‘Very low expenditure on excavation, different shortcomings’: CAG report on monuments, websites

By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India has flagged shortcomings within the monetary management mechanism in ticketing at ASI websites, gaps in documentation of monuments and antiquities within the nation and really low expenditure on excavation and exploration actions by the central heritage physique.

A CAG report on preservation and conservation of monuments and antiquities that was tabled in Parliament on Monday additionally identified shortcomings in conservation works at monuments and administration of heritage gardens; and absence of public facilities viz., public rest room, consuming water, house for car parking, ramp, information, safety and many others., throughout a bodily inspection of chosen monuments.

The CAG carried out a efficiency audit of ‘Preservation and Conservation of Monuments and Antiquities’ throughout November 2020 to March 2021 to confirm the actions taken on the areas of concern reported within the CAG’s Report No.18 of 2013 and to look at the extent of motion taken on the 25 particular suggestions made by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the audit physique stated in an announcement.

The items lined throughout the audit included, Ministry of Culture, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), National Monument Authority, National Culture Fund, National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities and 6 National-level Museums.

Seven States viz., Delhi, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and West Bengal have been chosen for analyzing the monuments, websites and workplaces of ASI viz., Circles, Branch workplaces, Institute of Archaeology, site-museums, monuments and excavation websites, it stated.

“ASI had no strategy or road-map (long term/medium term) to fulfill its mandate. The conservation activities were being undertaken on ad-hoc/annual basis. Central Advisory Board on Archaeology (CABA) conceptualised as apex body to advise ASI on matters relating to archaeology was inactive after March 2018,” the CAG stated within the assertion.

The audit physique additionally stated that the National Monument Authority was constituted as a statutory physique (in 2011) for offering no-objection certificates for endeavor building actions within the prohibited/regulated space of the monuments.

The fundamental goal was implementation of the statutory provisions by means of preparation of Heritage Bye-Laws (HBL) and site-plans for every monument.

“However, out of 3,693 centrally-protected monuments, HBL for only 31 monuments have been notified while finalisation of HBL for 210 monuments were at different stages viz. notification, consultation, etc,” it added.

The efficiency audit report additionally flagged a lot of different shortcomings and inadequacies.

The Culture Ministry had intimated the PAC concerning its determination to extend the price range on exploration or excavation actions to 5 per cent of the entire price range.

“Despite the assurance given by the Ministry, ASI’s expenditure on excavation and exploration activities was still less than one per cent,” it stated.

Also, in view of the advice of the PAC, “the ASI had revised its ticket and other charges for monuments and had included more monuments under the ticketed category. However, there were shortcomings in reconciliation and financial control mechanism,” the assertion stated.

The CAG additionally stated that National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities was launched by the Government (in 2007) to arrange a nationwide database of all monuments and antiquities within the nation in 5 years.

Its interval was prolonged for an additional five- years (2012-17) and later merged with ASI.

“Out of four lakh plus heritage structures and 58 lakh plus antiquities, only 1.84 lakh monuments and 16. 83 lakh antiquities have been documented so far,” it stated.

Further, suggestions of the PAC on notification of guidelines and conservation actions beneath National Conservation Policy, notification of Archaeological Excavation Policy, updation of Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, modification in Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act “regarding system for recording footfall have not been carried out,” the audit physique noticed.

The PAC had requested the “Ministry/ASI to expedite the restructuring process of ASI and make effort in filling the current vacancies in human resources,” it stated.

“However, overall vacancy position of ASI remained static at 29 per cent since earlier audit. At management levels and in important conservation branches of ASI, the position had further deteriorated,” it added.

The CAG additionally noticed that the utilisation in direction of the targets of NCF (National Culture Fund) was lower than 14 per cent (Rs 10.25 crore), which “indicates absence of NCF’s coordination with ASI”.

Also, discrepancies within the record of centrally-protected monuments and points associated with de-notification of lacking monuments (as reported earlier) have been nonetheless present regardless of assurance that efforts can be made for his or her rectification, the CAG has pointed, including at chosen national-level museums and website museums beneath ASI, issues associated to antiquity administration have been there.

Also it was famous that “ASI had no action plan based on its exploration and excavation policy. ASI did not have a centralised information/monitoring system for displaying excavation proposals and their status. Writing of excavation reports was pending for more than 60 years,” the assertion stated.

“The action taken by the Ministry/ASI on the recommendations made by PAC (Reports No.39 of 2016 and No.118 of 2018) was quite inadequate,” it added.

