them stakeholders, community participation
can provide solutions both in terms of visitor interest as well as financial support, but this will
need a huge shift in how ASI functions as on date. This can also assist in managing the en-
croachment issue more effectively.
It is also important to include local community in review of designs and maintenance of
monuments. E.g., volunteers for heritage walks, maintenance of historical spaces, creating
opportunities for local economy (crafts and other production), etc.
The ASI should prepare or commission project proposals that could be attractive for corpo-
rates to fund. Implementation for conservation works could be undertaken by the ASI or a
third party. Restoration of the Humayun’s Tomb Finial was possible with funding from Titan
Company; conservation of Rahim Khan-i-Khanan’s Tomb. with funding from Indigo and con-
servation of Sabz Burj with funding from Havells. These examples need to be replicated on a
national scale A NITI AAYOG REPORT 133
4.8 Tourism Experience to cater to all segments of Society:
All heritage sites should develop special programmes for engaging School students’ visits
with a round the year calendar for children’s workshops, activities and events. Special Her-
itage walks to enhance visitor experience with proper interpretation and storytelling on site
or specialised interpretation centre needs to be implemented. Souvenir shops with innova-
tive local crafts products need to be established.
The signages need to be pleasing and legible. All ASI Blue Boards should be redesigned
them with details about the site. Orientation and sensitizing of guides, car drivers and Police
officials around the sites/ monuments needs to be taken up. All Heritage Sites have to be
made disaster resilient. App based guide details should be made available in public domain
A Domestic Tourists Marketing Strategy needs to be developed and implemented for cap-
italising each heritage site to its optimum interlinking both tangible and intangible benefits,
events, programs, performances besides the built heritage experience of the site.
Humayun’s Tomb illuminated at night; Source - financialexpress.com IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 134
8. Upgradation of the Archaeological
Survey of India
Strengthening of old and introduction of new verticals
Scale upgradation at par with UGC A NITI AAYOG REPORT 135
NATIONAL DATABASE
AND DOCUMENTATION
Implementation of
comprehensive database
and documentation
system
CONSERVATION
Implementation of
National Conservation
Policy
EXCAVATION
Notification of Draft
Policy for excavation
and exploration
EPIGRAPHY
Sourcing of language
experts and training
programs
MANAGEMENT
Use of revenue from
tickets for conservation
works
ANTIQUITIES
Strengthening of CAC
guidelines
HORTICULTURE AND
LANDSCAPE
Draft policy on hydrology
and re-creation of
traditional water systems
UNDERWATER
ARCHAEOLOGY
Revival of underwater
archaeology wing with
NIO, Goa IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 136 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 137
1. Exisitng Situation of the Archaeological
Survey of India
1.1. Introduction
ASI was formed in December, 1861, with the purpose of survey-
ing, identifying and documenting the monuments. It is perhaps
one of the oldest organisations in the world with the mandate to
explore and preserve monuments. It became a central organisa-
tion in 1902 under the British, with the clear purpose of the survey
of antiquarian remains, including exploration and excavation,
preservation of monuments and archaeological sites, epigraphi-
cal research and development of archaeological site museums.
In 1904, the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act was passed
to provide for the preservation of ancient monuments, for the
exercise of control over traffic in antiquities and over excavation
in certain areas.
In 1953, after the merger of the Princely States (1948-49) with rest
of India, ASI undertook the additional responsibility of maintain-
ing monuments and sites of national importance which were for-
merly looked after by the erstwhile Princely States.
A new Act called the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological
Sites and Remains Act, 1958 (henceforth AMASR Act, 1958), was
passed which extends to the whole of India and is still operation-
al after its amendment in 2010. In 1972, the Antiquities and Art
Treasures Act (henceforth AAT Act), 1972 was enacted to regu-
late the export trade in antiquities and art treasures and to pro-
vide for the prevention and smuggling of, and fraudulent deal-
ings in, antiquities. The Act has been in force since April, 1976.
India has also ratified the UNESCO Convention on the ‘Means of
Prohibiting and preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of
Ownership of Cultural Property and the Archaeological Survey of
India is charged with the responsibility of implementing this Con-
vention. India also signed the World Heritage Convention, 1972
in 1977 and ASI is the nodal agency to process all World Heritage
matters.
To summarise its international obligations, India is the signatory to
various declarations on heritage management, of which the fol-
lowing are signed by India with ASI being nodal agency for the
World Heritage Convention signed in 1977:
8
Bekal Fort, Kerala; Source - wiki-media commons IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 138
Ratification by IndiaUNESCO Culture Conventions
15 December 2006 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of
Cultural Expressions. Paris, 20 October 2005
09 September 2005 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heri-
tage. Paris, 17 October 2003.
14 November 1977 Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and
Natural Heritage. Paris, 16 November 1972.
24 January 1977 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illic-
it Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property.
Paris, 14 November 1970.
16 June 1958 Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Proper-
ty in the Event of Armed Conflict. The Hague, 14 May 1954.
16 June 1958 Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event
of Armed Conflict with Regulations for the Execution of the Con-
vention. The Hague, 14 May 1954.
ASI is guided by the Central Advisory Board of Archaeology
(CABA) formed in 1945 chaired by the Hon’ble Minister of Cul-
ture. It is the advisory body which deals all the matters concern-
ing Archaeological Survey of India like archaeology, conserva-
tion, its functioning and other matters. The Standing Committee
of CABA scrutinises and recommends for exploitation and ex-
cavation and issue of permissions. CABA meetings are to be or-
ganised annually by ASI while CABA subcommittees have been
formed to guide ASI at various levels. CABA members were last
inducted for a periiod of 2014-18 (refer Annexure) and it needs
to be reconstituted now.
As an attached office of the Ministry of Culture, the organisa-
tion, headed by the Director General, has a 3-tier administra-
tive structure: ASI Headquarter based in Delhi headed by the
Director General, 5 Regional Directorates headed by Regional
Directors, 29 Circles headed by Superintending Archaeologists
and 3 Mini Circles headed by Deputy Superintending Archaeol-
ogists. The Circles and Mini-circles are the field offices of ASI that
implement the mandate of the organisation. Apart from these,
ASI also takes up its various activities through the directorates of
Epigraphy, Science and Horticulture branches, and through its
various Survey offices such as Excavation/Exploration, Building
and Temple Surveys.
ASI states its Vision as:
1. To explore country’s rich past by continuously evolving ar-
chaeological narrative;
2. Preservation of monuments and archaeological sites for pos-
terity;
3. Monuments and archaeological sites as centre-piece of edu-
cation; and
4. Authentic cultural/historical experience for visitors A NITI AAYOG REPORT 139
The important functions of ASI are identified as:
a. Exploration / Excavation
b. Protection of Monuments and archaeological sites
c. Registration and Regulation of trade of antiquities
d. Maintenance and Conservation and Environmental De
velopment
e. Archaeological Site Museums
f. Research and Publications
g. Epigraphical Surveys (Sanskrit, Dravidian, Arabic and Per
sian)
h. Institute of Archaeology
2. Branches of ASI
2.1 Science Branch
The ASI has laboratory facilities in the Science Branch, Dehra-
dun and other field offices of Science Branch. Scientific anal-
ysis of excavated material is being carried out with the assis-
tance of the Science Branch and various external institutions
like Birbal Sahni Institute and Physical Research Laboratory, and
NRLC, Lucknow and IIT Kanpur. There is an inordinate delay in
getting the results of the dating samples. This has adversely af-
fected the capacity building and research activities of the ASI.
2.2 Horticulture Branch
The Horticulture Division in ASI maintains the gardens in and
around the monuments. As against 98 gardens in 1982, the Horti-
culture Division presently maintains about 506 gardens covering
2352.91 acres. Presently, there are only 04 Divisions, each Division
overseeing several States. It is grossly understaffed vis-à-vis the
norms laid down by CPWD for Horticulture staff.
2.3 Excavations and Explorations
Excavation and Exploration is the primary objective of the Ar-
chaeological Survey of India. Excavation includes functions such
as excavation and exploration. Other sub branches under this
also include underwater archaeology, epigraphy, prehistory
and Surveys (building survey, temple survey, village to village
survey). Excavation of archaeological remains has been one of
the primary responsibilities of the ASI. As per Sections 21 to 24
of the AMASR Act, 1958 an Archaeological Officer or an officer
authorised by him on this behalf or any person holding a license
granted in this behalf under the Act, may make excavation in
any protected or unprotected area. The ASI grants excavation
licenses and permissions, based on the proposals received from
different agencies like the ASI, State Departments of Archaeolo-
gy Universities and Research Institutions every year. The propos-
als are examined and recommendations are made by Central IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 140
Advisory Board of Archaeology (CABA) chaired by the Minister
of Culture and assisted by a Standing Committee of CABA. The
process is as below:
• Exploration and Excavation all over the country is regulated by
ASI and State Archaeology Departments
• Applications are invited every year by July end of a calendar
year
• A Standing Committee (SC) under Chairpersonship of Direc-
tor General, ASI, a sub-committee of Central Advisory Board of
Archaeology (CABA) scrutinizes and recommends for approval
• ASI regulates movement of samples for testing and analysis
abroad
ASI’s policy for Excavation and Exploration was approved in the
year 2015, but is under review keeping in view of the changing
conditions. As per the CAG Report, the Survey was spending only
1 % of its total budget on excavation/ exploration. Now it has
been by the Ministry to increase it to 5 % of total budget in first
phase . It is praiseworthy that due to crunch of fund, no excava-
tion has been stopped mid-way or not taken up in a year despite
proven potential till date.
2.3.1 Underwater Archaeology
It was established a specialist Branch for Underwater Archaeolo-
gy in 2001. There was no perspective plan or policy for Underwa-
ter Archaeology though it is a very significant section with India
Excavation at Dholavira, Gujarat carried by ASI; Source - ASI
“India has a coastal area of more than 7500kms with several archae- ological remains underwater including historic shipwrecks and entire cities like Bet Dwarka. ” A NITI AAYOG REPORT 141
as a peninsular country and its centuries of cultural exchange via
the Indian Ocean with other countries. Being a signatory to the
UNESCO Convention for Underwater Archaeology, it has an im-
portant role to play in this sector. ASI has undertaken17 projects
till May 2011. However, the only trained Superintending Archae-
ologist in this field was sent on deputation to Assam University in
2011. Another trained ASA and a photographer were posted in
Archaeological Museum and Chemical Branch, Jaipur respec-
tively. The Branch virtually has become defunct due to lack of
specialised manpower.
ASI has signed MoU with Institute of Oceanography, Goa and it is
important to revive this branch in collaboration with NIO includ-
ing their involvement in Project Mausam.
2.3.2 Epigraphical Studies
Epigraphy is the Branch of Archaeology dealing with the deci-
pherment and interpretation of inscriptions found in various me-
diums like stone or terracotta, metal, etc. These Inscriptions were
mostly written in ancient languages/scripts, some of which is lost
now.
The main function of the Epigraphy Branch is to undertake an
epigraphical survey in India and to document the inscriptions on
stone, copper-plate and other materials written in Sanskrit, Dra-
vidian and other languages. After deciphering and transcribing,
the inscriptions are listed out in the Annual Report on Indian Epig-
raphy. However, there are no Acts/Rules/guidelines pertaining
to the Epigraphy Branch. Also, the number of experts in epigra-
phy for Arabic/Persian and Sanskrit/Dravidian language are de-
creasing in number which is a serious concern.
2.3.4 Prehistory Branch
Various Branches and Circles of the ASI carry out archaeological
excavations in different parts of the country. Prehistory branch
focuses in particular on prehistoric sites such as Bhimbetka and
others. Its scope covers problem-oriented survey including explo-
ration and excavation of prehistoric sites, research on the en-
suing exploration and excavation work, preparation of reports
based on the field work and interaction with various universities
and research institutions.
Bet Dwarka, Gulf of Cambay, In-dia - A potential for underwater archaeology; Source - reddit IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 142
2.3.5 Architectural Survey Project
Architectural Survey Projects include the Temple Survey Projects
(North and South) and Building Survey Project. The main func-
tions are:
•Survey and documentation of temples of various periods and in
different parts of the country, research based on the field survey,
preparation of reports on the survey;
•Survey and documentation of all secular architecture espe-
cially unprotected buildings bearing aesthetic. Historical and
architectural value, research on the survey and preparation of
reports;
•Interaction with various universities and research institutions.
2.4 Site Museums
ASI has 50 Site Museums at the moment at various centrally pro-
tected monuments. The concept of an Archaeological Site Mu-
seum has been derived from showcasing the artefacts near an
archaeological site / monument that have direct association
thus respecting its provenance.
2.5 Antiquity
Antiquity Section is entrusted with the responsibility of implement-
ing the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972 enacted by the
Parliament which came into force with effect from 5th April, 1976
to regulate the export trade in antiquities and art treasures, to
provide for the prevention of smuggling of and fraudulent deal-
ings in antiquities, to provide for the compulsory acquisition of
antiquities and art treasures for preservation in public places and
to provide for certain other matters connected therewith or inci-
dental or ancillary thereto. Under section 3 of the Antiquities and
Art Treasures Act 1972 no person other than the Central Gov-
ernment or any authority or agency authorized by the Central
Government in this behalf to export any antiquity or art treasures.
To facilitate the Customs authorities for export of Non-Antiquity,
ASI has posted an archaeologist of the rank of Deputy Superin-
tending Archaeologist (Group-A) to examine the objects when-
ever referred by Custom authorities. In addition, Archaeological
Survey of India has also constituted an Expert Advisory Commit-
tee at Circle level to issue Non-Antiquity Certificates.
2.6 Publications and Central Archaeological Library
The Archaeological Survey of India brings out a variety of publi-
cations since its inception, both annual and special with subject
matters ranging from archaeological researches in excavations,
explorations, conservation, architectural survey of temples and
secular buildings besides epigraphy and numismatics. In addition
to these, the survey brings out popular literature in the form of
guide books, folder/brochures, portfolio and picture post-cards A NITI AAYOG REPORT 143
on centrally protected monuments and archaeological sites.
The Central Archaeological Library was established in the year
1902. It is housed in the basement of the ASI headquarter office,
Tilak Marg, New Delhi. These library houses books and periodicals
on various subjects namely History, Archaeology, Anthropology,
Architecture, Art, Epigraphy & Numismatics, Indology, Literature,
Geology, etc. The library also houses many rare books, plates,
original drawings, etc. The books are classified according to the
Dewey Decimal System. The ASI maintains library in each Circle
and branch to cater to its academic and technical requirements
leading to research of primary nature.
2.7 NMMA
The National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities was launched
in 2007. Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is the nodal agency
for NMMA to implement the various activities all over the coun-
try. The time frame prescribed for its completion was five years. Its
mandate covers a comprehensive database with
• National Register on Built Heritage & Sites
• National Register on Antiquities.
2.8 Institute of Archaeology
The Institute of Archaeology was established in the year 1985,
by upgrading the School of Archaeology which was established
in 1959 for imparting advanced training in multidisciplinary field
of Archaeology, Epigraphy, Numismatics, Museology, Conserva-
tion, Antiquarian law, etc. The Post Graduate Diploma in Archae-
ology course, conducted in the Institute is of two years duration.
It is conducted by the faculty members of the Institute and the
Country’s eminent archaeologists as guest lectures. The Institute
of Archaeology is now shifted to a new campus at Greater Noi-
da and renamed at Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Institute of
Archaeology. Apart from the two-year PG Diploma course, the
institute also conducts short term courses, workshops and semi-
nars.
2.9 Circles
The Circles carry out archaeological fieldwork, research activi-
ties and implement the various provisions of the AMASR Act, 1958
and Antiquities and Art Treasures Act 1972. This may include the
following:
1. Carrying out village-to-village survey of antiquarian re-
mains; exploration of archaeological sites, documentation of
loose sculptures;
2. Excavation of archaeological sites;
3. Conservation and day-to-day maintenance of protected
monuments; IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 144
4. Providing basic amenities at the monuments for tourists;
5. Issuing permission for filming, photography and cultural
programmes at the protected monuments;
6. Organising public awareness programmes on various oc-
casions like Word Heritage Day (April 18), World Heritage Week
(November 17-25), Museum Day (May 18) and other important
occasions;
7. Registration of antiquities and issuing non-antiquity certifi-
cates;
8. Interaction with various universities and research institu-
tions. Wing.
2.10 Human Resources Management
ASI has been facing serious issues with staff and a proposal for
restructuring of ASI has been submitted to MoF. There is an acute
shortage of staff- lengthy processes for finalization of recruitment
rules.
In terms of conservation, the CAs are also burdened with admin-
istrative works like daily receipts and deposit of revenue, monitor-
ing of security, handling of legal cases, issue of notices to unau-
thorised constructions and other routine work. These additional
responsibilities significantly reduce the time available with them
for their prime responsibility of documentation, execution and
supervision of ongoing conservation works. A concerted effort
in the form of revision of RRs, recruitment against vacancies and
restructuring of ASI has been undertaken. The Epigraphy cadre
had nearly collapsed in the past due to the inability to find suit-
able candidates.
ASI has no separate cadre for staffing its Archaeological Site Mu-
seums. These posts are filled by Archaeologists. In restructuring a
proposal for separate cadre has been proposed for Archaeo -
logical Site Museums of ASI.
ASI has always faced the problems of shortage in sanctioned
strength across all cadres primarily in case of Monument Atten-
dants and Garden Attendants which was addressed through
outsourcing to some extent.
Security of monuments identified for preservation is a primary re-
sponsibility. Audit pointed out several shortcomings in the man-
agement of providing proper security to monuments resulting in
encroachments. The committee for the manpower infrastruc-
ture recommended engagement of 7000 additional security
personnel for these monuments. The transfer policy also creates
hindrances in the functioning of field offices. This also prevents
from long-term conservation goals. Also refer detailed note on
‘Restructuring of ASI’ in Annexure.
3. Gaps and Recommendations A NITI AAYOG REPORT 145
Central Antiquity Collection
Section Purana Qila - Fragment
of Bowl; Source - nmma.nic.in/
nmma
Central Antiquity Collection Sec-
tion Purana Qila - Fragment of
Pot; Source - nmma.nic.in/nmma
Central Antiquity Collection Sec-
tion Purana Qila - Fragment of
Panel; Source - nmma.nic.in/
nmma
GapsRecommendations
Antiquities
The Central Antiquity Collection (CAC) is a centre for the collection of the explored and excavated pottery and other antiqui- ties of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The CAC was created in the 1910s to mainly house the explored antiquities from Sir Aurel Stein’s Central Asian Expeditions (1906-1916). The CAC was initially estab- lished in the main building of ASI at New Delhi, which was later shifted to Safdarjung Tomb complex in 1958 and later to the pres- ent location, i.e., Purana Qila in 1974.
The purpose of the CAC is to serve as a re-
pository of artefacts and pottery of select
excavations for the purpose of education,
research and other related activities. owev-
er, it has deviated from its objective and has
merely become a storehouse of all the se-
lected excavations done by ASI.
The draft Antiquities and Art Treasures Bill has
been pending for a long time. This needs to
be finalised.
1. Guidelines for the CAC should be de-
veloped and implemented.
2. CAC should be incorporated in the
amendments of AAT 1972
3. The draft Antiquities and Art Treasures
Bill needs to be finalised.
(Next Page) Nishat Garden at
Srinagar; Source - indiainfo.help IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 146
GapsRecommendations
Underwater Archaeology
The Underwater Arhcaeology Branch in
ASI is currently inactive with no staffing.
Underwater Archaeology wing to be revived
in collaboration with NIO. ASI to incorporate
in its restructuring proposal. State Archaeol-
ogy with coastal monuments (Maharashtra,
Goa, Kerala, AP, TN, Orissa, WB etc.) to also
work on similar lines.
