No ASI Record of Privately-Owned Heritage Homes, Govt Confirms

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) does not maintain a specific inventory of privately-owned heritage homes, Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat informed the Lok Sabha today. Responding to a query from Kakinada MP Tangella Uday Srinivas, the minister clarified that the National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA), established in 2007, compiles two national registers for monuments and antiquities across India, documenting 11,406 built heritage sites and structures aged 100 years or older.

State-wise, Rajasthan leads with 2,160 documented sites, followed by Odisha (2,015), Andhra Pradesh (1,788), Madhya Pradesh (749), Bihar (20), and Haryana (1), as published on the NMMA website. The NMMA aims to create a comprehensive database for planners and researchers, promote awareness, and ensure better management of cultural resources.

When asked about financial assistance, tax incentives, or schemes for conserving privately-owned heritage properties, Shekhawat stated that such support falls outside the ASI’s mandate. Similarly, no dedicated central scheme exists or is proposed for providing financial or technical assistance to private owners for conservation or adaptive reuse of heritage homes. The ASI, established in 1861 under the Ministry of Culture, oversees 3,698 centrally protected monuments and 52 museums.

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