Culture ministry spends only Rs 94 lakh in current fiscal on research & promotion

The Ministry of Culture has spent a meagre Rs 94 lakh in the current financial year against Rs 6.64 crore in 2014-15 on creating database of cultural resources, management, research and promoting awareness among public.

National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA), under the Ministry of Culture, responsible for carrying out these activities spent only Rs 55 lakh on antiquities and Rs 19 lakhs on built heritage sites by January 31 during the current financial year. 'The expenditure of NMMA in 2015-16 was Rs 1.28 crore. The government has spent Rs 84 lakhs on antiquities and Rs 78 lakh on built heritage sites," said Mahesh Sharma, Minister for Culture, in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.

The expenditure of the NMMA had increased from Rs 1.98 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 6.64 crore in 2014-15. In the following years, the expenditures plunged sharply.