Horticulture and Landscape
A contextual approach to site setting, green
areas and landscape is missing. Most works
taken by horticulture branch follow the ‘pic-
turesque’ approach of British without linking
the monument with its period and style of
greens/ gardens. This wing often works in-
dependently whereas landscape work for
each site needs to be contextual and linked
to other ongoing works on site. So, a better
integration of this work along with Conserva-
tion and/or Archaeology works is required.
Define approach to landscape around
monuments and conservation of historic
gardens. ASI and non-ASI historic gardens of
Agra should be revived in the same manner
as the Tomb of I’timād-ud-Daulah. Ecologi-
cal considerations regarding native planta-
tions to be prioritised. Maintenance of gar-
dens may be outsourced with proper terms
of reference. Thoughtful Landscaping can
even support firefighting (see example of fire
at the Getty Center, USA in Oct 2019). A NITI AAYOG REPORT 147
GapsRecommendations
Restructuring of ASI
ASI needs to be equipped to handle diverse
range of activities. Besides its existing core
mandate, it needs enhancement of various
functions (operations) such as extra staff-
ing (RRs, filling up of posts, additional staff
requirements, etc.)effective management
and presentation, better visitor experience
in its monuments and need to create more
verticals within the organisation to cater to
the ever-growing function. A need for more
verticals within the organisation is felt for
a. Exploration/Excavations – Thrust on
Archaeological Sciences
b. Underwater Archaeology
c. Epigraphy
d. Museology
e. Documentation and Archiving
f. Marketing and Promotion of monu-
ments (IT)
g. World Heritage Matters
h. Projects and Planning
i. Monument and Buffer Management
– visitor management, developmental con-
trols, environmental management, traffic
and transportation, disaster management,
etc.
j. Capacity Building – Deemed Univer-
sity Status for the Institute of Archaeology
The solution, lies in having a relook at ASI
scales where they should be at par with ac-
ademia in the fields of archaeology, explo-
ration, excavation and epigraphy. Besides,
while stress has been given in the Draft Re-
port on empowering the DG to have a flexi-
pool of professionals, this practice is already
prevalent in ASI and there are no constraints
in hiring such professionals. In the case of
consultants, those contracts which involve
over Rs. 1 Cr. go to the Departmental Sec-
retary for approval. ASI also has many con-
sultants on its rolls. However, it can be specif-
ically recommended that in case posts are
not being filled up through the UPSC route(-
mainly in conservation engineers and archi-
tects), then consultants can be hired without
shackles at appropriate rates to bring in the
requisite multi-disciplinary and professional
expertise. Moreover, rather than converging
the number of verticals in different technical
fields, there should be more focus on collab-
oration with agents from all over the world in
different fields like DNA, palaeobotany, mu-
seology. To summarise, action is needed for:
- Increase in the budgetary allocation for
conservation
- Filling up of desired number of posts within
ASI
k. Legal Cell to handle legal matters of
encroachments with Heritage Legislation
Lawyers.
In terms of staffing, ASI Recruitment Rules,
which require the approval of UPSC, have
been periodically updated. Most of the
posts are, however, isolated and do not
have sufficient feeder cadres, as a result of
which the composite method of recruitment
is necessary as per DoPT Rules with compe-
tition in the open market or lateral induction
from universities, etc. However, as ASI scales
are below UGC scales, few aspirants apply
for such posts, which remain vacant.
- More thrust on R&D within the organization
in the field of conservation- Accreditation
for archaeological and conservation profes-
sionals;
- Certification and accreditation of crafts-
people in the domain of conservation
- Creation of a special corpus;
- Filling up of current vacancies. Also, Con
servation Architects should be involved in
ASI even at field offices to design proposals.
- Restructuring of ASI
- UGC scales to be provided for salaries
(Refer Action points, UGC pay structure on
page no. 152-153). IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 148
GapsRecommendations
Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS)
These are erstwhile Group D posts which
have been upgraded to Group C and
re-designated as MTS. 6152 posts have
been sanctioned and at any point of time
around 2000 posts remain vacant. Selection
is through SSC with minimum education till
10th std. However, in the last recruitment
drive for filling up 1365 vacancies, substan-
tial number of candidates were with higher
qualifications, including B.Tech and M.Tech.
Many of these candidates have left the ser-
vice on being selected elsewhere. The level
of attrition is very high. Further, as SSC con-
ducts the exam on All India basis, the candi-
dates selected are often not posted to their
home states leading to further attrition as
they are unable to sustain in a different State
at such a low pay scale. ASI is also facing a
problem as the candidates have to be de-
ployed at remote locations where they are
unable to cope due to language problem
and connectivity with the local traditions.
They also don’t engage in the cleaning of
monuments and the other work assigned to
then which does not commensurate with
their educational status.
ASI may retain only those many numbers of
regular Multi-Tasking Staff posts as required
for administrative works such as that of the
earlier posts of Office Attendant, Museum
Attendant. All posts of MTS required for duties
in monuments and Gardens may be filled up
only through outsourcing by engaging local
persons who feel more connected with the
monuments located in their home State. In
case of attrition, the Outsourcing Agency
will provide personnel with equal pace. The
experience with recruitment through SSC is
that the process takes 2 to 3 years to fill up
the vacancies. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 149
4. Key Action Points
4.1 Horticulture and Landscape:
ASI needs to draft an approach paper on landscaping and water hydrology and recreation
of traditional water systems. This may be an extension to the National Conservation Policy
that does mention some points related to landscape. Until this approach paper gets framed,
clause 4.18 for new landscaping and 4.19 for retaining historic landscape may be followed
in practice. Historic water systems in forts and settlements and, traditional stepwells are an
important heritage typology that needs to be addressed separately by ASI through engage-
ment of hydrology experts.
Conservation Plan needs to ensure that landscape, horticulture, water and hydrology fea-
tures are incorporated before approval of estimates for any conservation works.
4.2 Revive Underwater Archaeology
Pilot Project to be undertaken with other countries along with specialised training with NIO
and other international agencies like The Netherlands Ministry of Culture is supporting a num-
ber of South Asian and South East Asian countries in underwater archaeology training pro-
grams.
4.3 Induction of best of talents within the organisation with flexibility in engaging profes-
sionals, Pay-packet at par with the market (instead of government fixed rates) and flexi-pool
system to attract talent for conservation, designing and creating site museums, world class
facilities, nomination dossiers, etc.
ASI also has many consultants on its rolls. However, it can be recommended that in case posts
are not being filled up through the UPSC route, then consultants can be hired for one to two
years contracts at appropriate rates to bring in the requisite multi-disciplinary and profession-
al expertise. Moreover, there should be more focus on collaboration with agencies from all
over the world in different fields such as DNA laboratory, geology, IT related agencies, site
development, etc. It means that there is need for development of multidisciplinary approach
in ASI.
4.4 Creation of ICC Model (Cambodia Model):
ASI and MEA model which was operational for Cambodia and other overseas projects in-
cluding the following may be made operational:
• Dedicated Cell for Special Projects – e.g., Ladakh, Fatehpur Sikri, Hampi, Champan-
er-Pavagadh, etc.
• Creation of Special Ad-Hoc group of experts for monitoring projects
• Hiring of multi-disciplinary experts for each project and provision for hiring experts
• Bi-annual field visits and Technical sessions for effective monitoring
4.5 Restructuring of ASI:
The Action Plan for restructuring proposed by ASI includes:
The restructuring proposal submitted by ASI to MoC involves creation / abolition of posts so as
to reorganise different cadres to the extent possible in a pyramidal manner, consistent with
the requirements of posts on a functional basis, restricting lateral entry at group B non-gazett- IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 150
ed level and the entry level of Group A. In between, the departmental officers would move
upward on promotion basis only. Presently, due to direct recruitment at multiple levels, ASI is
unable to fill up vacancies with persons having requisite qualifications and experience. This
is the underlying principle of the proposal to be followed.
Division-wise additional posts to be included as approved by MoC: (Refer Annexure for de-
tailed note on Restructuring of ASI)
Archaeology cadre:
It is proposed to reduce the strength at Assistant Archaeologist level and to increase the
number of posts at the Assistant Superintending Archaeologist level (Group B Gazetted). This
is justified on the ground that at the field level, the archaeologists have to interact with high-
er officials of the State Government, manage Museums, World Heritage Sites and important
ticketed monuments and needs to be conferred with powers to expend money. Therefore,
more number of officers are required at the Gazetted level.
Conservation cadre:
The pay scale of engineers in CPWD starts with the entry level of Level-6 (Junior Engineer) in
CPWD. The minimum requirement for JE is Diploma in Civil Engineering. In ASI, the entry level
starts at Level-2, followed by Level-4, then Level-6. From Level-6 onwards it is on the same
pattern as in CPWD, because in ASI persons with ITI qualifications are also engaged for work
in the monuments. In the restructuring proposal, it has been proposed to abolish the posts of
Level-2 (Junior Conservation Assistant) and to make the entry level at Level-4 (Conservation
Assistant). However, sub-stantial increase at Level-6 (equivalent to JE of CPWD) has been
proposed.
Further, the overall strength of conserva tion staff is proposed to be increased to the extent
that a minimum of 4 staff (1 Sr.CA + 3 CA) are available per sub-circle (as against the existing
ratio of 2.5 conservation staff per sub-circle) to cater to an average of 20 monuments with
proportionate increase at the supervisory level.
Branches:
Strengthening Epigraphy Branch:
Rationalisation of posts in this Branch has been recommended to facilitate smooth upward
mobility of the personnel joining at the entry grade. More experts in Sanskrit/Dravidian, Per-
sian/Arabic need to be sourced from universities and training programs for ASI epigraphy
branch need to be organised with them.
The Horticulture Division
It is proposed to raise the number of Divisions to at least 06, corresponding to the proposed
number of ASI Regional Offices. Accordingly, proportionate increase in the staff strength has
also been proposed. To ensure effective supervision of the gardens at the field level with per-
sons having requisite professional qualifications, it is also proposed to increase the strength of
Horticulture Assistant Gr.II at Level 4 and to altogether abolish the present entry level posts of
Foreman (Hort.). The educational qualification prescribed for the post of Foreman (Horticul-
ture) in Level 2 is BSc. (Agri.) and as per the guidelines, the said qualification is sufficient for
entry at the level of Horticulture Assistant Gr.II at Level 4.
Administration Division:
Moderate increase in the number of staff strength has been proposed in Administration Di-
vision keeping in view the increase in the number of field offices. The posts of Store Keeper A NITI AAYOG REPORT 151
and Assistant Store Keeper are proposed to be abolished as these functions can be per-
formed by UDC / LDC with adequate training.
There are a number of senior level posts in ASI without sanctioned posts of stenographers
at the appropriate level to assist them. Hence, increase in the strength of stenographers at
various levels has also been proposed.
Creation of new PAOs for ASI :
ASI is presently handling a budget of Rs.1000 crores, whereas, there are just 02 PAOs, at Del-
hi and Hyderabad, to cater to scrutiny and passing of bills, maintenance of GPF accounts
of around 5600 personnel and settlement of pension which is in the range of one case per
working day. Therefore, it is proposed to open 04 more PAOs to correspond with the 06
Regional Directorates of ASI with a staff component of 01 PAO, 02 AAOs, 06 Accountants
per PAO raising the staff strength from the existing 35 to 54. These posts will be got encadred
with organized Accounting cadres to ensure availability of experienced officers to handle
budget & accounts and to exercise effective financial control over expenditure.
Auxiliary support services (Survey, Drawing, Photography, Art, Modeling Divisions):
The PAC in its Report dated December, 2018 has recommended that ‘more emphasis should
be given to recruitment of technical experts rather than auxiliary manpower’. Most of the
technical support services provided by the personnel in these Divisions are presently avail-
able on outsourcing basis and the Department may hire such services as and when needed.
Therefore, it is proposed to abolish 73 out of 110 vacancies lying vacant in these 05 Divisions.
Miscellaneous & Driver cadres:
There are a number of miscellaneous isolated posts in ASI for rendering various support ser-
vices. As it is possible to outsource such services, it is proposed to abolish such posts which
are lying vacant as well as those which would fall vacant in the coming few years. Similarly,
the vacant posts of Drivers are also proposed to be abolished as the vehicles can be driv-
en by MTS with valid driving license or can be outsourced. Accordingly, 10 posts of Drivers
and 21 miscellaneous posts which are presently lying vacant are proposed for abolition. In
future, as part of phased abolition, 121 of such posts will be abolished as and when they fall
vacant.
4.6 UGC Scales:
Archaeology:
The Archaeological Cadre is currently the backbone of ASI. Archaeologists conduct ar-
chaeological explorations, excavations, village surveys, as well as surveys of archaeological
monuments and sites, temples and buildings. They study the materials recovered in situ,
in their collections and also antiquities in the Museums under their control which include
sculptures, coins, rare objects, textiles, skeletal materials etc. They write Reports on their work
and publish research papers, besides giving lecturers, training researchers and PG students
in exploration, excavation and archaeology. Many supervise doctoral theses, are expert
examiners and even write dossiers for the World Heritage Committee for listing as World Heri-
tage Sites. The conservation and preservation of monuments is monitored and supervised by
Superintending Archaeologists, who bring their knowledge of ancient architectural canons,
geology and environment. The archaeologists of ASI have post-independence made the
major discoveries relating to the Harappan civilisation in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and
UP. Unfortunately, however, ASI’s ability to attract good talent is hampered by the fact that
UGC scales have not been extended to ASI. This has also led to attrition of talent from ASI to
Universities. The work of archaeologists in ASI is by its very nature both research and applied IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 152
research oriented, and includes teaching and training. Uniform pay scales would also facili-
tate easy interchange of academics by deputation between Universities and ASI.
Epigraphy:
The disciplines of archaeology and epigraphy are intertwined. Each reinforces the other
in identifying ancient sites, analysing antiquities, and interpreting archaeological finds. The
survey of monuments and inscriptions as well as the decipherment of inscriptions and scripts
by the Epigraphy cadre requires a knowledge and the application of Indian history and
philology, mythology and literature. This is a scholastic task, and the research done is pub-
lished. This once vibrant cadre, now near defunct, needs to be resuscitated in the interests
of retrieving India’s past. The entry level in this branch is Assistant Epigraphist and the essen-
tial academic qualification is post-graduation. Director Epigraphy, level 12, is a promotion
post for Supdt Epigraphist, failing which it is to be filled by deputation. However, there are
no candidates for either promotion or deputation. Similarly, the posts of Jt DG in Epigraphy,
which are to be filled by deputation (from Universities) are vacant. These unfilled posts need
to be revived and the entry level post of Assistant Epigraphist be equated with UGC scales
of Assistant Professor (Pay level 10) and so on and the two posts at the apex level of the
cadre at Jt DG level can be equated with Professor (HAG) Pay level 15. Such enhancement
of pay scales could draw the requisite talent which is now attracted to Universities and even
deputationists from Universities. Provisions should be made in their service rules to give some
weightage to teaching, training, research and extracurricular activities besides academic
qualifications at the time of giving a higher grade pay. The UGC regulations should be stud-
ied and modified to ASI requirements. The expansion of the archaeological cadre need
not be premised on the attrition of epigraphy. Under no circumstances should the posts be
surrendered merely because they are not filled up.
The estampage collection of the Epigraphy branch of ASI should be totally digitised and
categorised and uploaded onto museumsofindia.gov.in for the benefit of researchers and
encouraging multivocality. There has to be a special focus on the decipherment of the
Harappan script and a study of the links, if any, to the Brahmi script.
Pay scale:
The following pay structure is proposed for the existing designations in the Archaeological
Survey of India, keeping in view of the role of functions performed at the various levels, re-
sponsibilities, etc., in consonance with the UGC pay structure:
S. No.DesignationPay Level
Equivalent or com-parable in University
Pay Level
Proposed pay structure
1.Director General*15/16Vice Chancellor 16 Rs. 2,10,000 + Rs. 11,500 p.m. special allowance
2.Addl. Director General14 Pro Vice Chancellor14/15Rs. 1,82,000 + Rs. 5,000 p.m. spe-cial allowance
3.Joint Director General13 Professor (HAG) 15 Rs. 1,82,200 - 2,24,000 + Rs. 5,000 p.m. special allowance
4.Director12 Professor 14 Rs. 1,44,000 - 2,24,100
5.Superintending Archaeologist/ Epigra-phist
11 Associate Professor13ARs. 1,31,000 - 2,16,000
6.Deputy Superintending Archaeologist/ Epigraphist
10 Assistant Professor12 Rs. 79,800 - 2,09,200
7.Assistant Superintending Archaeologist/ Epigraphist
7 Assistant Professor11 Rs. 68,900 - 2,08,700
8.Assistant Archaeologist/ Epigraphist 6 Assistant Professor10 Rs. 57,700 - 1,77,500 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 153
* The Director General, ASI, thus can also function as Vice Chancellor of the Institute of Ar-
chaeology functioning under the Archaeological Survey of India.
The proposed pay structure in comparison / equivalent with the UGC pay structure will also
enable the ASI officers to select teaching roles in the Institute of Archaeology (Refer Ch 12,
Page no. 205-206 for information on establishment of Institute of Culture) functioning under
the Archaeological Survey of India as well as attract better talent and rejuvenate the aca-
demic and research activities of the organisation. However, for it to be successful it would
also require approval of the Restructuring of ASI so that the requisite number of posts are
available.The present full cadre strength in both the divisions is 379 against which the pro-
posed combined strength submitted to MoC is 457.
At present there is only a transfer policy for the archaeology cadre. There should be a trans-
fer policy for all cadres under which all officers should serve a prescribed part of their career
in the North East and Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.
Provisions should be made in the service rules to give some weightage to teaching, training,
published research and extracurricular activities by suitably adapting a modified version of
UGC regulations.
The current annual expenditure of ASI on salaries and emoluments is an estimated Rs. 360
crores. The additional expenditure for ASIs restructuring proposal which was submitted to
Ministry of Finance is Rs 43 crores. In addition, the cost of giving UGC scales to both archae-
ology and epigraphy cadres is Rs. 21.22 crores, thus making it a total cost of Rs 64.22 crores
per annum. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 154
9. Urban Heritage – MoHUA and ASI A NITI AAYOG REPORT 155
1.NMA to
activate
(100 + 200m)
boundaries with
MoHUA and town
planners
3. Smart cities
heritage projects
to follow HRIDAY
toolkit model
2.Heritage
Impact Assessment
to be conducted
for infrastructure
projects in all
heritage areas
Action
Points IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 156 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 157
1. Existing Schemes and Missions
To help promote cities as engines of economic growth through
improvement in the quality of urban life by facilitating creation
of quality urban infrastructure, with assured service levels and
efficient governance and for creating economically vibrant, in-
clusive, efficient and sustainable urban habitats, the Ministry of
Housing and Urban Affairs has launched 6 key Flagship Missions:
Smart Cities Mission, AMRUT, HRIDAY, Swachh Bharat, Pradhan
Mantri Awas Yojana - Housing for All (Urban) and National Urban
Livelihoods Mission
Among these Urban Schemes, HRIDAY was the first ever Urban
Development Scheme completely focused on Heritage in 12
cities and 100 percent centrally funded. SMART Cities is anoth-
er Scheme that covers major funding for urban heritage across
India including surroundings of several Centrally protected and
State level monuments. These have been briefly summarised here
in terms of their budget, impact, gaps and recommendations.
1.1 HRIDAY
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India,
launched the National Heritage City Development and Aug -
mentation Yojana (HRIDAY) scheme on 21st January, 2015, with
a focus on holistic development of heritage cities. The scheme
aims to preserve and revitalise soul of the heritage city to reflect
the city’s unique character by encouraging aesthetically ap-
pealing, accessible, informative & secured environment.
