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Budget proposes to develop 15 archaeological sites: Check out the list and what it entails

We look at the sites that are proposed to be included in the scheme, what it entails, and how this takes off from an announcement in the 2020-21 Budget.

Written by: Divya A

3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Feb 4, 2026 09:31 AM IST

Dholavira in Gujarat is one of the largest cities of Indus Valley Civilisation, with stepwell steps to reach the water level in artificially constructed reservoirs. (Wikimedia Commons)

In her Budget Speech on Sunday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed to “develop 15 archaeological sites”, including Lothal, Dholavira, Rakhigarhi, Sarnath, Hastinapur, and Leh Palace into “vibrant experiential cultural destinations”.

“Excavated landscapes will be opened to the public through curated walkways, immersive storytelling skills, and technologies will be introduced to help conservation labs, interpretation centres, and guides,” she said.

We look at the sites that are proposed to be included in the scheme, what it entails, and how this takes off from an announcement in the 2020-21 Budget.

What are the 15 sites?

The identified sites represent a broad spectrum of India’s civilisational continuum — from 3rd century BC to 19th century — and also span the length and breadth of the country.

They include Lothal and Dholavira in Gujarat, Sarnath, Jhansi Fort and Hastinapur in Uttar Pradesh, Rakhigarhi and Agroha in Haryana, Adichanallur in Tamil Nadu, which is a Iron Age urn burial site in Thoothukudi district, Udayagiri in Odisha, Sannati in Karnataka, Leh Palace in Ladakh, Chittorgarh Fort in Rajasthan, Purana Qila in New Delhi, Eran in Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar, which one of the ancient mints for Indian dynasties, and the Ahom site of Sibasagar in Assam.

How is it different from the earlier announcement?

As per the Union Budget 2020-21 announcement, the Ministry of Culture and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had announced a project to develop five key archaeological sites: Rakhigarhi, Hastinapur, Sibasagar, Dholavira and Adichanallur as ‘Iconic Sites’. The broad idea was to feature on-site museums, build infrastructure including pathways, solar lighting, and boundary walls, and focus on visitor amenities such as amphitheatres and light and sound shows to boost tourism.

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The new scheme, tentatively titled DESH (Development of Excavation Sites and Heritage Complexes) takes it further by positioning heritage at the heart of cultural tourism with a more integrated impact. Through several tangible measures, the new scheme projects to at least double the visitor footfall within three years of the completion of the project.

What exactly does it entail?

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The idea is to root the place in its people, fostering local economy by creating jobs for artisans, guides, and other allied professionals. Indirectly, it spurs regional economy through heightened demand for hospitality, transport, guides and services in emerging locales like Eran, Agroha, Sannati and Rakhigarhi, dispersing tourism from saturated spots, reducing seasonality and attracting private investment in heritage infrastructure.

The scheme aims to generate around 100-200 direct and indirect jobs per site, including guides, conservators, artisans and craftsmen. It will also prioritise local cultural identity, which in turn will help sustain livelihoods and community prosperity.

Divya A

Divya A reports on travel, tourism, culture and social issues - not necessarily in that order - for The Indian Express. She's been a journalist for over a decade now, working with Khaleej Times and The Times of India, before settling down at Express. Besides writing/ editing news reports, she indulges her pen to write short stories. As Sanskriti Prabha Dutt Fellow for Excellence in Journalism, she is researching on the lives of the children of sex workers in India. ... Read More