Culture ministry allocates Rs 145.5 cr to North-east

The Ministry of culture has allocated 145.5 crores for development of <g data-gr-id="16">North-east</g> region, said Union Minister of Culture (Independent Charge), Tourism (Independent Charge), and Civil Aviation, Dr Mahesh Sharma in reply to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. “In order to undertake these activities in the NE Region, 10%   of the Annual Plan outlay is earmarked.  Accordingly, during 2015- 16, an amount of Rs.145.50 crores has been earmarked for the benefit of NE Region. The allocations for 2015-16 under various schemes of Ministry of Culture is given below,” said Sharma. Ministry and its various attached/<g data-gr-id="11">sub-ordinate</g> offices and autonomous organizations undertake cultural activities/programmes/ projects through their Plan schemes for protection, preservation and promotion of culture across the country including the North Eastern Region, he added.

The minister also informed Parliament that  Rs 400 crores to be spent on National Mission on Libraries during the 12th plan. “The setting up of a National Mission on Libraries was recommended by the National Knowledge Commission. The following steps have been taken by the Government in this regard a <g data-gr-id="46">High Level</g> Committee -National Mission on <g data-gr-id="38">Libraries-was</g> set up vide notification dated 4.5.2012. Also the National Mission on Libraries identified four core areas of work which include creation of National Virtual Library of India, setting up of NML Model Libraries, quantitative and Qualitative Surve and capacity building,” Sharma  said.