With a duration of 4 years 3 months (up to March, 2019) and a
total outlay of INR 500 Crores, the Scheme is being implemented
in 12 identified Cities namely, Ajmer, Amaravati, Amritsar, Bada-
mi, Dwarka, Gaya, Kanchipuram, Mathura, Puri, Varanasi, Ve-
lankanni and Warangal. The scheme is implemented in a mission
mode.
The Scheme supports development of core heritage infrastruc-
ture projects which shall include revitalization of urban infrastruc-
ture for areas around heritage assets identified / approved by
the Ministry of Culture, Government of India and State Govern-
ments. These initiatives shall include development of water sup-
The ghats of Varanasi, Uttar
Pradesh; uttarpradesh.org
Status of works of the HRIDAY Cit-
ies; Source - hridayindia.in
9 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 158
ply, sanitation, drainage, waste management, approach roads,
footpaths, street lights, tourist conveniences, electricity wiring,
landscaping and such citizen services.
100% funding will be provided by Government of India. INR 500
Crores have been allocated to the scheme, under the following
heads:
77 Projects amounting to Rs. 418.06 Crore have been approved
for all the 12 cities. Instalments amounting to Rs. 402.44 Crore
have been released to city mission directorates for execution
of approved projects. 55 projects amounting to Rs. 272.04 crore
have been completed. Remaining projects are under various
stages of implementation.
The following table highlights the earmarked amount to
each of the 12 Cities for the Scheme duration.
Map of India showing the HRIDAY Cities; Source - hridayindia.in A NITI AAYOG REPORT 159
Budget Components% AllocationFunds Allocated (Rs. Crore)
Project Implementation85 400+25
City PMU Establishment3 15
Administrative and Operating Expenses 1 5
Information, Education and Communication 4 20
DPRs and HMP preparation4 20
Capacity Development3 15
City Project
Imple-
mentation
City PMU
Estab-
lishment
Admin-
istrative
and Op-
erating
Expens-
es
IEC DPRs
and HMP
Devel-
opment
Capaci-
ty Devel-
opment
Total
Amount
in INR
Crores
Ajmer 30 0.79 0.25 1.50 1.50 1.00 40.04
Amravati 20 0.52 0.24 0.50 0.50 0.50 22.26
Amritsar 60 1.05 0.27 3.00 3.00 2.00 69.31
Badami 20 0.52 0.24 0.50 0.50 0.50 22.26
Dwarka 20 0.52 0.24 0.50 0.50 0.50 22.26
Gaya 35 0.79 0.25 1.50 1.50 1.00 40.04
Kanchipuram 20 0.79 0.25 0.50 1.00 0.50 23.04
Mathura 35 0.79 0.25 1.50 1.50 1.00 40.04
Puri 20 0.79 0.25 0.50 0.50 0.50 22.54
Varanasi 80 1.05 0.27 3.00 3.00 2.00 89.31
Vellankanni 20 0.52 0.24 0.50 0.50 0.50 22.26
Warangal 35 0.79 0.25 1.50 2.00 1.00 40.54
Total Alloca-
tion to Cities
400 8.91 3.00 15.0 16.00 11.00 453.91 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 160
Baradari, Ajmer; Source - asijai-
purcircle.in
Tomb Of Lal Khan Rajghat, Vara-
nasi; Source - apnabanaras.com
Aerial view of the Golden Temple
in Amritsar; Source - hridayindia.in A NITI AAYOG REPORT 161
1.2 Smart Cities Mission
The purpose of the Smart Cities Mission is to drive economic
growth and improve the quality of life of people by enabling
local area development and harnessing technology, especially
technology that leads to Smart outcomes. Area-based develop-
ment will transform existing areas (retrofit and redevelop), includ-
ing slums, into better planned ones, thereby improving liveabili-
ty of the whole City. New areas (greenfield) will be developed
around cities 7 in order to accommodate the expanding popu-
lation in urban areas. The Union Ministry of Urban Development
is responsible for implementing the mission in collaboration with
the state governments of the respective cities and the Mission
was launched on 27 August 2015.
Smart Cities Mission has provisioned for Heritage projects under
Convergence with other Central/State Government schemes.
The focus is on comprehensive development by integrating
physical, institutional, social and economic infrastructure. 39
Smart Cities have initiated 101 Heritage projects worth Rs. 1,439
crores under the Mission. Some Smart Cities engaged conser-
vation and heritage experts during the formation of Smart City
Proposals (SCPs). Further, the cities are utilizing services of her-
itage contractors for undertaking heritage projects and have
also hired specialized (skilled in heritage works) contractors for
heritage works.
As of 6th November 2019, 23 cities have tendered out 60 heri-
tage projects worth Rs. 551 crore, 20 cities have work ordered 53
heritage projects worth Rs. 495 crore, 10 cities have completed
26 heritage projects worth Rs. 130 crore, and 23 cities have 41
heritage projects worth Rs. 888 crores under DPR stage.
“As of 6th November 2019, 23 cities have tendered out 60 heritage
projects worth Rs. 551 crore, 20 cities have work ordered 53 heritage
projects worth Rs. 495 crore, 10 cities have completed 26 heritage
projects worth Rs. 130 crore, and 23 cities have 41 heritage projects
worth Rs. 888 crores under DPR stage.”
Statistics on the Smart Cities Mis-sion; Source - smartcities.gov.in/ IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 162
Map of India showing the Smart
Cities; Source - scroll.in Smart Cities Mission has developed framework documents (on
Complete Streets) that cover signage, street furniture, etc. avail-
able at National Institute of Urban Affairs website. Cities can cus-
tomize them for their own use/on heritage sites. Some smart cities
have prepared/ in the process of preparing city level street/sig-
nage toolkits e.g. Pune, Chennai, Ranchi. A Toolkit was prepared
by MoHUA for Warangal under HRIDAY available on the website.
Cities also have the guidelines prepared by CPWD at their dis-
posal: Handbook of Conservation of Heritage Buildings available
at National Institute of Urban Affairs website. The Cities as a prin-
ciple follow the building and zoning bye laws in heritage zone of
the cities. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 163
Complete Streets Workbook by
National Institute of Urban Affairs;
Source - smartnet.niua.org/ IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 164
S.
No.
City State/UT Outlined Heritage Projects Amount
(in
Crores)
Tender
Status
1st Round
1.Kochi Kerala Broadway Market and Ernakulam
market Redevelopment and Mat-
tancherry spice market
110.00
2.Jaipur RajasthanAdaptive reuse of heritage struc-
tures of old town hall to city museum
+ high end theatre
130.0
3.Udaipur RajasthanWalled City- Sewerage139.00
Walled City- Power Supply 129.00
Walled City- Drains, Relaying road &
utility duct
148.00
Walled City- Transport Infra 138.00
4.Belagaavi KarnatakaDevelopment of a Heritage Park 26.00
S. No.
City State/UT Outlined Heritage Projects Amount (in Crores)
Tender Status
Fast Track
1.Warangal TelanganaCreation of 21.98 ha of public parks
for tourism, leisure and recreational
activity. 9.08 km Heritage Walk for
connecting heritage and cultural
areas and hillocks in the ABD. De-
velopment of lakefront from what is
currently an urban backyard of the
city.
32.90
2.Panaji Goa
3.Agartala Tripura
4.Imphal Manipur Other Interventions157.10
Other Tourism Interventions 165.30
Other Facilities108.30
Development of a city level open
space Piazza at a strategic location
to encourage citizen interaction
and link the Heritage zone to the
shopping precinct.
Not given
separate-
ly
KANGLA FORT AREA - Development
of Open Spaces and Landscape
Not given
separate-
ly A NITI AAYOG REPORT 165
S.
No.
City State/UT Outlined Heritage ProjectsAmount
(in
Crores)
Tender
Status
2nd Round
1.Amritsar Punjab Open space & visible improvement of urban
area
113.08
Redevelopment of public amenities & facilities
by decongesting city core
202.33
Relocation of polluting densed urban clusters
from core city
784.00
2.Ujjain Madhya Pradesh “Aradhana path” -. Religious heritage corridor126.74
3.Gwalior Madhya Pradesh Revitalizing maharaj bada120.00
4.Hubli-DjarwadKarnataka Renovation of core city market areas 114.78
5.Madurai Tamil Nadu Heritage Precinct Improvement – Cultural
centers
148.00
Streetscape redesign – pedestrian pathways,
underground ducting: power & comm, Land
-
scaping, street furniture etc.
186.00
Visitor Amenities and Tourism Infrastructure -
Bus Terminal Redevelopment
110.00
Tourist Amenities – Tourist plaza, PIS info system,
WIFI, etc
130.00
6.Thanjavur Tamil Nadu Smart tourism app23.10
Light & sound show2.75
7.Agra Uttar Pradesh Enhancing experience of accessing - Im
-
provement of west gate, east and south gate
corridors
197.27
Development of Mughal Museum141.90
Development of Taj Orientation centre 231.80
Provision of tourist and mobility facilities168.00
Development of green walkway between
agrafort and Taj Mahal along Yamuna Kinara
road
1.95
Taj park2.40
8.Kanpur Uttar Pradesh Ganga riverfront development125.42
9.Varanasi Uttar Pradesh Culture cum Spiritual
Convention Centre- International center for
Art Gallery, Museum, IMAX Theatre, 1000-seat
-
er Auditorium, Music, Yoga & Spiritual Hall
211.00
Rejuvenation of Ghats under CSR by CCL 110.00
Inter Modal Hubs - including Footpath for pe
-
destrians, Feeder Buses and Bicycles at 26
metro stations
100.00
App for Assi Ghat - Online booking of Light &
Sound Show at Assi Ghat
Ghat Improvement under JICA1.47
Redevelopment of Manikarnika Ghat 6.00
10.Rourkela Odisha One stop Rourkela (including Entrepreneur
Center, Skill Development Center, Training
center, Tribal art center and show rooms craft
exhibition etc.)
196.02
11.Kohima Nagaland Discover Kohima Web/ Mobile apps for com
-
prehensive heritage and tourism promotion
1.50 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 166
Two noteworthy heritage projects under the Mission are
listed below:
Surat Castle Restoration
People of Surat and tourists are now able to tangibly see the rich
history of Surat through this project. With the redevelopment and
restoration, there has been an upsurge of public motivation and
has garnered huge public support. This is evident in the constant
enthusiastic enquiries from people about the history of the castle.
Perception of Surat city changing from textile and diamond city
to a historical city. Since the castle was opened to public access,
the site has witnessed a footfall of more than 37,000. Schools are
actively promoting awareness by bringing their students to wit-
ness the rich heritage of the city.
Restored Bastion in Surat Castle; Source - suratmunicipal.gov.in/
Restored Building housing the
Mughal Gallery, Armenian Gal-
lery, Trade Gallery, Court Room
and Dutch Lifestyle Room in the
Surat Castle; Source - suratmunic-
ipal.gov.in/ A NITI AAYOG REPORT 167
The Bhadrakali Lakefront Promenade
It is one of its kind in the country and is a signature project where
heritage is emphasized in every part of its design. 1.1 Kms is sub-
stantially completed and the execution for balance 2.7 kms has
commenced in October 2019.
Cap. Ex. - 68 Cr.
• Convergence - 18 Cr. (HRIDAY)
• State share - 50 Cr. (SMART CITY)
Proposed masterplan of the Bhadrakali Lakefront Develop-ment; Source - smartcities.gov.in/
Proposed view of the Bhadrakali
Lakefront Development; Source -
smartcities.gov.in/ IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 168
1.3 AMRUT
The components of the AMRUT consist of capacity building, re-
form implementation, water supply, sewerage and septage
management, stormwater drainage, urban transport and de-
velopment of green spaces and parks. The scheme is depen-
dent on public-private partnership model. 500 cities have been
selected under AMRUT. The category of cities that have been
selected under AMRUT is given below: All Cities and Towns with
a population of over one lakh with notified Municipalities as per
Census 2011, including Cantonment Boards (Civilian areas),
Thirteen Cities and Towns on the stem of the main rivers with a
population above 75,000 and less than 1 lakh, and Ten Cities
from hill states, islands and tourist destinations (not more than
one from each State).
The Scheme has the potential to fund historic parks in these cities.
2. Gaps and Recommendations
GapsRecommendations
1. Planning and Toolkit
Heritage Projects need to be synced with
the planning of the city and merge with typ-
ical historic character in different areas of
the city. This was successfully achieved to a
large extent in HRIDAY with preparation of
a City HRIDAY Plan and a special HRIDAY
Toolkit for street furniture design in different
historic parts of these 12 cities. However,
this aspect is missing in a number of historic
city areas being undertaken via Smart City
Scheme
HRIDAY has developed a good model for
Heritage Planning in the city and prepara-
tion of a Heritage Toolkit. Smart Cities focus-
ing on historic cores should adopt a similar
model to ensure that the proposed urban
conservation projects are in sync with His-
toric Planning and Historic Character of the
city.
2. Sustainability – environmental, socio-cultural and economic
Final success of these urban projects is de-
pendent on their long term sustainability in
all aspects- environmental, socio-cultural
and economic. It needs to be ensured that
no proposed project is impacting the nat-
ural or cultural heritage of the city, rather it
should be enhancing these aspects. Com-
munity inclusion and ownership is essential
for their use and maintenance. Viability of
project for PPP or on lease for long term
maintenance also needs to be explored
for projects. It is seen that a number of such
projects fall into disuse or are not maintained
after 2-3 years of execution thus resulting in
a waste of initial capital investment.
To ensure sustainability, following measures
need to be followed:
a. Heritage Impact Assessment of all major
infrastructure projects in historic areas with
natural/cultural heritage (refer CPWD Her-
itage Guidelines, ICOMOS and UNESCO
guidelines for this). A NITI AAYOG REPORT 169
GapsRecommendations
b. Projects should be participatory including
the community in reviewing design, involv-
ing them in maintenance such as volun-
teers for heritage walks, maintaining historic
public spaces for reuse, advising them on
maintenance for their historic houses, creat-
ing opportunities for local economy (crafts
and other production) through such urban
heritage upgradation. For example, at Hu-
mayun’s Tomb, a kiosk is provided for local
community to sell handicraft products with
designs inspired from the monument – cre-
ating significant income for women self-help
groups. Should also foresee long term main-
tenance and may be leased out. For exam-
ple, Ajmer had a good model for leasing out
HRIDAY project of Public Park and lakefront
adjoining the Baradari Site of ASI.
Cell, Model Byelaws by MoHUA and regular
Heritage training programs are essential to
remove this gap.
3. NMA Byelaws and ASI Approvals
Through a Gazette notification dated 23rd
August 2011, Govt. of India has notified An-
cient Monuments and Archaeological Sites
and Remains (Framing of Heritage Bye-laws
and other functions of the Competent Au-
thority) Rules 2011. (In short, CA Rules, 2011).
The Rules provide detailed procedure for
preparation of site plans (Rule 21) and its
parameters (FIRST SCHEDULE). The Rules also
provide detailed procedure for framing of
Heritage Bye-laws (Rule 22) and its parame-
ters (SECOND SCHEDULE). Rule 21, CA Rules
2011 provides for preparation of site plans.
DG, ASI shall make endeavors within a pe-
riod of 5 yrs (till 2016) to cause a survey to
be conducted in respect of all prohibited
areas and regulated areas of all Protect-
ed Monuments as per FIRST SCHEDULE. In
2018, through a Gazette notification dated
27th December 2018, the number of years
for preparation of Site Plans were increased
from 5 to 10 (until 2021) and the parameters
of FIRST Schedule were simplified.
ASI was to prepare site-plans for all sites with-
in five years, which period has lapsed. These
boundaries were to be verified by the local
Collector and the heritage by-laws were to
be prepared through notified Authorities, in-
cluding INTACH. Regional Documentation
Centers were to be created for public con-
sultation with RTI compliant websites. The
possibility of notifying some state Chief Town
& Country Planners (CTCPs) for preparing
draft site plans draft heritage by-laws needs
to be explored.The NMA has been unable to
draft bye-laws as per the requirement of the
Act for almost a decade. This is most unfor-
tunate and requires urgent remedy. A time-
line to prepare bye laws for all sites should be
drawn up and adhered to strictly.
One of the key parameters required to be
considered for the preparation of the site
specific Heritage Bye-laws includes matters
relating to heritage controls such as eleva-
tion, facades, drainage systems, roads and
service infrastructure (including electric
poles, water and sewer pipelines). IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 170
GapsRecommendations
Rule 22, CA Rules 2011 provides that Com-
petent Authorities shall prepare Heritage
Bye-laws in consultation with INTACH and
other notified heritage bodies as per the
SECOND SCHEDULE. Through a Gazette
notification dated 25th February, 2014, the
five Regional Directors’ of ASI were made
Competent Authority for preparation of Her-
itage Bye laws. The first tranche of Heritage
Byelaws was received by NMA through ASI
in February, 2018. The draft heritage bye-
laws are required to be considered by NMA
keeping the specific requirements of con-
ditions necessary for heritage controls such
as elevation, facades, drainage system etc.
Till date, Five Heritage Bye-laws covering 31
Centrally Protected Monuments have been
laid in both the Houses of Parliament. Five
Heritage Bye-laws covering 31 Centrally Pro-
tected Monuments have been laid in both
the Houses of Parliament.
Many of these infrastructure components are
not only related to conservation architecture
and require urban planning expertise for effi-
cient and effective heritage conservation of
protected monuments. Considering such as-
pects, it will always be beneficial to involve
Chief Town andCountry Planners for framing
bye laws for all ASI sites.
Heritage bye laws should include sugges-
tions to improve the immediate setting of
the monument. Here, instead of a ‘prohibit-
ed’ zone, an intensive urban design scheme
should be suggested. This could include sug-
gested provision for public facilities. Prohib-
ited zones should be limited to areas where
view corridors to the monument or archaeo-
logical remains are being compromised. The
NMA act already suggests it, but it needs to
be emphasized that the framing of bye laws
for national monuments should be an oppor-
46 Draft bye-laws covering 58 Centrally
Protected Monuments are under process.
Once approved, these Heritage Bye Laws
shall be laid before both the Houses of the
Parliament as per section 20E of the Act. To
expedite the process of preparation of Heri-
tage Bye Laws- Priority I, Priority II and Priority
III list of monuments (total 229 priority monu-
ments) have been prepared on the basis of
the number of NOC applications received
with respect to each monument.
While these initiatives are positive, the pro-
cess of preparing byelaws is too slow and
unlikely to achieve its next deadline of 2021
for preparing byelaws for all 3691 protected
monuments. One main reason for this delay
is the slow preparation of site plans by the
Regional Directors.
State Departments: While most have adapt-
ed the AMASR act into their State Act, no
further policy or clear vision is evident for
State Protected Monuments.
tunity to implement the UNESCO Historic Ur-
ban Landscapes resolution – to which India
is a signatory. This would require Heritage
Bye laws to take into consideration any
monument or site contemporary or linked
to the national monument through histor-
ical events or culural context. Such a site/
monument should be considered part of the
national monument – even if segregated –
and the ‘prohibited and regulated zones’
calculated accordingly. Instead of ensuring
a blanket prohibitive zone, design guidelines
for new build or renovations in zones around
national monuments should be strictly en-
forced. For sites with sparse populations or
great archaeological significance, such as
Hampi or Khajuraho, the ‘prohibited zone’
should be extended. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 171
GapsRecommendations
4. Lack of Heritage Cell/Know-How with Local Bodies
Local bodies involved in urban heritage
projects are often not equipped enough to
handle heritage conservation. Formation of
a Heritage Cell, Model Bye laws by MoHUA
and regular Heritage training programs are
essential to remove this gap.
