The Centre has proposed to develop 15 archaeological sites as "experiential cultural destinations", but funds for the scheme will be allocated later, a senior official told The Telegraph.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in her budget speech: "I propose to develop 15 archaeological sites, including Lothal, Dholavira, Rakhigarhi, Adichanallur, Sarnath, Hastinapur and Leh Palace into vibrant, experiential cultural destinations. Excavated landscapes will be opened to the public through curated walkways. Immersive storytelling skills and technologies will be introduced to help conservation labs, interpretation centres, and guides."

The capital expenditure of the Archaeological Survey of India, however, has been cut from ₹135.9 crore to ₹131.5 crore. A senior culture ministry official explained: "This (development of 15 sites) will be a new scheme for the development of infrastructure. New schemes go to an expenditure finance committee, and funds for them are passed in an additional budget.

"Funds for the upcoming Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum (the new National Museum in the North and South Blocks) are under consideration and will also be allocated later in this manner."

The total budget of the culture ministry has increased from ₹3,360.96 crore to ₹3,416.63 crore, which barely adjusts for inflation.

Since 2017, the culture ministry has involved private donors in creating civic amenities around monuments under the Adopt a Heritage Scheme. For the first time, the ministry is empanelling private conservation architects for monuments — a task over which the ASI had sole mandate.

Dholavira, Rakhigarhi, Adichanallur and Hastinapur were proposed to be developed as "iconic archaeological sites" in the 2021 budget. Site museums were yet to become functional in Haryana's Harappan site Rakhigarhi, and Uttar Pradesh's Iron Age site Hastinapur.

The National Maritime Heritage Complex, approved in 2019, is under construction in Lothal. Dholavira, which has the archaeological remains of a five-millenia-old port, was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 2021. Sarnath has been nominated for the Unesco tag as well.

The allocation for the "Development of Museums" has also been cut from ₹210.72 crore to ₹150 crore.