NEW DELHI: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India has flagged shortcomings within the monetary management mechanism in ticketing at ASI websites, gaps in documentation of monuments and antiquities within the nation and really low expenditure on excavation and exploration actions by the central heritage physique.

A CAG report on preservation and conservation of monuments and antiquities that was tabled in Parliament on Monday additionally identified shortcomings in conservation works at monuments and administration of heritage gardens; and absence of public facilities viz., public rest room, consuming water, house for car parking, ramp, information, safety and many others., throughout a bodily inspection of chosen monuments.

The CAG carried out a efficiency audit of ‘Preservation and Conservation of Monuments and Antiquities’ throughout November 2020 to March 2021 to confirm the actions taken on the areas of concern reported within the CAG’s Report No.18 of 2013 and to look at the extent of motion taken on the 25 particular suggestions made by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the audit physique stated in an announcement.

The items lined throughout the audit included, Ministry of Culture, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), National Monument Authority, National Culture Fund, National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities and 6 National-level Museums.

Seven States viz., Delhi, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and West Bengal have been chosen for analyzing the monuments, websites and workplaces of ASI viz., Circles, Branch workplaces, Institute of Archaeology, site-museums, monuments and excavation websites, it stated.

“ASI had no strategy or road-map (long term/medium term) to fulfill its mandate. The conservation activities were being undertaken on ad-hoc/annual basis. Central Advisory Board on Archaeology (CABA) conceptualised as apex body to advise ASI on matters relating to archaeology was inactive after March 2018,” the CAG stated within the assertion.

The audit physique additionally stated that the National Monument Authority was constituted as a statutory physique (in 2011) for offering no-objection certificates for endeavor building actions within the prohibited/regulated space of the monuments.

The fundamental goal was implementation of the statutory provisions by means of preparation of Heritage Bye-Laws (HBL) and site-plans for every monument.

“However, out of 3,693 centrally-protected monuments, HBL for only 31 monuments have been notified while finalisation of HBL for 210 monuments were at different stages viz. notification, consultation, etc,” it added.

The efficiency audit report additionally flagged a lot of different shortcomings and inadequacies.

The Culture Ministry had intimated the PAC concerning its determination to extend the price range on exploration or excavation actions to 5 per cent of the entire price range.

“Despite the assurance given by the Ministry, ASI’s expenditure on excavation and exploration activities was still less than one per cent,” it stated.

Also, in view of the advice of the PAC, “the ASI had revised its ticket and other charges for monuments and had included more monuments under the ticketed category. However, there were shortcomings in reconciliation and financial control mechanism,” the assertion stated.

The CAG additionally stated that National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities was launched by the Government (in 2007) to arrange a nationwide database of all monuments and antiquities within the nation in 5 years.

Its interval was prolonged for an additional five- years (2012-17) and later merged with ASI.

“Out of four lakh plus heritage structures and 58 lakh plus antiquities, only 1.84 lakh monuments and 16. 83 lakh antiquities have been documented so far,” it stated.

Further, suggestions of the PAC on notification of guidelines and conservation actions beneath National Conservation Policy, notification of Archaeological Excavation Policy, updation of Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, modification in Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act “regarding system for recording footfall have not been carried out,” the audit physique noticed.

The PAC had requested the “Ministry/ASI to expedite the restructuring process of ASI and make effort in filling the current vacancies in human resources,” it stated.

“However, overall vacancy position of ASI remained static at 29 per cent since earlier audit. At management levels and in important conservation branches of ASI, the position had further deteriorated,” it added.

The CAG additionally noticed that the utilisation in direction of the targets of NCF (National Culture Fund) was lower than 14 per cent (Rs 10.25 crore), which “indicates absence of NCF’s coordination with ASI”.

Also, discrepancies within the record of centrally-protected monuments and points associated with de-notification of lacking monuments (as reported earlier) have been nonetheless present regardless of assurance that efforts can be made for his or her rectification, the CAG has pointed, including at chosen national-level museums and website museums beneath ASI, issues associated to antiquity administration have been there.

Also it was famous that “ASI had no action plan based on its exploration and excavation policy. ASI did not have a centralised information/monitoring system for displaying excavation proposals and their status. Writing of excavation reports was pending for more than 60 years,” the assertion stated.

“The action taken by the Ministry/ASI on the recommendations made by PAC (Reports No.39 of 2016 and No.118 of 2018) was quite inadequate,” it added.