Government Auctions PM Mementos Generating ₹52.19 Crore Revenue
The Ministry of Culture, through Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, confirmed in a parliamentary response that mementos and gifts presented to the Prime Minister from domestic and international sources have been auctioned, generating significant government revenue. The auctions were conducted through seven editions between 2021 and 2025, with total collections amounting to ₹52.19 crore.
Auction Revenue Details
The revenue breakdown shows substantial collections across different auction editions: ₹3.1 crore in the 1st Edition (2021), ₹3.6 crore in the 2nd Edition (2022), ₹15.8 crore in the 3rd Edition (2023), ₹14.4 crore in the 4th Edition (2023), ₹11.16 crore in the 5th Edition (2024), ₹2.24 crore in the 6th Edition (2024), and ₹1.89 crore in the 7th Edition (2025). The year 2023 saw the highest collections with two editions totaling ₹30.2 crore.
Auction Timeline and Historical Context
The e-auctions were conducted annually during consistent periods: from September 17 to October 7 in 2021, September 17 to October 12 in 2022, and September 17 to October 31 in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Notably, the National Gallery of Modern Arts (NGMA) confirmed that no auctions of mementos and gifts were organized before 2019, indicating this represents a relatively new government initiative for monetizing diplomatic gifts.