ASIs repair works hang in limbo amid expenditure cap
AGRA: Several conservation and restoration projects at centrally protected sites and monuments, including mud therapy to remove stains on Taj Mahals main dome, renovation at 17th Century Sheesh Mahal in Delhi and facelift of Mughal paintings at Fatehpur Sikri, are stuck amid an expenditure cap since Covid-19 outbreak.
Senior officials from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) confirmed to TOI that preservation work has come to a standstill since April as no money has been released by the government for ongoing restoration projects.
A circular issued by the Centre in April capped spending for most ministries, including culture ministry which allocates funds to ASI. The circular stated that in view of the Covid-19 outbreak and the resulting lockdown, the cash position of the government is expected to be “stressed” in 2020-2021 and hence regulating expenditure would be necessary.
For the culture ministry, the cap was 15% for three months, meaning it could spend 5% per month of the allocated budget of Rs 787 crore for the first quarter (March to June.) On June 23, a fresh circular extended the cap on spending in the second quarter ending September.
While no cuts can be made for overheads such as salaries, pension and regular maintenance, its restoration projects that have had to bear the brunt of the expenditure cap, an ASI official said.
But Union minister for culture and tourism, Prahlad Patel, told TOI on Friday that conservation and preservation work on monuments and heritage sites was on. “No funds have been stopped for any of the works.”
ASI officials in at least three states confirmed to TOI on condition of anonymity that barring regular maintenance — cleaning and gardening — no restoration work was going on in monuments of national importance. A senior ASI official said, “Nearly Rs 400 crore are spent annually on conservation, preservation and annual maintenance of 3,691 centrally protected monuments. But apart from regular maintenance, no money has been spent on restoration projects this fiscaRead More – Source
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