The Archaeological Survey of India's ticket sales were marginally lower this year than the last.
Revenue from sale of entry tickets for monuments under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) declined marginally to Rs 92.49 crore in fiscal 2015-16 over the year-ago period, Lok Sabha was informed today.
"The annual revenue through entry fee at centrally protected, ticketed monuments/sites/museums under the jurisdiction of Archaeological Survey of India during the year 2015-16 is Rs 92.49 crore," Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma said in a written reply.
The government had earned Rs 93.38 crore from sale of entry tickets for these monuments in 2014-15.
The earnings are expected to rise from the current fiscal as the entry fee has been increased with effect from April 1 this year.
The government has effected a three-fold hike in the entry fee for 116 monuments under ASI for domestic visitors and 100 per cent for foreign tourists.
For the 32 World Heritage Sites, the ticket price was increased to Rs 30 from Rs 10 for domestic visitors, while for foreign nationals, it was hiked to Rs 500 from Rs 250.
For monuments other than World Heritage Sites, the fee was increased three-fold to Rs 15 from Rs 5 for domestic visitors and for foreigners, to Rs 200 from Rs 100.
Replying to another query, Mr Sharma said the expenditure incurred by ASI on monuments/sites of national importance during 2015-16 was Rs 238.61 crore.