Archeology dept allocated Rs350m

LAHORE: The Punjab government has allocated Rs350 million to Archeology Department in fiscal year 2019-20’s budgetary allocations with an increase of Rs150 million as compared to yester year’s budget allocation of Rs 200 million.

According to the budgetary documents made available on Friday, the Punjab government plans to spend Rs280.333 million on the ongoing schemes of the department while it would spend Rs.69.667 on new schemes in the historically important sector of archeology in this fiscal year 2019-20.

The ongoing schemes include 27 schemes (regular, buildings and Local Development Programme). A sum of Rs.69.667 million would be spent on seven new schemes. An amount of Rs.17.357 million on the ongoing scheme of conservation of Bahadur Khan’s Tomb in Lahore, development and provision of public facilities at Harapa Museum at a cost of Rs13.930m, rehabilitation and conservation of Tomb of Bibi Jiwindi, Uch, Bahawalpur, at a cost of Rs.35m and preservation and restoration of Drawar Fort, Bahawalpur, at a cost of Rs.46m.

The new schemes include studies to implement the recommendation of Reactive Monitoring Mission (UNESCO/ICOMOS) for Shalamar Gardens, Lahore, at a cost of Rs5 million, upgrade of public facilities and illumination of important historical monuments/sites of Punjab at a cost of Rs37 m and survey and documentation of archeological sites and monuments in Punjab at a cost of Rs 5m.