Take steps to bring back antiquities taken outside India: Par

A Parliamentary panel today asked the Culture Ministry to take necessary steps to recover antiquities sold abroad and bring back artifacts that were taken outside the country during the colonial rule through diplomatic dialogues and appropriate legal mechanisms.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), headed by Congress MP K V Thomas, in its report on 'Protection and Conservation of Monuments and Antiquities' expressed "displeasure over the absence of an appropriate and effective mechanism" for acquisition of anitquities in the country so far and also delay in bringing about amendments to the Antiquities and Art Treasure Act 1972.
The panel's observations assume significance in the backdrop of recent developments triggering a fresh debate over bringing back the iconic Kohinoor diamond from England.

"The Committee note with serious concern that the Ministry is yet to bring amendments to the Act even after a lapse of nearly two decades, though the process to amend the Act was initiated in 1997," it said.
"The Committee, therefore, desire that the ministry expedite the finalization of the draft Antiquities and Art Treasure Amendment Bill," it said.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) also noted "lack of effective monitoring in removing" of encroachments and "absence of any coordinated effort" to check unauthorised constructions within conservation areas.

"From Audit's finding, the Committee observe that there are huge gaps in the management of security and safequard around important monuments and museums arising out of lack of proper attention," it said.

The PAC recommended that "the Ministry should develop a comprehensive security policy for all monuments and museums under its control by addressing the shortage of security personnel.
"And at the same time exploring the possibility of taking the help of ISRO for aerial survey and installation of satellite cameras and other agencies like Electronics and IT department for IT-based security modules".
The Committee also noted with great concern that the ministry has not been able to fill the vacancies in ASI as pointed out in a 2013 report.
Noting that ASI was spending less than one per cent of its

total expenditure on exploration and excavation of archaelogical remains, the Committee also recommended that the ministry should ensure adequate allocation of funds and effective utilisation by the ASI for such activities.
On revenue generation, the Committee said it was "dismayed to note that there is no structured system of determining whether protected monuments are to be placed under ticketed monuments category or not."
It recommended that a structured system for categorisation of monuments as ticketed or non-ticketed must be developed and a comprehensive review carried out to bring more monuments in the ticketed category.
The panel also suggested that entry rates should be reviewed and suitably revised upwards at par with the rates at monuments in other countries.

It also suggested appropriate upward revision of rates for film and documentary shoots in premises of monuments.
On non-budgetary funding, the committee recommended that the coordination between ASI and National Culture Fund (NCF) should be strengthened to rope in more corporate groups and high net-worth individuals into funding conservation and visitor amenities at monuments sites.