Spent Rs 122.87 Cr on establishment of Ambedkar Memorial in Delhi: Govt tells Parliament

New Delhi: The Centre spent Rs 122.87 crore on the establishment of the Ambedkar Memorial in Delhi in 2018, the government informed Parliament on Monday. Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, in a query in the Lok Sabha, was asked details of statues and memorials established by the government or government-owned undertakings along with the total amount incurred on the construction and maintenance thereon during the last ten years. "Ministry of Culture has not established statues and memorials. Details of other statues and memorials established through Central Public Works Department (CPWD), Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs are attached as annexure-I," he said. In annexure-I, the ministry shared data on some of the statues and memorials established through the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), which comes under the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs. According to the data, Rs 122.87 crore was spent on the establishment of Ambedkar Memorial in Delhi (2018); Rs 59 crore on setting up the National Dandi Memorial Complex at Dandi in Navasri district, Gujarat (2019); Rs 41.34 crore on establishment of memorial to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi at Sriperumbatur, Tamil Nadu (2017-18); Rs 7.89 lakh on a platform for a statue of B R Ambedkar at Jaisalmer House, New Delhi (2024); Rs 14.56 lakh on a statue of Ambedkar in the Supreme Court premises; and Rs 1.95 lakh on a statue of Ved Vyas at NCERT Campus in Delhi's Haus Khas. The query was made by Rajkumar Roat, a Bharat Adivasi Party MP from Rajasthan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the Dr Ambedkar National Memorial (DANM) at 26, Alipore Road, Delhi at the place of Mahaparinirvana of Ambedkar on April 13, 2018. The memorial is dedicated to the life and contributions of Ambedkar, the principal architect of the Constitution of India. The foundation stone of DANM was laid by the prime minister on March 21, 2016, the government had then said in an official statement. The memorial is spread over an area of approximately 7,400 sq m and built at a cost of Rs 100 crore, the government had then said. The Union minister was also asked whether the government is aware that citizens have "raised objections and complaints" regarding large amount being incurred on statues and memorials despite the shortage of other basic amenities, including education, health, drinking water and roads in various areas of the country. "No such representations/grievances received in Ministry of Culture," Shekhawat said. He was also asked whether the government "proposes to enforce any clear policy, maximum expenditure limit and transparent acceptance procedure" for the construction of statues and memorials with public fund. "The construction of statues and memorials with public funds, wherever undertaken, is governed by the extant policies, rules, guidelines and financial procedures applicable to the concerned ministry/department/organisation," the minister added.