Budget ASI allocated Rs 1 274 crore for heritage preservation

New Delhi, Jul 23 (PTI) The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has been allocated Rs 1,273.91 crore in the Union Budget 2024-25 as compared to the Rs 1,131.08 crore in the previous budget.
    The more than 160-year-old ASI works for protection, preservation, and conservation of centrally protected monuments and sites.
    Currently, there are 3,697 ancient monuments and archaeological sites under its ambit.
    The central agency and the Ministry of Culture are the nodal agencies for hosting the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee currently underway in Delhi. It is being held at the Bharat Mandapam from July 21-31.
    Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget speech on Tuesday underlined the government's emphasis on both 'vikas' (development) and 'virasat' (heritage) in the country's growth trajectory.
    The Budget outlay for the culture sector stands at Rs 3,260.93 crore for 2024-25, compared to Rs 3,399.65 crore allocated to it in the last budget. However, the figures for the outlay in the revised estimate for year 2023-24 stood at Rs 3,460 crore.
     The ASI has been allocated Rs 1,273.91 crore in the Union Budget 2024-25 as compared to Rs 1,131.08 crore in the previous budget (revised).
     The allocation for the ASI in the last budget (estimate) was Rs 1,102.83 crore.
     The government has allocated Rs 188.21 crore for libraries and archives in the Budget, while Rs 123.72 crore has been allocated for museums.
     Finance Minister Sitharaman also announced that comprehensive development of Vishnupad Temple corridor at Gaya and the Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya in Bihar will be supported by the government to transform them into "world-class pilgrim and tourist destinations".
     These corridors will be modelled on the successful Kashi Vishwanath Temple Corridor, she said.
     As per the official figures, the Budget outlay for the tourism sector stands at Rs 2,479.62 crore for 2024-25, as compared to Rs 1,692.10 crore allocated to it in the last budget (revised).
     The allocation for the tourism sector in the last budget (estimate) was Rs 2,400 crore.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)