Local bodies involved in urban heritage
projects are often not equipped enough to
handle heritage conservation. Formation of
a Heritage Cell, Model Bye Laws by MoHUA
and regular Heritage training programs are
essential to remove this gap.
5. Enroachments
As a record in CAG report, there are 249
encroachments within the protected mon-
uments and there are approximately 955 liv-
ing monuments .
ASI to compile and publicise a state wise list
of encroachments. In cases in which the DG
has issued orders of demolition (1231 cases
under rule 38(1) of AMASRA in 2016), or is-
sued orders to the Dy Commissioners (2004
cases under Rule 38(2) of AMASRA in 2016),
reasons for noncompliance should be spec-
ified. Besides, in many cases the Competent
Courts have also passed orders for demoli-
tion and relocation. The data should be sim-
ilarly compiled.
These cases should be monitored with the
state government. The Act only penalises ASI
officials. Such provisions should be extended
to other authorities who willfully disregard
the law. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 172
Encroachments
1. ASI to
compile and
publicise a state
wise list of
encroachments.
3. The Act only
penalises ASI officials.
The same should be
extended to other
stakeholders and
encroachers
2. At least 2-3 sites
should be taken up
on pilot basis and en
-
croachments should
be removed to serve
as model cases for
the rest. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 173
3. Key Action Points
3.1 NMA to activate (100 + 200m) boundaries with MoHUA and town planners
NMA has been mandated to grant NOC for construction activities in the regulated area of
ASI monuments. It is integrating an online application system (NOAPS) with various states
and local bodies. So far, successfully 717 urban local bodies of 9 States are integrated while
ULBs of 6 more states are in progress. This action needs to be expedited and links with all ULBs
should be established for ease of business in approval of works around ASI sites and monu-
ments.
MoHUA to issue and advisory to all States and UTs for CTPs and Rural Town Planning officials
to provide site plans for ASI sites in their area and review framing of bye laws in collaboration
with NMA and ASI. Chief Town and Country Planners should be involved in framing bye-laws
that are to be prepared by NMA for all Heritage sites.
ASI to prepare an action plan for making all site plans for 3691 monuments and sites within
6 months.
ASI to immediately send a letter of request for support in preparing site plans and framing of
byelaws to the City Town and Country Planning Offices through MoHUA.
3.2 Heritage Impact Assessment needs to be conducted for infrastructure projects
in all cities where such projects are undertaken in the vicinity of Central/State pro-
tected/ locally protected monuments, sites or historic city cores.
3.3 Smart cities heritage projects to follow HRIDAY toolkit model
HRIDAY Scheme by MOHUA for 12 Heritage cities had incorporated a Heritage Toolkit for
landscaping, street furniture, lighting, signage and other such elements in the city to blend
with the historic character of the city. These toolkits should be adopted or customized as per
heritage of each city under the Smart cities’ heritage works.
3.4 ASI to compile and publicise a state wise list of encroachments.
At least 2-3 sites across India should be taken up on pilot basis and encroachments should
be removed to serve as model cases for the rest. Currently, the Act only penalises ASI offi-
cials. The same should be extended to other stakeholders and encroachers. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 174
10. World Heritage (UNESCO) A NITI AAYOG REPORT 175
1. Strategize
World Heritage
nominations
(ASI and MoC)
for India
3. Target
transnational
nominations on
Hindu/Buddhist
circuits with
Asian countries
2. Strengthen
conservation
and management
of 38 World
Heritage Sites
Action
Points IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 176 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 177
10
1. Existing Status of World Heritage in India
India has 38 Cultural, Natural and Mixed sites on the World Her-
itage List with the last site inscribed in July 2019. As per current
rules of UNESCO, it can nominate 1 site for inscription every year.
Out of 38 existing World Heritage Sites, 30 are Cultural sites 7 Nat-
ural and 1 Mixed site.
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is the nodal agency on
behalf of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India for World
Heritage matters, and is also the custodian of 22 out of the 30
Cultural world heritage sites. India currently, also has 42 Cultural
and Natural Sites on the Tentative List to be further nominated
for inscription on World Heritage. As the nodal agency on World
Heritage matters, ASI coordinates on a regular basis with various
ministries (Ministry of Environment and Forest, Ministry of Railways,
etc.), state governments and agencies, for necessary coordi-
nation and, to provide technical support whenever necessary.
ASI also coordinates with Permanent Representative of India to
UNESCO, World Heritage Centre, UNESCO, and advisory bodies
(ICOMOS, ICCROM, IUCN, etc.) for matters pertaining to world
heritage, including nomination dossiers, tentative list proposals,
periodic reporting, training and other related matters.
Besides nominating and managing its World Heritage Sites, ASI
and India has played a larger role in UNESCO World Heritage
Committee. It has been a member of the 21 countries’ elected
World Heritage Committee thrice since signing the convention in
1977: From 1985 – 91, 2001 – 07 and 2011-15 playing a significant
role in influencing UNESCO decisions and documents. In its last
tenure, it launched Project MAUSAM (an Indo pacific transna-
tional collaboration program) in 2014 with prime responsibility of
ASI to take it forward in terms of transnational nominations.
India also houses the UNESCO Category II Centre (C2C) for Nat-
ural Heritage at the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun which is
the only Natural Heritage C2C recognized by UNESCO to serve
the entire Asia Pacific Region.
2. Gaps and Recommendations
“ India has 38 Cultural, Natural and Mixed sites on the World Heritage
List. Out of 38, 30 are Cultural sites 7 Natural and 1 Mixed site. ” IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 178
1. Agra Fort, Uttar Pr adesh
2. Ajanta Cav es, Mahar ashtra
3. Archaeological Sit e of
Nalanda Mahavihara at Nalanda, Bihar
4. Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh
5. Champaner -Pavagadh Ar chaeological P ark, Gujar at
6. Chhatr apati Shivaji T erminus
(formerly Vict oria Terminus), Mahar ashtra
7. Churches and C onvents of Goa
8. Elephanta Cav es, Mahar ashtra
9. Ellora Caves, Mahar ashtra
10. Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh
11. Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Ar ea,
Himachal Pr adesh
12. Great Living Chola T emples, T amil Nadu
13. Group of Monuments at Hampi, Karnataka
14. Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu
15. Group of Monuments at Pattadakal,
Karnataka
16. Hill Forts of Rajasthan
17. Historic City of Ahmadabad, Gujarat
18. Humayun’ s Tomb, Delhi
19. Jaipur City , Rajasthan
20. Kaziranga National P ark, As sam
21. Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan
22. Khajur aho Gr oup of Monuments,
Madhya Pr adesh
23. Khangchendz onga National P ark, Sikkim
24. Mahabodhi T emple C omplex at Bodh Gaya, Bihar
25. Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam
26. Mountain Railw ays of Himachal Pradesh,
Tamil Nadu and W est Bengal
27. Nanda De vi and V alley of Flo wers National P arks,
Uttarakhand
28. Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi
29. Rani-ki- Vav (the Queen’ s Stepwell) at Patan, Gujar at
30. Red Fort Complex, Delhi
31. Rock Shelt ers of Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh
32. Sun Temple, K onarak, Oris sa
33. Sundarbans National Park, West Bengal
34. Taj Mahal, Uttar Pr adesh
35. The Ar chitectural Work of L e Corbusier ,
an Outstanding C ontribution t o the Modern
Movement, in Chandigarh
36. The Jantar Mantar , Jaipur
37. Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai
38. Western Ghats in K erala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka,
Goa and Mahar ashtra
Based upon Survey of India maps with the permis sion of the Surveyor General of India.
©2018 Mapin Publishing . Responsibility for the correctnes s of internal details shown
on the main map rests with the publisher .
1. Agra Fort, Uttar Pr adesh
2. Ajanta Cav es, Mahar ashtra
3. Archaeological Sit e of
Nalanda Mahavihara at Nalanda, Bihar
4. Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh
5. Champaner -Pavagadh Ar chaeological P ark, Gujar at
6. Chhatr apati Shivaji T erminus
(formerly Vict oria Terminus), Mahar ashtra
7. Churches and C onvents of Goa
8. Elephanta Cav es, Mahar ashtra
9. Ellora Caves, Mahar ashtra
10. Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh
11. Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Ar ea,
Himachal Pr adesh
12. Great Living Chola T emples, T amil Nadu
13. Group of Monuments at Hampi, Karnataka
14. Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu
15. Group of Monuments at Pattadakal,
Karnataka
16. Hill Forts of Rajasthan
17. Historic City of Ahmadabad, Gujarat
18. Humayun’ s Tomb, Delhi
19. Jaipur City , Rajasthan
20. Kaziranga National P ark, As sam
21. Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan
22. Khajur aho Gr oup of Monuments,
Madhya Pr adesh
23. Khangchendz onga National P ark, Sikkim
24. Mahabodhi T emple C omplex at Bodh Gaya, Bihar
25. Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam
26. Mountain Railw ays of Himachal Pradesh,
Tamil Nadu and W est Bengal
27. Nanda De vi and V alley of Flo wers National P arks,
Uttarakhand
28. Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi
29. Rani-ki- Vav (the Queen’ s Stepwell) at Patan, Gujar at
30. Red Fort Complex, Delhi
31. Rock Shelt ers of Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh
32. Sun Temple, K onarak, Oris sa
33. Sundarbans National Park, West Bengal
34. Taj Mahal, Uttar Pr adesh
35. The Ar chitectural Work of L e Corbusier ,
an Outstanding C ontribution t o the Modern
Movement, in Chandigarh
36. The Jantar Mantar , Jaipur
37. Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai
38. Western Ghats in K erala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka,
Goa and Mahar ashtra
Based upon Survey of India maps with the permis sion of the Surveyor General of India.
©2018 Mapin Publishing . Responsibility for the correctnes s of internal details shown
on the main map rests with the publisher .
1. Agra Fort, Uttar Pr adesh
2. Ajanta Cav es, Mahar ashtra
3. Archaeological Sit e of
Nalanda Mahavihara at Nalanda, Bihar
4. Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh
5. Champaner -Pavagadh Ar chaeological P ark, Gujar at
6. Chhatr apati Shivaji T erminus
(formerly Vict oria Terminus), Mahar ashtra
7. Churches and C onvents of Goa
8. Elephanta Cav es, Mahar ashtra
9. Ellora Caves, Mahar ashtra
10. Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh
11. Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Ar ea,
Himachal Pr adesh
12. Great Living Chola T emples, T amil Nadu
13. Group of Monuments at Hampi, Karnataka
14. Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu
15. Group of Monuments at Pattadakal,
Karnataka
16. Hill Forts of Rajasthan
17. Historic City of Ahmadabad, Gujarat
18. Humayun’ s Tomb, Delhi
19. Jaipur City , Rajasthan
20. Kaziranga National P ark, As sam
21. Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan
22. Khajur aho Gr oup of Monuments,
Madhya Pr adesh
23. Khangchendz onga National P ark, Sikkim
24. Mahabodhi T emple C omplex at Bodh Gaya, Bihar
25. Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam
26. Mountain Railw ays of Himachal Pradesh,
Tamil Nadu and W est Bengal
27. Nanda De vi and V alley of Flo wers National P arks,
Uttarakhand
28. Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi
29. Rani-ki- Vav (the Queen’ s Stepwell) at Patan, Gujar at
30. Red Fort Complex, Delhi
31. Rock Shelt ers of Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh
32. Sun Temple, K onarak, Oris sa
33. Sundarbans National Park, West Bengal
34. Taj Mahal, Uttar Pr adesh
35. The Ar chitectural Work of L e Corbusier ,
an Outstanding C ontribution t o the Modern
Movement, in Chandigarh
36. The Jantar Mantar , Jaipur
37. Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai
38. Western Ghats in K erala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka,
Goa and Mahar ashtra
Based upon Survey of India maps with the permis sion of the Surveyor General of India.
©2018 Mapin Publishing . Responsibility for the correctnes s of internal details shown
on the main map rests with the publisher .
1. Agra Fort, Uttar Pr adesh
2. Ajanta Cav es, Mahar ashtra
3. Archaeological Sit e of
Nalanda Mahavihara at Nalanda, Bihar
4. Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh
5. Champaner -Pavagadh Ar chaeological P ark, Gujar at
6. Chhatr apati Shivaji T erminus
(formerly Vict oria Terminus), Mahar ashtra
7. Churches and C onvents of Goa
8. Elephanta Cav es, Mahar ashtra
9. Ellora Caves, Mahar ashtra
10. Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh
11. Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Ar ea,
Himachal Pr adesh
12. Great Living Chola T emples, T amil Nadu
13. Group of Monuments at Hampi, Karnataka
14. Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu
15. Group of Monuments at Pattadakal,
Karnataka
16. Hill Forts of Rajasthan
17. Historic City of Ahmadabad, Gujarat
18. Humayun’ s Tomb, Delhi
19. Jaipur City , Rajasthan
20. Kaziranga National P ark, As sam
21. Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan
22. Khajur aho Gr oup of Monuments,
Madhya Pr adesh
23. Khangchendz onga National P ark, Sikkim
24. Mahabodhi T emple C omplex at Bodh Gaya, Bihar
25. Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam
26. Mountain Railw ays of Himachal Pradesh,
Tamil Nadu and W est Bengal
27. Nanda De vi and V alley of Flo wers National P arks,
Uttarakhand
28. Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi
29. Rani-ki- Vav (the Queen’ s Stepwell) at Patan, Gujar at
30. Red Fort Complex, Delhi
31. Rock Shelt ers of Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh
32. Sun Temple, K onarak, Oris sa
33. Sundarbans National Park, West Bengal
34. Taj Mahal, Uttar Pr adesh
35. The Ar chitectural Work of L e Corbusier ,
an Outstanding C ontribution t o the Modern
Movement, in Chandigarh
36. The Jantar Mantar , Jaipur
37. Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai
38. Western Ghats in K erala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka,
Goa and Mahar ashtra
Based upon Survey of India maps with the permis sion of the Surveyor General of India.
©2018 Mapin Publishing . Responsibility for the correctnes s of internal details shown
on the main map rests with the publisher .
Map of India showing the listed UNESCO World Heritage Sites; Source - UNESCO WHS Manual A NITI AAYOG REPORT 179
Tentative List (Cultural)
Tentative List (Natural)
1. Temples at Bishnupur, West Bengal (1998)
2. Mattanchery Palace, Ernakulam, Kerala (1998)
3. Group of Monuments at Mandu, Madhya Pradesh (1998)
4. Ancient Buddhist Site, Sarnath, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
(1998)
5. Sri Harimandir Sahib, Amritsar, Punjab (2004)
6. River Island of Majuli in midstream of Brahmaputra River in
Assam (2004)
7. Namdapha National Park (2006)
8. Wild Ass Sanctuary, Little Rann of Kutch (2006)
9. Neora Valley National Park (2009)
10. Desert National Park (2009)
11. Silk Road Sites in India (2010)
12. Santiniketan (2010)
13. The Qutb Shahi Monuments of Hyderabad Golconda Fort,
Qutb Shahi Tombs, Charminar (2010)
14. Mughal Gardens in Kashmir (2010)
15. Delhi - A Heritage City (2012)
16. Monuments and Forts of the Deccan Sultanate (2014)
17. Cellular Jail, Andaman Islands (2014)
18. The Glorious Kakatiya Temples and Gateways (2014)
19. Iconic Saree Weaving Clusters of India (2014)
20. Dholavira: A Harappan City (2014)
21. Apatani Cultural Landscape (2014)
22. Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam (2014)
23. Monuments of Srirangapatna Island Town (2014)
24. Chilika Lake (2014)
25. Padmanabhapuram Palace (2014)
26. Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala (2014)
27. Sites of Saytagrah, India’s non-violent freedom movement
(2014)
28. Thembang Fortified Village (2014)
29. Narcondam Island (2014)
30. Moidams – the Mound-Burial system of the Ahom Dynasty
(2014)
31. Ekamra Kshetra – The Temple City, Bhubaneswar (2014)
Map of India showing the sites on the Tentative List
Page 180 Monuments at Ham-
pi World Heritage Site; Source -
thegrandindianroute.com
(Next page) Map showing the
spread of Chola Dynasty; Source
- desanacademy.com/history/
chola-dynasty/ IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 180
GapsRecommendations
1. State of Conservation of existing World Heritage Sites
The State of Conservation of most World
Heritage Sites are not good and Manage-
ment Plans are pending since years. Not
much action is taken on some sites as per
the recommendations of the World Heri-
tage Committee post inscription. The 2019
session at the World Heritage Committee at
Baku had embarrassing state of conserva-
tion reports for 3 World Heritage Sites of India
– Darjeeling Heritage Railways, Hampi and
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary showing no serious
actions by stakeholders as per given time.
ASI and other stakeholders need to focus
on the conservation, management, up-
keep, visitor facilitation and other amenities
for the existing World Heritage Sites. While
India is known for getting its sites inscribed,
the management of these sites post inscrip-
tion is always a challenge. Among the ex-
isting 38 World Heritage Sites, most of them
have issues of conservation, encroachments
and visitor facilitation and management.
The tourism potential is also untapped for a
number of these sites. All these aspects need
to be addressed through a rigorous Project
Management Unit to enforce preparation
and implementation of their site manage-
ment plans.
2. Nomination Strategy for India
India has not progressed much on the
transnational nominations where it can tap
parallel inscriptions by tying up with other
countries as in the case of Chandigarh as
‘The Architectural Works of Le Corbusier’ in-
scribed in 2016 through France.
Nominations of World Heritage Sites every
year needs’ to be strategic. A strategy for
nominations including national and transna-
tional properties should be proposed for next
5-10 years. Serial and Transnational nomina-
tions need to be explored more actively giv-
en that now only 1 inscription is possible per
year per country and transnational nomina-
tions are exempt from this ceiling. So, India
can join another country and propose the
transnational through them for example in-
scription of Chandigarh Capitol Complex as
part of transnational inscription with France
in 2016 was achieved in this manner. More
excavated sites of prehistoric, Neolithic and
Harappa period need to be undertaken for
world heritage nomination. Dholavira and
Sarnath nomination dossiers being prepared
by ASI in 2019 are encouraging in this direc-
tion. But serial nominations for Harappan and
Buddhist sites should be considered to target
a larger number with a single inscription.
3. Capacity Building for Nomination and Site Management
India has 42 sites on the Tentative List with
a large number of them belonging to dif-
ferent states who seek guidance from ASI
on the process of nomination dossiers and
management plans for inscribing these sites
on the World Heritage List. There is not much
knowledge of World Heritage within State
ASI needs to provide regular training pro-
grams for nomination processes and
management plans for this purpose. The
programmes can be organised in collabo-
rationwith the UNESCO C2C Centre at WII,
Dehradun. A first step for World Heritage
within State Departments has been taken A NITI AAYOG REPORT 181
GapsRecommendations
Departments and they seek guidance from
ASI on this matter since a number of their
sites are now on the Tentative List of UNES-
CO.
with Directors of the State Departments of-
ten appointed as the Competent Officers of
the NMA and State departments playing an
important role in preparation of World Heri-
tage nomination dossiers.
4. UNESCO Category 2 Centres
India’s proposal for establishing the UNESCO
Cultural Category 2 Centre is pending since
several years with ASI.
India’s proposal for establishing the UNESCO
Cultural Category 2 Centre is pending since
several years. With the formation of Indian
Institute of Culture as a mother body for all
other institutes under the Ministry of Culture
and ASI, it is feasible to place a proposal for
UNESCO Cultural C2C. The proposed C2C
may have a focused theme on Cultural Ex-
changes that will also provide an impetus to
the proposed transnational nomination and
Project MAUSAM. The UNESCO World Heri-
tage Centre at Paris has already indicated
this theme proposed by India as a very pos-
itive step. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 182
GapsRecommendations
5. Project Mausam
India is a civilizational country with close his-
torical links with East Asia, the Indian Ocean
Rim and West Asia. The spice trade and
spread of Buddhism and Hinduism were at
the center of these interrelations. While Chi-
na has highlighted the “Silk Route”, there is
a need to focus on researching and prop-
agating these relations through an overar-
ching project like Mausam as intended by
India. The status of Project Mausam started
in 2014 has not progressed even though UN-
ESCO and other countries are looking at In-
dia for some actions on this count.
