According to a written response before the Assembly by Language, Literature, and Culture Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, just 294 of Odisha’s nearly 3,000 identified temples and sites of archeological interest have been designated as protected monuments by the state and central governments. In answer to a query from BJD MLA Prasanna Acharya about the renovation of historic temples in the state, the minister stated that 212 of the 294 protected monuments are under the State Archeology Department and 82 have been deemed centrally protected monuments.
The State Archeology Department would receive ₹7 crore for protected monuments and ₹13 crore for both protected and unprotected monuments for maintenance and conservation in the current fiscal year, according to the minister. The previous fiscal year allocated ₹5 crore for protected monuments and ₹10.9 crore for maintaining both protected and unprotected monuments, according to the source. Suraj also denied that funding allocated for the maintenance and development of ancient monuments were not being used.