GSI National Geological Monuments in Rajasthan

The Geological Survey of India (GSI), established in 1851, has declared 34 National Geological Monuments across India under its geo-heritage conservation programme initiated in 1976. These are sites of outstanding scientific, educational, or scenic geological value. GSI's declared National Geological Monuments carry no separate legislative protection — they rely on GSI's advisory role and coordination with state governments.

GSI National Geological Monuments: Rajasthan's Sites

Monument	Location	Geological Significance	Year Declared
Akal Wood Fossil Park	Jaisalmer	25 Jurassic petrified tree trunks (~180 Ma); oldest fossil wood park in India	1974
Barr	Pali district	Precambrian structural geology outcrop; fold-fault complex in quartzites	1976
Tiranga Hill Corundum	Ajmer	Corundum (sapphire/ruby mineral) bearing Precambrian pegmatites	1976
Desert National Park fossil sites	Jaisalmer	Pleistocene mega-fauna and Holocene archaeological sites embedded in aeolian sediments	Various

Source: GSI Geo-Heritage Sites and Geological Monuments of India, 2021 edition

Note: The exact list of GSI monuments assigned to Rajasthan is subject to periodic GSI updates; the Akal Park and Barr are confirmed in published GSI documentation. Students should cite "GSI National Geological Monument" status without inventing specific declaration years for unlisted sites.

GSI's Geoheritage Conservation Mandate

GSI published the National Geological Heritage Manual and created a dedicated Geohazards and Geomorphology Division that also handles geo-heritage documentation. Under India's National Mineral Policy 2019, geo-heritage conservation was explicitly recognised as a mandate of the central and state mining administrations for the first time.

Key institutional players for Rajasthan geo-heritage:

• GSI's Western Region (Jaipur) — primary survey and documentation body.
• Department of Mines and Geology, Rajasthan — coordinates with GSI; no dedicated geo-heritage cell yet.
• Desert National Park administration (Jaisalmer) — manages the Desert National Park where fossil outcrops overlap with wildlife sanctuary jurisdiction.
• Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) — potential partner for geotourism infrastructure.

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