Ministry of Culture announces seven new circles of Archaeological Survey of India

The Ministry of Culture on Wednesday announced seven new circles of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism Prahlad Singh Patel in a video message tweeted by him.

Patel said that the Ministry of Culture has taken this step in accordance with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to facilitate and strengthen the process of preservation and registration of archaeological monuments along with registration of artefacts with self-declaration.

The Minister informed that new circles have been created in Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal and Gujarat. He said that Trichy, Raiganj, Rajkot, Jabalpur, Jhansi and Meerut have been announced as new circles.

पुरातत्विक स्मारकों के संरक्षण,पंजीयन,पुराशेषों को स्वघोषणा के साथ पंजीकृत करने के अभियान को बल देने वाले मा प्रधानमंत्री जी के निर्देश को सफल बनाने के लिए संस्कृति मंत्रालय ने @ASIGoI के नये सर्किल को घोषित किया है @PMOIndia @JPNadda @incredibleindia @MinOfCultureGoI @BJP4MP pic.twitter.com/FZb6rqqD1w — Prahlad Singh Patel (@prahladspatel) August 26, 2020

In Archaeology, the Hampi city in Karnataka is a place of international repute hence Hampi Mini Circle has been converted into a full-fledged circle, the Minister added. Earlier there were 29 ASI circles across the country.

Patel said that in a large state like Tamil Nadu which has thousands of temples and glorious memories of the Chola kings, Trichy has been made a new circle along with the circle of Chennai. Karnataka is an important state in terms of holiness.

Hampi city in Karnataka is a place of international importance from the point of view of archaeological heritage therefore the Hampi Sub-Circle now has been made a new full-fledged circle.

In West Bengal, Raiganj has been made a new circle along with Kolkata, this will eliminate geographical inconvenience in a big state like Bengal. In Gujarat, Rajkot has been announced a new circle along with Vadodara.

Patel said that Jabalpur has been announced a new circle along with Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. This will include the monuments from Jabalpur, Rewa, Shahdol and Sagar divisions. The Minister also informed that Jhansi in Bundelkhand and Meerut in western Uttar Pradesh has been announced two new circles along with Lucknow and Agra in Uttar Pradesh.