Govt to set up Commission for Heritage conservation

New Delhi, May 15 (UNI) The government proposes to constitute a Heritage Sites Commission which will lay down policy guidelines to address the documentation, inventorisation and conservation of built heritage.

Minister for Culture and Tourism, Ambika Soni, told the Rajya Sabha today, in a written reply, that the functions of the proposed Commission would include advising the Government on heritage matters, framing guidelines for conservation of heritage monuments and sites, studying important matters regarding conservation of heritage and suggesting appropriate amendments to the existing heritage legislations.

However, no timeframe could be indicated at this stage, the Minister said.

To another question, the Minister said the number of foreign tourist arrivals in India in 2006 was 4.43 million, registering a 13 per cent increase over that in 2005.

She also said the government had no details on the renovation of the Katasraj Temple near Lahore in Pakistan by the Pakistan government.

India had not given financial assistance for the purpose, she added.

UNI