India needs to move forward with thematic
paper for Project MAUSAM to be shared with
other countries for defining a clear roadmap
for the Project MAUSAM. This should be in
tandem with feasible transnational nomina-
tions to be taken up with other countries. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 183
3. Key Action Points
Setting up of an independent World Heritage PMU with Ministry of Culture:
A World Heritage Project Management Unit (PMU) involving World Heritage Experts, ASI and
other stakeholders needs to be set up to ensure following specific actions for World Heritage
in India.
3.1 Strengthen conservation and management of 38 World Heritage Sites
State of Conservation and Site Management status should be reviewed for all 38 World Her-
itage Sites and action taken on World Heritage Committee decision for each property. PMU
with ASI should ensure that other organisations such as the State Governments, Railways and
MoEFCC are taking action on recommendations for their World Heritage Sites.
3.2 Strategize World Heritage nominations (National and Transnational) for India
National and Transnational Nominations should be prioritised each year with a 5 year plan.
Transnational nominations on Hindu/Buddhist circuits with Asian countries may be targeted
as a priority.
Immediate proposals could be – Serial nomination of Ashokan edict sites with South Asian
countries, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan; ‘Spread of Buddhism in Southeast
Asia through India’, ‘Chola and Srivjijaya Empire’s 10th-15th CE with sites linking countries
from India to Indonesia along the Indian Ocean. Uttarapath (serial National Nomination)
should be taken on priority for nomination after Dholavira is submitted in 2020. Sites of Sa-
tyagraha movement is another important pan India nomination on tentative list to be taken
up for inscription. Since India has only 1 slot for nomination per year, so focusing specifically
serial nomination will allow adding more sites with a single inscription.
3.3 Annual calendar for capacity building workshops and activities with State Government
should be developed.
3.4 Project ‘Mausam’ to be capitalized for transnational nominations.
Cultural exchange on sea voyage proposed between India and China at Mahabalipuram
to be initiated under Project Mausam.
3.5 Establish UNESCO Category II Centre for Cultural Exchange in Asia-Pacific.
Once the Indian Institute of Culture is fully functional as an umbrella institution for Archae-
ology, Museum Studies and others at the Noida Campus of ASI, it can be proposed to be
recognized as a UNESCO Category 2 Centre for Cultural Exchange for the entire Asia Pacific
region.
This PMU will also strengthen India’s candidature to be re-elected in the next elections of the
World Heritage Committee due in October- November 2021.
“Project Mausam aims to explore the multi-faceted Indian Ocean
‘world’ – collating archaeological and historical research in order to
document the diversity of cultural, commercial and religious interac-
tions in the Indian Ocean.” IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 184
11. International Collaborations for India’s
Heritage A NITI AAYOG REPORT 185
1.Conservation
projects in other
countries
3.Collaboration
for Marketing of
India’s World
Heritage Sites
2.
Cultural exchange
on sea voyage
proposed between
India and China at
Mahabalipuram to be
initiated under Proj-
ect Mausam.
Action
Points IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 186 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 187
11
1. Existing Bilateral Cooperation – MoUs with ASI
for Conservation works Overseas
As part of MoUs through MEA with various countries, ASI has also
excavated sites and restored monuments in many foreign coun-
tries and in the process has brought back to life the historical
and civilizational links that India cherished and nourished with its
neighbours and others beyond the neighbourhood. Some of the
outstanding conservation efforts of ASI beyond India’s borders
are listed below:
Cambodia
The conservation of the 12th Century Angkor Wat temples be-
tween 1986 and 1992 is perhaps the most outstanding project
that the ASI has undertaken outside India. More recently, it re-
stored the Ta Prohm temple which is considered the most signifi-
cant of the temples of the Angkor region.
Lao PDR
ASI has conserved and restored the fifth century Vat or Wat Phou
Hindu temple complex in southern Laos. Under Phase I from 2008
to 2017, ASI did commendable restoration work. Phase II of the
restoration work from 2018 to 2018 (10 years) has now been ap-
proved by the Government of India. ASI team has already start-
ed working in Wat Phou.
Myanmar
The ASI has undertaken conservation and restoration of the
Ananda temple in Bagan. It has prepared a list of 2,230 mon-
uments and 892 unexcavated ancient mounds in the area. A
further MoU for conservation of Bagan Monuments is signed re-
cently.
Ta Prohm Temple, Cambodia; Source - Wikipedia
Inner view of Ta Prohm Temple, Cambodia IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 188
Vat Phou Hindu Temple Com-
plex, Lao PDR; Source - tourasia.
pl
Ananda Temple, Bagan, Myan-
mar; Source - renowntravel.com
Burial Mounds in Hammad, Bah-
rain; Source - thenational.ae A NITI AAYOG REPORT 189
Bahrain
A team of ASI archaeologists excavated burial mounds in Ha-
mad town in Bahrain in 1983. It excavated 70 graves, six Indus
seals and a circular steatite seal with Indus script.
Angola
An ASI team restored and reorganised the Museum of the Armed
Forces located inside the 17th century fortress of Sao Miguel (pic-
ture) in Luanda in 1988-89. The team rearranged exhibits in Pre-
history, Portuguese, Comrade Agostinho Neto and Struggle for
Independence Galleries.
Nepal
In the early 1960s, ASI teams excavated Buddhist archaeologi-
cal sites in Sidharthanagar, Kapilvastu, Tilaurakot and Lumbini (in
the picture). In 1965, another team carried out an iconographi-
cal survey to discover rare images like Shiva as Ekpada-Trimurti,
Chandra riding on a chariot of geese, Mahesha-samhara, etc.
Afghanistan
The ASI conserved and restored the sixth century Buddhas of
Bamiyan and the 15th century mosque at Balkh of Sufi leader
Khwaja Abu Nasr Parsa in the 1960s. The Bamiyan Buddhas
Sao Miguel Fortress, Angola; Source - wikipedia
Lumbini Buddhist Site, Nepal;
Source - pri.org IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 190 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 191
Maldives
ASI teams have excavated sites in Kuramathi, Todd and Niland-
he atolls which revealed Buddhist traits. Here you see the ruins of
a Buddhist settlement found on a Maldivian island.
Sri Lanka
The ASI has recently undertaken restoration of the Thiruketh-
eeswaram temple in Mannar. The ancient temple was demol-
ished by foreign colonisers in the 16th century. It was rebuilt in
1903 but suffered damages during the civil war.
Bhutan
The ASI teams carried out preservation of murals of Do de Drak,
Nekhang- Lhakhange and Mithragpe- Lhakhang of Tongsa Dz-
ong in the late 1980s.
Egypt
In the early 1960s, an ASI team visited Nubia to explore, exca-
vate and salvage any ancient artefacts around Afyeh and Tu-
mus. The two sites were falling in the submergence zone of the
Sadd-el-Aali (Aswan) dam on the river Nile. The team discovered
middle and late stone age tools.
Mosque at Balkh, Afghanistan; Source - beautifulmosques.com
Buddhist settlement ruins found
on a Maldives island; Source -
wikipedia
Thiruketheeswaram temple in Mannar, Sri Lanka; Source - all-ceylon.lk IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 192
Ruins at Nubia; Source - britanni-
ca.com
My Son group of temples, Viet-
nam; Source - thetempletrail.
com
Tongsa Dzong, Bhutan; Source - britannica.com A NITI AAYOG REPORT 193
“ASI has excavated sites and restored monuments in many foreign
countries and in the process has brought back to life the historical and
civilizational links that India cherished and nourished with its neigh-
bours and others beyond the neighbourhood.”
Vietnam and Indonesia
An ASI team has inspected the My Son group of temples in Viet- nam and submitted a project report for conservation measures. A Survey team also visited the famous ancient Hindu temple at Borbudur to document it extensively.
In 2018, MOU between Archaeological Survey of India and PT
Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur, Prambanan & Ratu Boko con-
cerning World Cultural Heritage of Prambanan Temple and Taj
Mahal was signed with intention of Joint promotion and organiz-
ing events, exchange of experts, implementation of technical
guidance.
2. Gaps and Recommendations
GapsRecommendations
ASI’s Project Model for overseas restoration works is recognised as a very successful model which needs to be replicated more for greater visibility.
It should also be realised that other coun-
tries where ASI is working are capitalising
their world heritage sites as educational lab-
oratories. Angkor Wat through UNESCO has
served as a role model for an educational
resource and showcase for conservation
techniques from various countries where
different temples have been conserved /
restored by different countries using their ex-
pertise. Similarly, Bagan in Myanmar is now
being conserved by various organisations
from across the world such as Getty Con-
servation Institute and ASI while Korean Or-
ganisations are involved in LiDAR survey and
interpretation of Bagan for Tourism propor-
tion. ASI needs to capitalise its World Heri-
tage Sites in a similar manner
Overseas Project Model for Conservation
works needs to be expanded to more coun-
tries for greater visibility.
ASI needs to involve other foreign organisa-
tion on its own World Heritage Sites as part
of technical exchange and know-how in the
spirit of the World Heritage Convention to
which it is a signatory. Such exchanges will
not only enhance ASI’s capacity but will also
ensure greater realisation of the significance
of India’s cultural heritage to the world. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 194 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 195
3. Key Action Points
3.1 Implement more Conservation projects in other countries
MEA has recently taken a significant action on International Conservation Projects by float-
ing an EoI for empanelment of conservation consultants (structural/civil engineers) with min-
imum age limit of 35 years till post retirement stage. These empanelled consultants will be
engaged in overseas conservation projects with MEA in association with ASI teams and de-
puted for short term, mid-term and long-term conservation works on overseas sites of partner
countries.
3.2 Cultural exchange on sea voyage proposed between India and China at Ma-
habalipuram to be initiated under Project Mausam.
A cultural exchange on sea voyage between India and China has been proposed in the
Nov 2019 meeting between PM, India and President, China at Mahabalipuram. MEA and
ASI should initiate this activity under Project Mausam.
3.3 Collaboration for Marketing of India’s Heritage Sites
International Heritage Circuits should be developed jointly with other countries specially
where shared heritage is evident such as the Buddhist circuit and Hinduism circuit with South
Asian and South East Asian countries. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 196
12. Skill Development, Community
Employment and
Institutional Collaborations A NITI AAYOG REPORT 197
1. Skill
Development under
Hunar se Rozgaar
program under MoT
and under
Skill Development
Ministry.
2. Engaging local
persons and
craftspeople in their
home states.
3. Including local
community in review
of designs and
maintenance of
monuments.
4. E.g., volunteers for
heritage walks, main-
tenance of historical
spaces, creating op-
portunities for local
economy (crafts and
other production),
etc. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 198 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 199
1. Existing Schemes for Skill Development and
Community Employment
1.1 MGNREGA
MGNREGA was launched by the Ministry of Rural Development.
Conservation, if carried out in keeping with the guidelines of the
National Conservation policy, results in over 70% of project costs
being utilized for craftspeople wages. In projects such as archae-
ological excavations and desilting historic step-wells/ tanks/ wells
almost 100% of the costs are for unskilled craftspeople. The ASI
needs to identify projects that could be carried out in rural areas
with MNERGA funds.
ASI initiative in this regard will also encourage State Departments
of Archaeology to seek MGNREGA funds across India. In some
cases, such works can lead to other significant government ob-
jectives such as reviving historic water bodies and collecting
rainwater.
1.2 Hunar se Rozgar Tak
The Government of India, Ministry of Tourism (the MoT in short)
launched a special training initiative, christened Hunar Se Rozgar
Tak (HSRT) in the year 2009-10, for creation of employable skills
amongst youth belonging to economically weaker strata of the
society. The basic objective was to reduce, through this initiative,
the skill gap that affected the hospitality and tourism sector. An-
other objective was to put in place a dispensation to ensure that
the economic benefit of a growing tourism reached the poor.
Initially, the initiative covered only two trades, namely Food Pro-
duction and Food and Beverage services. Trades namely House-
keeping and Bakery were added later. In view of its growing
acceptability, the HSRT has been extended to cover non hospi-
tality trades too. Presently it covers 6 more trades/training areas
namely Housekeeping Utility, Bakery & Patisserie, Driving, Stone
Masonry, Golf Caddies and Tourist Facilitation. There is a possibil-
ity of involving more trades related to tourism and culture to be
added in this scheme.
The State Tourism Development Corporation (STDC) will make
conscious effort to facilitate employment of the passouts from
this Programme.
1.3 Schemes under the Ministry of Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship
The Ministry is responsible for co-ordination of all skill develop-
ment efforts across the country, removal of disconnect between
demand and supply of skilled manpower, building the vocation-
al and technical training framework, skill up-gradation, building
of new skills, and innovative thinking not only for existing jobs but
also jobs that are to be created.
12
Polishing of Marble with Emree in Rajasthan; Source - DRONAH IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 200
The several schemes under the National Skill Development
Scheme launched on 15.07.2015 on the occasion of World Youth
Skills Day are Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY),
SANKALP (Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Liveli-
hood Promotion), UDAAN along with Polytechnic Schemes and
vocationalization of education at school and higher education
level.
2. Institutional Collaborations
The Ministry of HRD is involved with Heritage Conservation and
Management works in 2 ways. Firstly, it recognises some of the
campuses and buildings of old universities and institutions (more
than 100 years old) in the category of Heritage Institutions and
provides substantial funding for their conservation. Secondly, a
number of institutions under the HRD Ministry provide degrees,
diplomas and training programmes in heritage conservation and
management at various levels. These two initiatives of the Minis-
try are briefly described below:
2.1 UGC Heritage Status to Colleges
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has launched a scheme
during the XII plan to provide Heritage Grants to universities and
colleges which are more than 100 years old and accorded the
Special Heritage Status by the UGC.
The guidelines of the scheme of “Granting Special Heritage Sta-
tus to Universities and Colleges” are detailed on their website.
The UGC granted Special Heritage Status to 19 colleges in the
country in 2015. A total of Rs.2505.58 lakhs was allocated to these
colleges for taking up conservation works of old buildings in their
campus. Some of the colleges which have been granted the
status include St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai; CMS College Kotta-
yam; St Joseph College, Trichy; Khalsa College, Amritsar; St Be-
de’s College, Shimla, Christ Church College in Kanpur, Old Agra
College, Agra; Meerut College, Meerut and Langat Singh Col-
lege in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur. Cotton College Guwahati received
maximum grants of Rs 4.35 crore for conservation of its heritage
building.
The institutions selected for grant under the scheme, would have
some freedom / flexibility in the apportionment of grant under
the following heads, depending upon the specific institutional
nature and requirements; re-appropriation of grants within the
overall grant limit could also be made, subject to the concur-
rence of and accountability to the UGC: -
• Conservation / maintenance of repositories of intellectual
heritage resources including library, museum, herbarium, scien-
tific instruments of yester years, gallery / live show of institutional
history and heritage, among others. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 201
• Equipment, adoption of newer technology for conserva-
tion of rare collections and specimens.
• Building expansion and furnishing for housing the heritage
resources.
• Conservation and maintenance, including renovation
work (subject to the legal clearance from the statutory bodies),
improving scope and avenues of proper utilization of the heri-
tage building without affecting the heritage character and sta-
tus.
• Offer short-term certificate or diploma program in any of
the branches of heritage studies; engaging visiting / part-time
faculty, purchase of equipment for teaching -learning specifical-
ly required for the above programs could be approved items of
expenditure
• Extension work related to sensitization of the community
in general and students in particular / of schools and colleges
in the region) of the significance and historic / cultural implica-
tion of heritage structures in the region; survey of the unidentified
heritage sites / structures in the region; survey of the unidentified
heritage sites / structures in the interior regions, bring out / doc-
ument / disseminate the cultural heritage of the different social
groups of the region
In Nov 2019, the HRD Ministry has given approval of budget of
Rs. 66 plus crores for conservation works at the IIAS, Shimla which
is the Viceregal Lodge building protected by ASI and managed
by CPWD. The works will be carried out by CPWD in close coor-
dination with ASI.
2.2 Heritage Conservation and Heritage Management Ed-
ucation Programmes under UGC
Several institutions across India grant heritage education at var-
ious levels. Several technical institutions have also created spe-
cial centres and laboratories for scientific research related to
heritage conservation. The leading institutions in Archaeology
and Built Heritage Conservation include:
1. Deccan College, Pune - Archaeology
2. MSU, Baroda – Archaeology and Museum Studies
3. School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi – Archi-
tectural Conservation
4. School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal – Architec-
tural Conservation
5. CEPT, Ahmedabad - Architectural Conservation
6. Centre for Heritage Management, Ahmedabad Universi-
ty – Heritage Management
7. IIT Madras – National Centre for Safety of Heritage Struc-
tures.
Conservation of heritage structures is a multi-disciplinary effort,
wherein traditional knowledge on building materials, techniques IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 202
and specifications are brought to the realm of current practi-
tioners of conservation engineering, with intent of merging them
with modern tools and practices. Internationally, it is established
practice that structural safety cannot be compromised in any
conservation effort. Formal systems that recognise conservation
of heritage structures as a multidisciplinary engineering effort,
with structural safety as a critical determinant, do not exist in In-
dia. With one of the largest stocks of heritage structures in the
world, lack of adequate quality and quantity of manpower is a
serious bottleneck in India in addressing the task of understanding
and protecting heritage structures from natural hazards, ageing
and weathering effects. Hence, capacity building in structural
safety-centric conservation engineering is a major challenge for
India, with an urgent need to identify the existing diffused exper-
tise in relevant sub-areas within conservation and forming a con-
sortium for a holistic approach to the national grand challenge
of protecting heritage structures. This centre is the first of its kind
initiative of HRD Ministry
8. Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany
9. AnSI, D/o Biotech and Domain experts for DNA Analysis
10. Banaras Hindu University
11. Srishti Institute – UNESCO Chair, Bangalore
12. IIT Gandhinagar – GIS and Digital
Besides the above institutions, specialised ones such as Institute
of Archaeology, ASI, NMI and CCRT under MoC , UNESCO C2C
at WII, Dehradun, INTACH Heritage Academy and Conserva-
tion Lab, NRLC, Lucknow; AIIS, Gurugram and French Institute of
Pondicherry are important resource institutions for heritage train-
ing of various kinds. On an international front, there are wider op-
portunities for collaborating with institutes on research and test-
ing requirements as per conservation and excavation practices.
UGC has been very liberal in recognising archaeology related
courses. They should do an audit on the quality of infrastructure
and courses run.
UGC should standardise the syllabus for both Bachelor and Mas-
ter’s degrees in Archaeology. It is estimated that over 40 Univer-
sities are giving a Master’s degree which should be audited for
quality.
3. Gaps and Recommendations A NITI AAYOG REPORT 203
GapsRecommendations
Multidisciplinary Approach
Despite the presence of some of the best
conservation and heritage management
institutions in India; a multidisciplinary ap-
proach to practicing heritage conservation
is lacking due to lack in coordination be-
tween practitioners and academics. Often
the various kinds of laboratories available
in institutions are not utilised for the required
testing in heritage conservation dur to lack
of vision or lack of time. A concerted ap-
proach to research and scientific analysis
is essential to be incorporated in any future
conservation works by organisations prac-
ticing conservation.
MoUS between Central and State level heri-
tage organisations with various institutes spe-
cialising in different disciplines associated
with heritage conservation and manage-
ment need to be developed, Specialised
training programs at various levels for entry
level, mid level and senior level practitioners
need to be organised. Draft MoUs to be pre-
pared. MoUs with IITs to be revived with some
budgetary provision.
