The National Monuments Authority was established in 2010 as per the provisions of ‘The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains AMASR (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2010’. It is part of the Ministry of Culture and its main aim is to protect and preserve monuments and sites by managing the prohibited and regulated area around the centrally protected monuments.
This topic is important for prelims and GS papers of the Mains IAS Exam. Updates related to the National Monuments Authority will be made available here.
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Why is it in the news?
In January 2022, Pramod P. Joglekar, a former Professor and Head of the Department of ancient Indian history, culture and archaeology at Deccan College, Pune, was appointed a whole-time member of the NMA by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
Facts about the National Monuments Authority (NMA)
Important facts about the National Monuments Authority (NMA) are given below:
- The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains AMASR (Amendment and Validation) Act provides for NMA to be constituted with a Chairperson and up to 5 Whole Time and 5 Part Time Members each and a Member Secretary.
- Director General of Archaeological Survey of India (DG ASI) is an ex officio Member of NMA.
- The NMA considers grant of permissions to applicants for construction related activity in the regulated and prohibited area.
- The AMASR Act was amended in 2010. NMA and the Competent Authorities (CA) were established and now all applications for construction related work in the regulated and prohibited area are to be submitted to the CA and then to NMA for consideration of the application
- A few other important changes have been made by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains AMASR (Amendment and Validation), 2010 Act. These include:
- Statutory provision for the ‘prohibited’ and regulated areas
- Grading and classification of various monuments in India
- A complete ban on construction in the prohibited area
- Providing statutory procedures for applications that seek permission for construction/renovation/repair
- NMA will make necessary scrutiny of the Heritage bye laws and give approval after inviting suggestions or objections from the public.
