Rs.26.02 lakh spent on Assam heritage till July

New Delhi: Union Minister for Culture Kumari Selja Tuesday said the government spent Rs.26.08 lakh this year, till July, on renovating sites of archaeological importance in Assam.

Presenting a break-up of expenses incurred in heritage conservation in the northeast, Kumari Selja said the government has spent Rs.2.55 lakh in Arunachal Pradesh (up to July 2012), Rs.4.79 lakh in Tripura and Rs.2.19 lakh in Sikkim. In 2011-2012, the government spent Rs.200.52 lakh in Assam, Rs.42.44 lakh in Tripura and Rs.22.41 lakh in Tripura, the minister said in response to a query in the Lok Sabha. She said the Archaeological Survey of India looks after 82 monuments and sites in the northeast that are declared as of national importance -- out of these 55 are in Assam. The department has also identified several structures to be included as monuments for conservation and structural repairs. IANS