ASI spent 25 pc excavation budget since 2020 in Gujarat: Report

Since 2020, the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) has spent 25 percent of its excavation budget in Gujarat, of which 94 cent was spent in Vadnagar, which is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s village.

The ASI spent Rs 8.03 crore in Vadnagar, out of the 8.53 crore allocated to Gujarat, according to an analysis by The Print of data presented in Parliament. The Vadnagar site was excavated every year from 2020-2024.

Other sites to be excavated during this period are Valabhipur, Vihar, Sarwal and Lothal. Nationwide, the ASI spent Rs 34.81 crore on 58 sites in 17 states, Union culture minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat informed Rajya Sabha on 24 July in response to a question by Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala A. Rahim.

The minister elaborated stating that six excavations each were done in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha during this period, followed by 5 each in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, and 4 each in Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan.

in the last five years, the ASI spent over 50 percent of its budget in states including Vadnagar (Gujarat), Rakhigarhi (Haryana), Kaserua Khera (Haryana), Ratnagiri (Odisha), Bahaj (Rajasthan), and Adhichanallur (Tamil Nadu).

The ASI’s budget increased from 1,036.41 crore in FY 2019-20 to Rs 1,278.49 crore in FY 2025-26. “In the last few years, the ASI’s budget has increased, and so has the pace of excavation in various parts of the country,” an ASI official was quoted as saying by The Print.

It is noteworthy that less than 1 percent of the budget was spent on exploration in excavation. A report by the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) in 2022 also highlighted the issue. However, the report highlighted that “Despite the assurance given by the Ministry, ASI’s expenditure on excavation and exploration activities was still less than 1 percent.”

Even at present, the amount of budget spent on exploration and excavation remains the same, For instance, Haryana’s Rakhigarhi, the biggest Harappan site, is among the top gainers in terms of funds allocated for excavations. The ASI spent Rs 1.86 crore on excavations here between 2020 and 2024, which is 34 percent of the Rs 5.47 crore allocated to Haryana.