Capacity Building
Institute of Archaeology does not have the
mandate and the manpower for an en-
hanced institutional status. It is short of staff
and needs to incorporate more training
programs. ASI needs to expand its system of
flexible MoUs with state governments for en-
hancingvisitor amenities to promote tourism.
Moreover, the lack of capacities is some-
thing that plagues not only ASI but the entire
heritage management sector.
ASI should consider introducing a central
sector scheme for capacity-building in the
states which would include personnel from
state archaeology departments and muse-
ums as well as from NGOs, etc. Such person-
nel can be trained through designated insti-
tutions like School of Architecture, IITs, etc.
On an average cost per training program
of 3-4 days for 25-30 participants will cost
around 10 Lakhs including expert resources,
venue, food, travel and accommodation.
So, considering an average of 2 training pro-
grams per month, an approximate budget
of Rs. 2.5 Crores may be allocated annually
to ASI for its training programs through the In-
stitute of Archaeology.
It is essential for every technical officer in
the ASI rank and file to undertake at least a
week-long training programme once every
two years. With the Institute of archaeology
now established as an independent build-
ing, this would indeed be eventually possi-
ble. Training tie-ups can also be established
with academic institutes such as the IIT’s,
National Museum and at the Schools of Ar-
chitecture providing conservation courses.
Mid-career training is made mandatory and
required funds for the same made available
for these trainings, it can be expected for re-
nowned international institutes such as Get-
ty, ICCROM, etc., to establish tailor-made
courses for the ASI in diverse fields. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 204
(Next Page) A view of High Court
from the Oval Maidan, Victorian
Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles
of Mumbai; Source - UNESCO
GapsRecommendations
Training component should be available at various levels; at the induction stage, mid-level career training programs made available to all cadre and all staff levels in-cluding multitasking staff.
Nearly half the Conservation Assistants are
estimated to be from a non-engineering
background. Similarly, those from archae-
ology are mostly from non-archaeology
backgrounds. ASI needs to immediate-
ly give them a six-month training as well as
take a relook at the qualifications in the lon-
ger term. Degrees like the Masters Course in
Heritage Conservation and Management of
the UNESCO C2C at Wildlife Institute of India,
Dehradun need to be acknowledged.
The current intake of students in the Archae-
ology Institute is 15. This number needs to be
expanded in a phased manner.
An annual calendar for heritage conserva-
tion training programs be planned by IN-
TACH, UNESCO C2C and ASI for PWD Offi-
cials/ Local rural and urban bodies. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 205
4. Key Action Points
4.1 Creation of an Indian Institute of Culture (IIC)
As suggested by MoC to be the premier National Institution for education, training and skill-
ing manpower in Archaeology, Conservation, Museology, Archives and related fields. A de-
tailed Concept Note is drafted by the Ministry of Culture to define the range of disciplines
and courses to be covered through this institute (Refer MoC Concept Note for IIC in Annex-
ure). An institute of excellence at the national level that is multi-disciplinary, research-based
and practice-led will serve the most essential needs in the culture sector by promoting edu-
cation, facilitating research, creating leadership, developing technical guidance and sup-
porting skill development in the country.
It is proposed that while this Institute will be centred at the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya
Institute of Archeology, Greater Noida, other mini centres across the country can also be
envisaged in this model. The proposed Indian Institute of Culture should be a deemed uni-
versity, wherein there should be a flexibility to hire experts from other countries
4.2 Institutional Collaborations
As per gaps recognised in Documentation, Archaeology, Conservation, Management etc
for ASI in the first section of this report; following collaborations are proposed with specialised
institutions for strengthening the technical knowledge of ASI as an organisation:
S.No.Institute for CollaborationArea of Collaboration
1. IIT Madras, NCHS Training for conservation cadre and MTS on structural
safety, mid-level staff for specialised training programs,
engagement of NCHS for structural analysis of ASI monu-
ments. Collaborative research programs to be established
2. National Institute of Ocean-
ography, Goa
Underwater Archaeology Training Programs and Project
Mausam
3. Deccan College, Pune Excavations
4. MSU, Baroda and CSMVS
Mumbai
Conservation Training Programs, Museum workshops and
best practice, Material conservation lab
5. AIIS, GurugramDocumentation Training programs for ASI/Support in docu-
mentation and listing
6. WII, UNESCO C2C Specialised Training Programs for Cultural Landscape,
World Heritage nominations and Site Management Plans,
Periodic Reporting workshops for WHS. Project Mausam-
natural components and climate change issues
7. Birbal Sahni Institute of Pa-
laeobotany and AnSI
Scientific research and testing for excavations with refer-
ence to palaeobotany, Biotech and Domain experts for
DNA Analysis IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 206 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 207
3. Propose the Institute of Archaeology with its enhanced framework and deemed to b e
a University to function as UNESCO Category II Centre on “Shared Heritage for Asia-Pacific
region” (e.g., UNESCO C2C, WII Model at Dehradun) with the Institute of Archaeology. En-
hancement of the status of the existing Institute of Archaeology with establishment of more
technical courses catering to the South Asian and SE Asian professionals. Development of
state-of-the-art scientific laboratories applicable to archaeology and conservation with Re-
search and Development facilities.
4. Skill Development under Hunar se Rozgaar program under MoT and under Skill
Development Ministry.
As also mentioned in the Concept Note, the Institute of Culture will serve as an important
resource for Skill Development programs and will help in generating more employment for
archaeologists, conservators and museum experts in the Public Sector. It may also be con-
verged with similar programs such as the cultural mapping of artists by the Ministry of Culture,
Hunar se Rozgar program under the Ministry of Tourism and other specialized ones under
Skills Development Ministry. Attempts should be made to engage local persons and crafts-
people in their home states and, also to support MNREGA Schemes for such employment.
S.No.Institute for CollaborationArea of Collaboration
8. Department of Conserva-
tion, SPA New Delhi/Bhopal/
CEPT ICOMOS India
Heritage Impact Assessment Reports, Conservation Man-
agement Plans
9. Department of Landscape
Architecture, SPA and oth-
ers
Landscaping and Horticulture
10. Hydrology Department in In-
stitutions
Water
11. IIT Gandhinagar GIS Mapping and other techniques of digital documen -
tation
International Collaborations may also be explored with various institutes for specialised studies.
Some of these already identified ones are:
1. The Cultural Heritage Agen-
cy of the Netherlands (RCE)
Underwater Archaeology Training programs for ASI through NIO, Goa. The agency has expressed a keen interest including fund- ing the program through their ongoing shared heritage program in India
2. Getty Conservation Institute, LA, USA
Museum Training Programs/ Specialised Material Conser-
vation Training Programs for Adobe
3. ICCROM, RomeSpecialised Material Conservation training programs for Stone, Lime, other materials Specialised Risk Management Training Programs
4. ICOMOS with IGNCA Thematic Studies of various categories – Rock Art, Histor- ic Cities, Cultural Landscapes, Stepwells and Waterbodies etc. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 208
13. Vision, Branding and Marketing Model
NOMENCLATURE FOR ASI
1. National Heritage Board of India
2. HASI (Heritage and Archaeological Survey of India) indicating ‘happiness’
3. ASIHM (Archaeological Survey of India and Heritage Management)
indicating ‘limitless heritage’
BRANDING SLOGAN REFLECTING INDIA’S HERITAGE
- Heritage Bharat - Bharat ki Virasat
- Bhavya Bharat - Heritage India
- Virasat India - Historic India
- Timeless India or India beyond Time
THEMATIC HERITAGE CIRCUITS
Existing heritage circuits of MoT to be
augmented with narratives on historical
and cultural significance of archaeological
sites and cultural links with neighboring
countries A NITI AAYOG REPORT 209 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 210 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 211
1. Framing a Vision for India’s Heritage
India’s cultural heritage and, in particular, its archaeologi-
cal and built heritage is unparalleled in the world.
India has one of the largest geo-political expanses and one of
the greatest volume and diversity in heritage. This vast and di-
verse built heritage of India and its archaeological remains are
recognised globally as a significant part of its unique cultural
identity. Even beyond India, a number of countries across the
world, house some of the best specimens of our county’s her-
itage in their museums often narrating the glory of Indian cul-
ture along with the tales of colonial legacy; while others in south
east have extraordinary monuments standing as testimony of the
spread of Indian culture.
Historically, India was a melting pot of several civilisations and
cultural exchanges which has resulted in its vast repository of her-
itage of settlements, sites and monuments with a wide range of
art and architecture dating from various stages in its history. This
“Heritage of Fusion and Assimilation” of ideas and beliefs (Sa-
mavesh) allows India to remain secular and be the bedrock of
cultural diversity while sharing connections with different regions
such as Africa, Arab, Asia and other regions across the world.
India has an unsurmountable heritage whose potential remains
untapped until now – simply because it exists in myriad forms,
shapes and experiences across various states and, no Single
Overarching Vision for Heritage of India has guided its protec-
tion/preservation/promotion till date. Unlike other western na-
tions, India’s Cultural Heritage shows Continuity since centuries
where age old traditions continue to be practiced. ‘Living Heri-
tage’ and this dynamism needs to be recognized and addressed
appropriately while providing a management framework for In-
dia’s Heritage.
This heritage does not just constitute the important markers of In-
dia’s past but also presents a unique opportunity for generating
employment and incomes through heritage tourism and local
development.
The impact of protecting, conserving, interpreting and showcas-
ing this rich repository of India’s built heritage needs to be rec-
ognised at multiple levels:
a. To guide sustainable development of its historic cities and sites
at local level linking directly with reuse and socio-economic ben-
efits to the community while addressing the UN Sustainable De-
velopment Goals at the same time
b. As a tool to Nation Building, and branding of its unique cultural
identity with iconic sites and magnificent monuments in each
13 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 212
region of India including its 38 World Heritage Sites that narrate its
rich, complex and layered history.
c. As part of a Universal Shared Heritage to build global rela-
tions in future by connecting with stories and routes of cultural
exchange through history and, learning from international prac-
tices.
Hence, the Vision for India’s immovable Heritage can be stated
as
“Value, protect, conserve, interpret and foster In-
dia’s unique and diverse Archaeological and Built
Heritage as;
- a channel for continuing cross cultural linkages at
the international level
- a means for nation building and testimony to In-
dia’s cultural identity at the national level and,
- a development tool for socio-economic uplift-
ment at the local level and sustainability for future
generations,
with an all-encompassing, inclusive, multisectoral
and multidisciplinary approach involving the en-
tire gamut of heritage stakeholders from the myri-
ad custodians and range of heritage experts to the
visitors as well as citizens of India.” A NITI AAYOG REPORT 213
2. Strategy
The strategy to implement this Vision brings together a tapes-
try of other relevant heritage initiatives, provide an overarching
space for engagement and action for all stakeholders. It aims
to integrate essential national heritage policy principles into the
future strategy of the various heritage custodians in public and
private sector. It also outlines a platform for funding and priori
-
ties to be identified and resourced through a set of recommen-
dations and phased action plan.
The implementation of the Vision and its objectives needs to be
multisectoral in nature to be implemented via various ministries’,
State Department and Private Trusts in conjunction with the nod
-
al body i.e. the ‘Archaeological Survey of India’.
The implementation strategy broadly covers following key points:
1. Restructuring of ASI
2. Creating a National Database
3. Connecting with People
4. Defining Byelaws for Prohibited and Regulated Areas around
Monuments
5. Support to State Government and other organisations such as
Temple Trust, Waqf Boards and others
6 Heritage as a tool for development and employment gener
-
ation and,
7. Capacity Building for Heritage Management at all levels in
partnership with national and international institutions
A complete overview of the India’s heritage as summarised in
this report provides a fair idea of the existing gaps at various
levels. These gaps and subsequent recommendations with an
action plan are presented under the following sections:
A. VISION AND BRANDING
(including change in administrative structure and role of ASI)
B. ARCHAEOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(including documentation)
C. TOURISM, CSR AND OUTREACH
(including community involvement, adaptive reuse, visitor facil
-
ities and amenities)
D. HERITAGE AND DEVELOPMENT
(including prohibited/protected areas and NMA Byelaws)
E. INTERNATIONAL VISIBILITY (UNESCO/BILATERAL)
(creating international benchmarks)
F. INSTITUTIONAL (CAPACITY BUILDING)
(technical support for state archaeology)
Our heritage is central to our national identity and underpins our
culture, economy and society. At the national level, we must
have an effective policy and regulatory framework for heri IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 214
tage. Our management and protection of heritage sits within
a broad framework outlined by national organisations like the
ASI. Since the Archaeological Survey of India was established,
the aims, purposes have changed significantly but the admin-
istrative structure has remained unchanged. Today, the focus is
not on archaeological excavations as it was a century ago but
instead on protecting sites from encroachments, effective vis-
itor management, conservation of grand monuments, making
a case for World Heritage sites, coordination with other arms of
government such as municipalities, tourism authorities, state gov-
ernments, utility companies, pursuing thousands of cases of litiga-
tion, amongst others. Hence, sections A, B, and C primarily focus
on the implementation of a singular heritage vision by branding
of India’s heritage, restructuring of ASI, targeting a national da-
tabase and monitoring heritage management at various levels
in coordination with different ministries and departments.
Our heritage belongs to every person who lives within and around
it every day. At a national and local level we must work better to-
gether to protect, manage and promote it. This cannot be done
without the help and support of city level and rural organisa-
tions such as the ULBs, the local authority, NGOs, businesses and
experts who inform and advise on their various areas of exper-
tise. will help form stronger and better heritage partnerships at all
levels to ensure our heritage is valued, protected and enjoyed.
Sections C, D and F specifically focus on these local issues and
partnerships at various levels for better heritage management.
It is also important to ensure a flexible, modern approach to
caring for, managing and celebrating our heritage informed by
best practice internationally. Sections E and F specifically cover
this aspect of Heritage Management in India
3. Branding
3.1. Nomenclature
Considering the extended framework and mandate of ASI, it
is feasible that the nomenclature should reflect more than ‘Ar-
chaeological Survey of India’ in its name. While several possibili-
ties such as ‘National Heritage Board’ and other similar ones may
be considered, we need to understand that ASI (Archaeological
Survey of India) does have a very strong presence and recog-
nition in the Indian subcontinent and among other countries in
the world as well as UNESCO being the premier heritage organ-
isation of India since more than 150 years now. Hence, while a
new name may be feasible, it is also prudent to retain its original
identity as ASI to some extent.
A number of new names have been presented in the Action
Plan in the next section but the most preferred one may be con-
sidered as ASIHM (Archaeological Survey of India and Heritage A NITI AAYOG REPORT 215
Management) with the acronym ‘ASIHM’ or ‘Aseem’ in Hindi in-
dicating ‘limitless’ or ‘boundless’, an adjective suitably applica-
ble for India’s insurmountable heritage.
3.2. Tagline for Branding
The branding tagline for India’s heritage needs to sync with the
Tourism tagline of ‘Incredible India’ which has already made a
strong presence. So it should be a tagline that may be used in-
dependently or in conjunction with the Tourism Tagline too. Few
of the suggested ones are:
- Heritage Bharat
- Heritage Hind
- Hindustani Heritage
- Atulya Bharat
- Bhavya Bharat
- Heritage India
- Inheritance India
- Virasat India
- Historic India
- Timeless India or India beyond Time
- Vatan-e-Virasat
- Bharat ki Virasat
- Living Legacy of Incredible India
These may also be checked in conjunction with ‘Incredible In-
dia’ to finalise on the most relevant one.
3.3. Thematic Heritage Circuits
Since India has such an insurmountable heritage, it is sometimes
difficult for the visitor to discern among the options available.
Good Marketing and branding of specialised circuits under inter-
esting themes and historic storylines provide better opportunities
for the visibility and visitation of heritage sites. Ministry of Tourism
at the central level and State Tourism Departments have taken
initiative in terms of branding of circuits and destinations at pan
India level and state level.
15 thematic circuits and 13 pilgrimage sites/destinations each
have been identified by Ministry of Tourism (MOT) under the new
Plan Scheme Swadesh Darshan and National Mission on Pilgrim-
SchemeCircuits
Swadesh Darshan North-East India Circuit, Buddhist Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Krishna Circuit, Desert Circuit, Tribal Circuit, Eco Circuit, Wildlife Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, Ramayana Circuit, Tirthankar Circuit, Sufi Circuit and Heritage Circuit
PRASHADAjmer, Amritsar, Amaravati,` Dwarka, Gaya, Kamakhya, Kan- chipuram, Kedarnath, Mathura, Patna, Puri, Varanasi and Ve- lankanni. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 216
age Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD)
respectively.
The circuits are being developed under these schemes for tourism
infrastructure development but majority of these sites also have
archaeologically and historically significant elements which the
ASI can take up for research and conservation.
However, this initiative is targeted largely for the general tourists
and visitors and does not cover the expanse of heritage varia-
tions that exist in India. So, organisations like ASI need to consid-
er packaging the iconic centrally protected sites in specialised
circuits that link thematically in specific historic-cultural groups
attracting not only the general tourist but also specialised aca-
demic tours, international visitors who selectively visit connect-
ed world heritage sites, historic architectural tours. While at one
level, these heritage circuits would increase visitation but their
target should be at a more content-based and deeper level to
connect and narrate the stories of India’s heritage and also serve
as a connector to research and conserve these sites through in-
ternational collaboration.
Some of these examples at international can be seen such as
the Silk Route, Spice Route which not only serve well for tourism
promotion but are subjects of intense research and continued
nominations with UNESCO, ICOMOS and other research universi-
ties across the world. Project Mausam in India hinted at such an
initiative but needs to be further defined by India for countries
to collaborate. Some of the proposed heritage circuits for India
may be considered as below:
1. 38 World Heritage Sites of India – how they narrate the story of
India through various historical periods and a range of heritage
typologies (from caves, temples, forts, stepwells to urban ensem-
bles, cities, railways and modern heritage)
2. Coastal Routes to be defined under Project Mausam linking
with neighbouring countries. (See the recent case of Angkor
Vat, Cambodia connecting with Bagan, Myanmar increasing
tourism/ research/cultural exchange potential for both sites or
the Silk Route, Spice Route etc)
3. Ancient Roads/ Routes of India - Uttarapath and Dakshinpath/
On the footsteps of Ashoka
4. Sindhu Saraswati / Harrapan sites of India
5. Iconic living temples of India – linking stories of the Agamasha-
tras and Stapathis in the south to the Sompuras in the north.
6. Fortifications of India especially since India has more than 1000
forts of different kinds showcasing its Military Landscape from the
mountains to the desert, forest and coastal regions. (an excellent A NITI AAYOG REPORT 217
international example for such a circuit is the European Network
of Forts – Forte Cultura http://www.forte-cultura-project.eu/)
7. Satyagraha Sites of India (already on tentative list). This can be
steered by the Ministry of Culture under the Gandhi Sites Mission
in association with ASI. Some of the sites such as Ag Khan Palace,
Pune has already been undertaken as a model site for conser-
vation by ASI.
Each thematic circuit could be researched further and devel-
oped specifically by ASI in a manner that it also links with re-
search activities, conservation works and knowledge exchange
activities besides adding to the visitor footfall and tourism. Heri-
tage sites should be linked with tangible and intangible benefits.
