Former cricketer Brett Lee with a model at the Taj Mahal during the shooting of a documentary in March. (PTI)

New Delhi, April 9: The Archaeological Survey of India is pitching for more funds for monument maintenance, having once again sent a proposal to the finance ministry to retain the money earned through tickets.

On an average the ASI earns Rs 90 crore a year through tickets that visitors buy to see monuments. But this amount goes to the central budget from which a portion is allotted to the ASI. This year, the ASI has been given Rs 555 crore. Of this, nearly Rs 250 crore will go for salaries and other administrative expenditure.

The ASI has 116 monuments that are ticketed. Of these, 19 are listed as world heritage sites and it is these monuments that earn about 70 per cent of the funds. The Taj Mahal remains the highest grosser, earning nearly Rs 15-17 crore a year.

The ASI has been jockeying this proposal for a long time. It was sent to the finance ministry in 2004, but was rejected then.

The parliamentary standing committee on culture headed by CPM leader Sitaram Yechury has also suggested that the ASI should be allowed to retain the funds it earns. The issue was discussed during the committee’s meeting held last week.

“Every year, the budget is limited and we are not able to carry out a lot of work because of lack of funds. Also there are restrictions on how this money can be spent. So, recently we again asked the finance ministry for permission to keep the ticket funds,” said ASI director-general Pravin Srivastava.

If the ASI is able to retain the funds, then for one it will be non-lapsable. At the end of the year, central funds, if not utilised, go back to the Union government.

“To be able to utilise money earned through monument tickets will also act as an incentive for officials who will be able to see the direct results of the funds garnered by them. It will inspire them to think of new ways to get more visitors,” Srivastava added.

Culture minister Chandresh Kumari Katoch has also written to the Prime Minister asking him to make changes in the corporate social responsibility scheme so that monuments can be adopted for maintenance by private firms. Under the CSR, corporates get tax benefits for donating funds to NGOs or government projects. Currently “culture” is not part of the CSR list of activities.