3.4. Promotion and Marketing
The heritage of India needs to be propagated and dissemi -
nated, for which social media is the most suitable medium. The
Ministry of Culture/ ASI need to launch a ‘Heritage India’ brand
and engage an agency for Digital Medium Planning and Buying
which would drive organic and inorganic traffic with Search En-
gine Optimisations and App Store Optimisations. The role of the
Agency would include strategic planning for brand promotion
and co-branding with other brands like ‘Incredible India, specific
channel plans, production and creative services restricted to
Hindi and English initially, media planning and buying and post
buy reporting and media optimisation and collaborating with
‘influencers’ and noted bloggers.. The objectives are to increase
awareness and engagement on digital channels including You
Tube and FM radio channels, increase Facebook, Twitter, Insta-
gram followers, enhance website visitors and ensure that app(iOS
and android) installs increase. Such targets should be quantified
and service level agreements framed in the contract. Simultane-
ously agencies can be hired for merchandise branding. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 218 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 219
14. Action Plan for Heritage
Management in India IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 220 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 221
A complete overview of the India’s heritage as summarised in
this report provides a fair idea of the existing gaps at various lev-
els. Based on the gap analysis and subsequent recommenda -
tions as per this report, the Key Action Points for each section are
summarised as below:
1. National Database and Documentation
1.1 National Archaeological Database to be made. National GIS
Database for monuments and sites to be authenticated and val-
idated with ISRO.
National GIS Database for monuments and sites to be initiated
with ISRO which may support a GIS team wing to be established
in ASI. By utilising the collaborative effort initiated by ISRO and
the Ministry of Culture, it is possible to collate all GIS and Non-GIS
archaeological database into a Single National Archaeological
Database. This can be a significant achievement as part of the
Digital India programme, at par with other geospatial databases
used by Central and State governmental agencies. It is import-
ant that this database should be consulted before authorizing
any construction near archaeological sites, ensuring that past
errors resulting in irreparable loss to heritage and escalating costs
can be mitigated. This national archive should be made public-
ly accessible under the Digital India programme, where it can
assist decision makers (development authorities, state depart-
ments, etc.) and help citizens plan for future economic growth
while preserving the fragile remnants of our past.
1.2 NMMA to be reactivated with budget and staffing to com-
plete its previous listing of built heritage and antiquities.
Policy for notification/denotification to be finalised immediately
to arrive as a final list of centrally protected monuments by ASI
Workshops need to be organised with national institutes and
organisations such as the American Institute in Gurgaon, the
French Institute in Pondicherry and INTACH to synergize with oth-
er protected and unprotected heritage repositories. Further list-
ing of monuments needs to be undertaken at National level to
complete the Mission work.
For antiquities database, 3D photography of objects in all collec-
tions and of murals and images is also necessary, which would
facilitate the expansion of virtual museums. The JATAN software
should be utilized for documenting all the objects in the posses-
sion of ASI and other museum.
1.3 Extend ongoing initiative for Archives Data to be accessible
digitally and Archives to be stored as per conservation norms
ASI needs to focus on digitisation of its photographic collection,
its estampage collection in Mysore, and on the records in the old
Circles which have yet to be transferred to the new Circles, and
of its property registers. ASI should take up the collective Photo
(Back Page) View of Taj Mahal, Agra; Source - Wikimedia Com-mons
Akbar’s Throne and central pillar,
Fatehpur Sikri; Source - Wikimedia
Commons IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 222
Documentation project proposed by CSMVS, Mumbai and British
Museum, UK as a pilot project to achieve an international role
model for photo documentation.
2. Use of Technologies for National Heritage
2.1 New technology like Photogrammetry & 3D Laser scanning
should be used for documentation, surveys, excavation and
conservation works.
LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and Drone Surveys to be
used to document monuments and sites. Each national monu-
ment should be 3D Laser scanned within the next 3 years and
some of this documentation should be available in the public
domain.
2.2 ASI and State Archaeology Departments across India should
consider an inhouse setup or a tie up with an associate depart-
ment, IT Companies for complete digitisation and documenta-
tion of their monuments and sites on a similar model as Rajdharaa
in Rajasthan.
2.3 Collaboration with Foreign Universities for introduction of lat-
est techniques in exploration and excavations should be under-
taken. ASI should collaborate with National and International
organisations for training of staff in use of advanced documen-
tation, survey and monitoring techniques to be used for mon-
uments and archaeological sites. (Refer section 12 for specific
institutional collaborations for ASI).
2.4 Technology is needed for e-governance and one-window for
permissions and clearances as well.
2.5 Advanced Technology for Promotion and Marketing of sites
needs to be actively used to cater to all visitor kinds – school chil-
dren, families, researchers and other segments of society.
3. Conservation of National Heritage
3.1 National Policy on Conservation needs to be implemented
vigorously
ASI should practice its conservation policy clause wise before
approval of any conservation project to be carried out on site
by any Circle SA. The format for approval of conservation works
within ASI needs to be revised including a checklist box for clause
wise adherence to National Policy at the time of approval of
estimates. It needs to be ensured that there is a conservation
plan prepared for the site which adhered to all sections of the
Policy – including a value based, scientific and holistic approach A NITI AAYOG REPORT 223
to conservation as outlined in section 4,5 and 6 of the policy.
Articles on documentation 4.01, 4.04, 4.07, 4.21, 5.07 and 7.05 of
National Policy on Conservation to be put into practice by ASI
and all State Archaeology departments.
ASI also needs to compile and make a Manual of Orders, Poli-
cies and SoPs for annual verification of properties, objects and
manuscripts on encroachments on violation of provisions of the
National Monuments Authority Act, the licensing provisions for
excavation and report writing, on estate management as well
as its other myriad activities like MoUs with State Governments
and relating to “living” monuments.
3.2 Conservation Plan be prepared for the site before undertak-
ing any conservation works
An overall conservation masterplan should be made for the
whole project and should be approved by a committee of lead-
ing professionals before execution. Some sites should be identi-
fied where architectural members/ remains can be assembled
(e.g. Sannati, Tadapatri) and restored on the pattern of Angkor
Vat restorations done by ASI.
A manual for conservation based on the integration of Nation-
al Policy and John Marshall’s Manual needs to be urgently pre-
pared for use of all Circles. Similarly, ASI needs to create its own
schedule of rates and also revise the Works Code. A system of
separation of technical and financial powers as per CPWD norms
was introduced in 2016.ASI should have a system of periodically
reassessing the delegation of financial powers. It should be man-
datory for a Note to be generated following each site inspection
by an officer at any monument. To simplify matters and ensure
a timely note is recorded, a ‘Site Inspection register’ available
online could be maintained at all monuments to be filled in by
visiting officers or independent experts.
3.3 Provision for Work Audit needs to be incorporated
The format for approval of conservation works should be framed
including a checklist box for clause wise adherence to National
Policy for all Annual Conservation Works submitted by all Circles
of ASI. All completed works of circles should have provision of
work audit based on this framework.
3.4 Region-wise empanelment of crafts persons
Engagement of Craftspeople as per Section 6 in National Policy
needs to be implemented by empanelling craftspeople region
wise by each ASI Circle.
3.5 National Level awards to be given to ASI Circles, State Gov-
ernments and other heritage custodians
ASI Head Office should allocate National Level awards to be giv-
en to ASI Circles, State Governments and other heritage custodi-
ans to recognise good conservation works. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 224
4. Excavation and Exploration of Archaeological
Sites
4.1 Draft of Excavation and Exploration Policy to be finalized and
adopted after public discussion within 6 months period. Imple-
mentation of the policy should be taken up as per clauses for
excavation, prioritisation and publication.
4.2 ASI Vision Plan to be made for exploration and excavation.
The vision plan will help to prioritize sites to be taken up for exca-
vation based on their zoning and categorization.
4.3 Development of laboratories for post-excavation analysis.
Use of scientific methodologies and development of laborato-
ries for post-excavation analysis. Collaboration to be established
with concerned laboratories within 6 months.
4.4 Archaeology as a separate Cadre
Adequate budget allocation and recognition of Archaeology
as a Cadre and de-licensing of exploration works (Refer Chapter
8, Upgradation of ASI, Page no. 150)
4.5 Publication of Excavation Reports within 6 months period
Submission of all pending reports on excavation and exploration
within 6 months. These should be published within the stipulated
deadline mentioned in the draft Excavation and Exploration Pol-
icy of ASI.
4.6 Re-exposing and putting the excavated sites in public do-
main
Sites excavated by ASI and other associated institutions across
India should be protected and conserved adequately with cov-
erings to allow public access and visitors. The sites should be
showcased with proper interpretation and visitor facilities.
5. Developing Site Museums
5.1 Budget 2020-21 proposed five archaeological sites to be de-
veloped as iconic sites with on-site Museums. These should be
completed in next 3 years. The proposed museums are Rakh-
igarhi (HR), Hastinapur (UP) Shivsagar (Assam), Dholavira (GJ)
and Adichanallur (TN). Clear Action Plan to be finalized for all.
5.2 ASI should finalize world class projects for 2 site museums
Hampi and Sarnath within next 3 months. Some work on these
museums has already been initiated. Residential quarters should
be built for staff of site museums that are located in remote areas.
A model site museum should also be set up at Ahichchhatra ar-
chaeological site in UP A NITI AAYOG REPORT 225
5.3 The guidelines for Museums adopted by ASI in 2013 (as part of
MoU with the Getty Conservation Institute) should be practiced
in all 6 identified spheres of Museum Development for any site
museum of ASI:
1. Research and Dissemination
2. Preservation and Conservation
3. Interpretation and Presentation
4. Education and Outreach
5. Visitor Services and Amenities
6. Administration and Management
5.4 An inter-disciplinary team of specialists, archaeologists, cu-
rators, exhibition designers need to be engaged.
For each site museum a scientific and specialist assessment
should be carried out. This should be aimed at listing immediate,
short term (one year), medium term (2-5 years) and long term (5-
10 years) actions to bring available knowledge, technology and
equipment to each of the Site museums.
5.5 Financially sustainable and revenue generation models to be
adopted for Museum Operations and Maintenance.
There should be focus on adaptive reuse and community use
of museum structures with more involvement of community and
sustainable components such as cafes, crafts souvenir shops and
exhibition spaces for revenue generation.
6. Heritage Tourism, Revenue generation and
Marketing
6.1 Adopt Revenue Generation Model through PPP Schemes
Push for revenue growth will require investments towards improv-
ing services, facilities and attractions that will generate visitor in-
terest and eventually footfall. These investments can be funded
through a public-private partnership that will allow the govern-
ment to ensure that heritage conservation remains primary focal
area and that commercial interest does not interfere with that
objective. This is true for both currently ticketed as well as other
sites. PPP Mode can be adopted to attract funding from various
Public and Private Sector Enterprises. Collaboration with state
governments for undertaking development works – to be under-
taken jointly by ASI and State Governments while core conser-
vation activities are to be undertaken by ASI only (e.g., Raigad
Model). Ministry of Tourism to directly give funds to ASI for devel-
opment of amenities around a monument rather than giving it to
various state tourism departments
Economic sustainability is a key challenge in conservation and
development of heritage sites for tourist/visitor interest, state
funding can get it going, but it is critical that a self sustaining eco-
nomic cycle kicks in, this is especially true for the major protected IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 226
monuments, and these have potential to generate revenue that
can help conserve, protect and develop the others.
6.2 Professional and focused marketing effort with Information
Technology
A professional and focused marketing effort (with a strong digital
component) is required to generate visitor interest; this must fac-
tor in the sheer number of monuments, hence a need for a clear
strategy that will promote the ASI assets effectively. This strategy
must also be integrated with state level tourism plans for impact
on the ground.
Even though ASI has adopted online ticketing, wifi facility on
sites, online permissions and e-governance, but the website of
the Archaeological Survey of India is not updated and needs
a more rigorous check for weekly updates. Most of the circle
websites are non-functional because the annual maintenance
funds have not been disbursed to the IT professionals handling
the website.
6.3 Each ASI site to be treated as separate profit centres
Efforts are made to generate revenue through the monument. In
addition to entry fee revenue is also generated through granting
permissions for film shooting, culture events, sale of publications,
grass auction, fruit auction, sale of photographs, etc. There is a
proposal to bring more centrally protected monuments under
the category of ticketed monument. A decision has been taken
to open souvenir shops at selected monuments. In this direction
an MoU has been signed with Handicrafts and Exports Corpora-
tion (Ministry of Textiles). Initially shops will be opened at Qutub
Minar and Sarnath.
Food and Beverage revenues are largely not leveraged to the
extent possible, sites with already heavy footfall loose a massive
opportunity here, These F&B services can be provided to cater
to the wide range of socio-cultural;-economic diversity that we
represent, this component has immense potential. Lease/Rent-
al/ Revenue Sharing models are used globally in this respect that
can be mirrored.
ASI should consider starting with a few sites to try different models
to serve as profit centres, there is no one glove fit all option here,
an open mind set is required. Key monument clusters should
have revenue targets with appropriate accountability within ASI.
6.4 ASI revenues to be ploughed back to the site
Currently, ASI has no surplus revenue and depends on the an-
nual budget allocation. Provision should be made for special
authorities for the primary ticketed monuments so that fee from
each monument can be directly utilized for the upkeep of the
monument,
Mechanism for retaining money earned out of entrance tickets A NITI AAYOG REPORT 227
and other sources for the purpose of conserving and maintaining
monuments to be evolved in consultation with relevant ministries.
6.5 National Culture Fund – To be made autonomous
The cumbersome procedures and reporting chain in NCF need
to be re-looked at in particular in order to amend the structure
and make it more conducive and efficient. The CEO should be
the Member Secretary of the Executive Committee with a board
of luminaries of the business world should be appointed to the
Board of the Fund.
6.6 Processing of the pending MoUs under Adopt a Heritage to
be accelerated
The success of this initiative would be possible if ASI is more liberal
and open to adopting tourist friendly practices, without impact-
ing their core responsibility of preservation of the monuments. A
positive relationship between ASI and Tourism needs to be put in
place. Delays in required permissions and clearances is presently
hampering the implementation of the project at several sites.
A high-level Committee with representatives from the Ministries of
Tourism and Culture, ASI and concerned State Government / UT
Administration may be set up for resolving issues and expediting
approvals, for moving ahead with the Adopt a Heritage project.
6.7 Crowdfunding/ community funding/ CSR
From ‘crowd funding’ to ‘community funding’ new funding mod-
els are thriving, ASI can consider opening up to local commu-
nities to make them stakeholders, community participation can
provide solutions both in terms of visitor interest as well as finan-
cial support, but this will need a huge shift in how ASI functions
as on date. This can also assist in managing the encroachment
issue more effectively.
It is also important to include local community in review of de-
signs and maintenance of monuments. E.g., volunteers for heri-
tage walks, maintenance of historical spaces, creating opportu-
nities for local economy (crafts and other production), etc.
The ASI should prepare or commission project proposals that
could be attractive for corporates to fund. Implementation for
conservation works could be undertaken by the ASI or a third
party. Restoration of the Humayun’s Tomb Finial was possible
with funding from Titan Company; conservation of Rahim Khan-
i-Khanan’s Tomb. with funding from Indigo and conservation of
Sabz Burj with funding from Havells. These examples need to be
replicated on a national scale
6.8 Tourism Experience to cater to all segments of Society:
All heritage sites should develop special programmes for engag-
ing School students’ visits with a round the year calendar for chil-
dren’s workshops, activities and events. Special Heritage walks IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 228
to enhance visitor experience with proper interpretation and sto-
rytelling on site or specialised interpretation centre needs to be
implemented. Souvenir shops with innovative local crafts prod-
ucts need to be established.
The signages need to be pleasing and legible. All ASI Blue Boards
should be redesigned them with details about the site. Orien-
tation and sensitizing of guides, car drivers and Police officials
around the sites/ monuments needs to be taken up. All Heritage
Sites have to be made disaster resilient. App based guide details
should be made available in public domain
A Domestic Tourists Marketing Strategy needs to be developed
and implemented for capitalising each heritage site to its opti-
mum interlinking both tangible and intangible benefits, events,
programs, performances besides the built heritage experience
of the site.
7. Upgradation of the Archaeological Survey of
India
7.1 Horticulture and Landscape
ASI needs to draft an approach paper on landscaping and water
hydrology and recreation of traditional water systems. This may
be an extension to the National Conservation Policy that does
mention some points related to landscape. Until this approach
paper gets framed, clause 4.18 for new landscaping and 4.19 for
retaining historic landscape may be followed in practice. Historic
water systems in forts and settlements and, traditional stepwells
are an important heritage typology that needs to be addressed
separately by ASI through engagement of hydrology experts.
Conservation Plan needs to ensure that landscape, horticulture,
water and hydrology features are incorporated before approval
of estimates for any conservation works.
7.2 Revive Underwater Archaeology
Pilot Project to be undertaken with other countries along with
specialised training with NIO and other international agencies
like The Netherlands Ministry of Culture is supporting a number
of South Asian and South East Asian countries in underwater ar-
chaeology training programs.
7.3 Induction of best of talents
within the organisation with flexibil-
ity in engaging professionals, Pay-packet at par with the market
(instead of government fixed rates) and flexi-pool system to at-
tract talent for conservation, designing and creating site muse-
ums, world class facilities, nomination dossiers, etc.
ASI also has many consultants on its rolls. However, it can be rec- A NITI AAYOG REPORT 229
ommended that in case posts are not being filled up through the
UPSC route, then consultants can be hired for one to two years
contracts at appropriate rates to bring in the requisite multi-dis-
ciplinary and professional expertise. Moreover, there should be
more focus on collaboration with agencies from all over the
world in different fields such as DNA laboratory, geology, IT relat-
ed agencies, site development, etc. It means that there is need
for development of multidisciplinary approach in ASI.
7.4 Creation of ICC Model (Cambodia Model)
ASI and MEA model which was operational for Cambodia and
other overseas projects including the following may be made
operational:
• Dedicated Cell for Special Projects – e.g., Ladakh, Fateh-
pur Sikri, Hampi, Champaner-Pavagadh, etc.
• Creation of Special Ad-Hoc group of experts for monitor-
ing projects
• Hiring of multi-disciplinary experts for each project and
provision for hiring experts
• Bi-annual field visits and Technical sessions for effective
monitoring
7.5 Restructuring of ASI
The Action Plan for restructuring proposed by ASI includes:
The restructuring proposal submitted by ASI to MoC involves cre-
ation / abolition of posts so as to reorganise different cadres to
the extent possible in a pyramidal manner, consistent with the
requirements of posts on a functional basis, restricting lateral en-
try at group B non-gazetted level and the entry level of Group
A. In between, the departmental officers would move upward
on promotion basis only. Presently, due to direct recruitment at
multiple levels, ASI is unable to fill up vacancies with persons hav-
ing requisite qualifications and experience. This is the underlying
principle of the proposal to be followed.
Division-wise additional posts to be included as approved by
MoC: (Refer Annexure for detailed note on Restructuring of ASI)
Archaeology cadre
It is proposed to reduce the strength at Assistant Archaeologist
level and to increase the number of posts at the Assistant Su-
perintending Archaeologist level (Group B Gazetted). This is jus-
tified on the ground that at the field level, the archaeologists
have to interact with higher officials of the State Government,
manage Museums, World Heritage Sites and important ticketed
monuments and needs to be conferred with powers to expend
money. Therefore, more number of officers are required at the
Gazetted level.
Conservation cadre:
The pay scale of engineers in CPWD starts with the entry level IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 230
of Level-6 (Junior Engineer) in CPWD. The minimum requirement
for JE is Diploma in Civil Engineering. In ASI, the entry level starts
at Level-2, followed by Level-4, then Level-6. From Level-6 on-
wards it is on the same pattern as in CPWD, because in ASI per-
sons with ITI qualifications are also engaged for work in the mon-
uments. In the restructuring proposal, it has been proposed to
abolish the posts of Level-2 (Junior Conservation Assistant) and
to make the entry level at Level-4 (Conservation Assistant). How-
ever, sub-stantial increase at Level-6 (equivalent to JE of CPWD)
has been proposed.
Further, the overall strength of conserva tion staff is proposed to
be increased to the extent that a minimum of 4 staff (1 Sr.CA +
3 CA) are available per sub-circle (as against the existing ratio of
2.5 conservation staff per sub-circle) to cater to an average of 20
monuments with proportionate increase at the supervisory level.
Branches:
Strengthening Epigraphy Branch
Rationalisation of posts in this Branch has been recommended to
facilitate smooth upward mobility of the personnel joining at the
entry grade. More experts in Sanskrit/Dravidian, Persian/Arabic
need to be sourced from universities and training programs for
ASI epigraphy branch need to be organised with them.
The Horticulture Division
It is proposed to raise the number of Divisions to at least 06, cor-
responding to the proposed number of ASI Regional Offices. Ac-
cordingly, proportionate increase in the staff strength has also
been proposed. To ensure effective supervision of the gardens
at the field level with persons having requisite professional qualifi-
cations, it is also proposed to increase the strength of Horticulture
Assistant Gr.II at Level 4 and to altogether abolish the present en-
try level posts of Foreman (Hort.). The educational qualification
prescribed for the post of Foreman (Horticulture) in Level 2 is BSc.
(Agri.) and as per the guidelines, the said qualification is sufficient
for entry at the level of Horticulture Assistant Gr.II at Level 4.
Administration Division
Moderate increase in the number of staff strength has been pro-
posed in Administration Division keeping in view the increase in
the number of field offices. The posts of Store Keeper and Assis-
tant Store Keeper are proposed to be abolished as these func-
tions can be performed by UDC / LDC with adequate training.
There are a number of senior level posts in ASI without sanctioned
posts of stenographers at the appropriate level to assist them.
Hence, increase in the strength of stenographers at various levels
has also been proposed. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 231
Creation of new PAOs for ASI
ASI is presently handling a budget of Rs.1000 crores, whereas,
there are just 02 PAOs, at Delhi and Hyderabad, to cater to scru-
tiny and passing of bills, maintenance of GPF accounts of around
5600 personnel and settlement of pension which is in the range
of one case per working day. Therefore, it is proposed to open
04 more PAOs to correspond with the 06 Regional Directorates of
ASI with a staff component of 01 PAO, 02 AAOs, 06 Accountants
per PAO raising the staff strength from the existing 35 to 54. These
posts will be got encadred with organized Accounting cadres
to ensure availability of experienced officers to handle budget
& accounts and to exercise effective financial control over ex-
penditure.
Auxiliary support services (Survey, Drawing, Photography, Art,
Modeling Divisions)
The PAC in its Report dated December, 2018 has recommended
that ‘more emphasis should be given to recruitment of technical
experts rather than auxiliary manpower’. Most of the technical
support services provided by the personnel in these Divisions are
presently available on outsourcing basis and the Department
may hire such services as and when needed. Therefore, it is pro-
posed to abolish 73 out of 110 vacancies lying vacant in these
05 Divisions.
Miscellaneous & Driver cadres
There are a number of miscellaneous isolated posts in ASI for ren-
dering various support services. As it is possible to outsource such
services, it is proposed to abolish such posts which are lying va-
cant as well as those which would fall vacant in the coming few
years. Similarly, the vacant posts of Drivers are also proposed
to be abolished as the vehicles can be driven by MTS with val-
id driving license or can be outsourced. Accordingly, 10 posts
of Drivers and 21 miscellaneous posts which are presently lying
vacant are proposed for abolition. In future, as part of phased
abolition, 121 of such posts will be abolished as and when they
fall vacant.
7.6 UGC Scales
Archaeology:
The Archaeological Cadre is currently the backbone of ASI. Ar-
chaeologists conduct archaeological explorations, excavations,
village surveys, as well as surveys of archaeological monuments
and sites, temples and buildings. They study the materials recov-
ered in situ, in their collections and also antiquities in the Museums
under their control which include sculptures, coins, rare objects,
textiles, skeletal materials etc. They write Reports on their work
and publish research papers, besides giving lecturers, training
researchers and PG students in exploration, excavation and ar-
chaeology. Many supervise doctoral theses, are expert examin-
ers and even write dossiers for the World Heritage Committee for
listing as World Heritage Sites. The conservation and preservation IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 232
of monuments is monitored and supervised by Superintending
Archaeologists, who bring their knowledge of ancient architec-
tural canons, geology and environment. The archaeologists of
ASI have post-independence made the major discoveries relat-
ing to the Harappan civilisation in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana
and UP. Unfortunately, however, ASI’s ability to attract good tal-
ent is hampered by the fact that UGC scales have not been
extended to ASI. This has also led to attrition of talent from ASI
to Universities. The work of archaeologists in ASI is by its very na-
ture both research and applied research oriented, and includes
teaching and training. Uniform pay scales would also facilitate
easy interchange of academics by deputation between Univer-
sities and ASI.
Epigraphy:
The disciplines of archaeology and epigraphy are intertwined.
Each reinforces the other in identifying ancient sites, analysing
antiquities, and interpreting archaeological finds. The survey of
monuments and inscriptions as well as the decipherment of in-
scriptions and scripts by the Epigraphy cadre requires a knowl-
edge and the application of Indian history and philology, my-
thology and literature. This is a scholastic task, and the research
done is published. This once vibrant cadre, now near defunct,
needs to be resuscitated in the interests of retrieving India’s past.
The entry level in this branch is Assistant Epigraphist and the es-
sential academic qualification is post-graduation. Director Epig-
raphy, level 12, is a promotion post for Supdt Epigraphist, failing
which it is to be filled by deputation. However, there are no can-
didates for either promotion or deputation. Similarly, the posts of
Jt DG in Epigraphy, which are to be filled by deputation (from
Universities) are vacant. These unfilled posts need to be revived
and the entry level post of Assistant Epigraphist be equated with
UGC scales of Assistant Professor (Pay level 10) and so on and
the two posts at the apex level of the cadre at Jt DG level can
be equated with Professor (HAG) Pay level 15. Such enhance-
ment of pay scales could draw the requisite talent which is now
attracted to Universities and even deputationists from Universi-
ties. Provisions should be made in their service rules to give some
weightage to teaching, training, research and extracurricular
activities besides academic qualifications at the time of giving
a higher grade pay. The UGC regulations should be studied and
modified to ASI requirements. The expansion of the archaeolog-
ical cadre need not be premised on the attrition of epigraphy.
Under no circumstances should the posts be surrendered merely
because they are not filled up.
The estampage collection of the Epigraphy branch of ASI should
be totally digitised and categorised and uploaded onto muse-
umsofindia.gov.in for the benefit of researchers and encourag-
ing multivocality. There has to be a special focus on the deci-
pherment of the Harappan script and a study of the links, if any,
to the Brahmi script. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 233
Pay scale:
The following pay structure is proposed for the existing designa-
tions in the Archaeological Survey of India, keeping in view of the
role of functions performed at the various levels, responsibilities,
etc., in consonance with the UGC pay structure:
* The Director General, ASI, thus can also function as Vice Chan-
cellor of the Institute of Archaeology functioning under the Ar-
chaeological Survey of India.
The proposed pay structure in comparison / equivalent with
the UGC pay structure will also enable the ASI officers to select
teaching roles in the Institute of Archaeology (Refer Ch 12, Page
no. 205-206 for information on establishment of Institute of Cul-
ture) functioning under the Archaeological Survey of India as
well as attract better talent and rejuvenate the academic and
research activities of the organisation. However, for it to be suc-
cessful it would also require approval of the Restructuring of ASI
so that the requisite number of posts are available.The present
full cadre strength in both the divisions is 379 against which the
proposed combined strength submitted to MoC is 457.
At present there is only a transfer policy for the archaeology cad-
re. There should be a transfer policy for all cadres under which all
officers should serve a prescribed part of their career in the North
East and Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.
Provisions should be made in the service rules to give some
weightage to teaching, training, published research and extra-
curricular activities by suitably adapting a modified version of
UGC regulations.
The current annual expenditure of ASI on salaries and emolu-
ments is an estimated Rs. 360 crores. The additional expenditure
for ASIs restructuring proposal which was submitted to Ministry of
Finance is Rs 43 crores. In addition, the cost of giving UGC scales
to both archaeology and epigraphy cadres is Rs. 21.22 crores,
thus making it a total cost of Rs 64.22 crores per annum.
S.No.DesignationPay Level
Equivalent or com-parable in University
Pay Level
Proposed pay structure
1.Director General*15/16Vice Chancellor 16 Rs. 2,10,000 + Rs. 11,500 p.m. special allowance
2.Addl. Director General14 Pro Vice Chancellor14/15Rs. 1,82,000 + Rs. 5,000 p.m. spe-cial allowance
3.Joint Director General13 Professor (HAG) 15 Rs. 1,82,200 - 2,24,000 + Rs. 5,000 p.m. special allowance
4.Director12 Professor 14 Rs. 1,44,000 - 2,24,100
5.Superintending Archaeologist/ Epigra-phist
11 Associate Professor13ARs. 1,31,000 - 2,16,000
6.Deputy Superintending Archaeologist/ Epigraphist
10 Assistant Professor12 Rs. 79,800 - 2,09,200
7.Assistant Superintending Archaeologist/ Epigraphist
7 Assistant Professor11 Rs. 68,900 - 2,08,700
8.Assistant Archaeologist/ Epigraphist 6 Assistant Professor10 Rs. 57,700 - 1,77,500 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 234
8. Urban Heritage – MoHUA and ASI
8.1 NMA to activate (100 + 200m) boundaries with MoHUA and
town planners
NMA has been mandated to grant NOC for construction activ-
ities in the regulated area of ASI monuments. It is integrating an
online application system (NOAPS) with various states and local
bodies. So far, successfully 717 urban local bodies of 9 States are
integrated while ULBs of 6 more states are in progress. This action
needs to be expedited and links with all ULBs should be estab-
lished for ease of business in approval of works around ASI sites
and monuments.
MoHUA to issue and advisory to all States and UTs for CTPs and
Rural Town Planning officials to provide site plans for ASI sites in
their area and review framing of bye laws in collaboration with
NMA and ASI. Chief Town and Country Planners should be in-
volved in framing bye-laws that are to be prepared by NMA for
all Heritage sites.
ASI to prepare an action plan for making all site plans for 3691
monuments and sites within 6 months.
ASI to immediately send a letter of request for support in pre-
paring site plans and framing of byelaws to the City Town and
Country Planning Offices through MoHUA.
8.2 Heritage Impact Assessment needs to be conducted for in-
frastructure projects in all cities where such projects are under-
taken in the vicinity of Central/State protected/ locally protect-
ed monuments, sites or historic city cores.
8.3 Smart cities heritage projects to follow HRIDAY toolkit model
HRIDAY Scheme by MOHUA for 12 Heritage cities had incorpo -
rated a Heritage Toolkit for landscaping, street furniture, lighting,
signage and other such elements in the city to blend with the
historic character of the city. These toolkits should be adopted or
customized as per heritage of each city under the Smart cities’
heritage works.
8.4 ASI to compile and publicise a state wise list of encroach-
ments.
At least 2-3 sites across India should be taken up on pilot basis
and encroachments should be removed to serve as model cas-
es for the rest. Currently, the Act only penalises ASI officials. The
same should be extended to other stakeholders and encroach-
ers. A NITI AAYOG REPORT 235
9. World Heritage (UNESCO)
Setting up of an independent World Heritage PMU with Ministry
of Culture: A World Heritage Project Management Unit (PMU) in-
volving World Heritage Experts, ASI and other stakeholders needs
to be set up to ensure following specific actions for World Heri-
tage in India.
9.1 Strengthen conservation and management of 38 World Heri-
tage Sites
State of Conservation and Site Management status should be re-
viewed for all 38 World Heritage Sites and action taken on World
Heritage Committee decision for each property. PMU with ASI
should ensure that other organisations such as the State Govern-
ments, Railways and MoEFCC are taking action on recommen -
dations for their World Heritage Sites.
9.2 Strategize World Heritage nominations (National and Trans-
national) for India
National and Transnational Nominations should be prioritised
each year with a 5 year plan. Transnational nominations on Hin-
du/Buddhist circuits with Asian countries may be targeted as a
priority.
Immediate proposals could be – Serial nomination of Ashokan
edict sites with South Asian countries, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pa-
kistan and Afghanistan; ‘Spread of Buddhism in Southeast Asia
through India’, ‘Chola and Srivjijaya Empire’s 10th-15th CE with
sites linking countries from India to Indonesia along the Indian
Ocean. Uttarapath (serial National Nomination) should be tak-
en on priority for nomination after Dholavira is submitted in 2020.
Sites of Satyagraha movement is another important pan India
nomination on tentative list to be taken up for inscription. Since
India has only 1 slot for nomination per year, so focusing specif-
ically serial nomination will allow adding more sites with a single
inscription.
9.3 Annual calendar for capacity building workshops and activi-
ties with State Government should be developed.
9.4 Project ‘Mausam’ to be capitalized for transnational nomina-
tions.
Cultural exchange on sea voyage proposed between India and
China at Mahabalipuram to be initiated under Project Mausam.
9.5 Establish UNESCO Category II Centre for Cultural Exchange in
Asia-Pacific.
Once the Indian Institute of Culture is fully functional as an um-
brella institution for Archaeology, Museum Studies and others at
the Noida Campus of ASI, it can be proposed to be recognized
as a UNESCO Category 2 Centre for Cultural Exchange for the
entire Asia Pacific region. IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 236
This PMU will also strengthen India’s candidature to be re-elect-
ed in the next elections of the World Heritage Committee due in
October- November 2021.
10. International Collaborations for India’s Heri-
tage
10.1 Implement more Conservation projects in other countries
MEA has recently taken a significant action on International Con-
servation Projects by floating an EoI for empanelment of conser-
vation consultants (structural/civil engineers) with minimum age
limit of 35 years till post retirement stage. These empanelled con-
sultants will be engaged in overseas conservation projects with
MEA in association with ASI teams and deputed for short term,
mid-term and long-term conservation works on overseas sites of
partner countries.
10.2 Cultural exchange on sea voyage proposed between In-
dia and China at Mahabalipuram to be initiated under Project
Mausam.
A cultural exchange on sea voyage between India and China
has been proposed in the Nov 2019 meeting between PM, India
and President, China at Mahabalipuram. MEA and ASI should
initiate this activity under Project Mausam.
10.3 Collaboration for Marketing of India’s Heritage Sites
International Heritage Circuits should be developed jointly with
other countries specially where shared heritage is evident such
as the Buddhist circuit and Hinduism circuit with South Asian and
South East Asian countries.
11. Skill Development, Community Employment
and Institutional Collaborations
11.1 Creation of an Indian Institute of Culture (IIC)
As suggested by MoC to be the premier National Institution for
education, training and skilling manpower in Archaeology, Con-
servation, Museology, Archives and related fields. A detailed
Concept Note is drafted by the Ministry of Culture to define the
range of disciplines and courses to be covered through this in-
stitute (Refer MoC Concept Note for IIC in Annexure). An insti-
tute of excellence at the national level that is multi-disciplinary,
research-based and practice-led will serve the most essential
needs in the culture sector by promoting education, facilitating
research, creating leadership, developing technical guidance A NITI AAYOG REPORT 237
and supporting skill development in the country.
It is proposed that while this Institute will be centred at the Pandit
Deendayal Upadhyaya Institute of Archeology, Greater Noida,
other mini centres across the country can also be envisaged in
this model. The proposed Indian Institute of Culture should be a
deemed university, wherein there should be a flexibility to hire
experts from other countries
11.2 Institutional Collaborations
As per gaps recognised in Documentation, Archaeology, Con-
servation, Management etc for ASI in the first section of this re-
port; following collaborations are proposed with specialised in-
stitutions for strengthening the technical knowledge of ASI as an
organisation:
S.No.Institute for CollaborationArea of Collaboration
1. IIT Madras, NCHS Training for conservation cadre and MTS on structur-
al safety, mid-level staff for specialised training pro- grams, engagement of NCHS for structural analysis of ASI monuments. Collaborative research programs to be established
2. National Institute of Ocean- ography, Goa
Underwater Archaeology Training Programs and Proj-
ect Mausam
3. Deccan College, Pune Excavations
4. MSU, Baroda and CSMVS Mumbai
Conservation Training Programs, Museum workshops and best practice, Material conservation lab
5. AIIS, GurugramDocumentation Training programs for ASI/Support in documentation and listing
6. WII, UNESCO C2C Specialised Training Programs for Cultural Landscape, World Heritage nominations and Site Management Plans, Periodic Reporting workshops for WHS. Project Mausam- natural components and climate change issues
7. Birbal Sahni Institute of Pa- laeobotany and AnSI
Scientific research and testing for excavations with reference to palaeobotany, Biotech and Domain ex-
perts for DNA Analysis
8. Department of Conserva-
tion, SPA New Delhi/Bhopal/
CEPT ICOMOS India
Heritage Impact Assessment Reports, Conservation
Management Plans
9. Department of Landscape
Architecture, SPA and oth-
ers
Landscaping and Horticulture
10.Hydrology Department in In-
stitutions
Water
11.IIT Gandhinagar GIS Mapping and other techniques of digital docu-
mentation IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 238
11.3 Propose the Institute of Archaeology with its enhanced
framework and deemed to b e a University to function as UN-
ESCO Category II Centre on “Shared Heritage for Asia-Pacific
region” (e.g., UNESCO C2C, WII Model at Dehradun) with the In-
stitute of Archaeology. Enhancement of the status of the existing
Institute of Archaeology with establishment of more technical
courses catering to the South Asian and SE Asian professionals.
Development of state-of-the-art scientific laboratories applica-
ble to archaeology and conservation with Research and Devel-
opment facilities.
11.4 Skill Development under Hunar se Rozgaar program under
MoT and under Skill Development Ministry.
As also mentioned in the Concept Note, the Institute of Culture
will serve as an important resource for Skill Development pro-
grams and will help in generating more employment for archae-
ologists, conservators and museum experts in the Public Sector. It
may also be converged with similar programs such as the cultur-
al mapping of artists by the Ministry of Culture, Hunar se Rozgar
program under the Ministry of Tourism and other specialized ones
under Skills Development Ministry. Attempts should be made to
engage local persons and craftspeople in their home states and,
also to support MNREGA Schemes for such employment.
12. Vision, Branding and Marketing Model - Refer
Chapter 13
International Collaborations may also be explored with various institutes for specialised studies. Some of these already identified ones are:
1. The Cultural Heritage Agen-
cy of the Netherlands (RCE)
Underwater Archaeology Training programs for ASI through NIO, Goa. The agency has expressed a keen interest including funding the program through their ongoing shared heritage program in India
2. Getty Conservation Institute, LA, USA
Museum Training Programs/ Specialised Material Conservation Training Programs for Adobe
3. ICCROM, RomeSpecialised Material Conservation training programs for Stone, Lime, other materials
Specialised Risk Management Training Programs
4. ICOMOS with IGNCA Thematic Studies of various categories – Rock Art, His-
toric Cities, Cultural Landscapes, Stepwells and Wa-
terbodies etc.
Walkway into Ahom Tomb, Siv- asagar district, Assam; Source - telegraphindia.com A NITI AAYOG REPORT 239 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 240 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 241
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List of Annexures
Volume 2 has the following annexures:
1. PMO Order
2. ASI National Policy for Conservation
3. ASI Draft Policy for Excavation
4. ASI Guidelines for Museum
5. Minutes of Working Group Meetings
6. Minutes of Workshop with ASI
7. Feedback from Working Group members
8. INTACH Document
9. Note from MoHUA
10. Note from MoC on Restructuring of ASI and Institute of Culture
11. Learning from International Best Practices
12. Adaptive Reuse and Historic Interiors IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 246 A NITI AAYOG REPORT 247 IMPROVING HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 248