No funds given to state since NCF inception: Union Minister

Sanjeev Singh Bariana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 20

Punjab has not received even a single sponsorship of the National Culture Fund (NCF), a charitable trust focused on conservation, preservation and restoration of cultural heritage (tangible and intangible) through the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

A reply on a question pertaining to the fund for endowments and sponsorship for heritage projects, all over the country, came from Minister of Culture, Tourism and Development of North Eastern Region G Kishan Reddy, to a question by Member of Parliament Bhagwant Mann which was tabled during the ongoing Lok Sabha session today.

The fund was established for the trust under the Endowment Act-1890 in November 1996 to establish a funding mechanism for promotion of art and culture in the country, directly in partnership with the government.

Reddy in his written reply said: “No such sponsorship has been received for Punjab since the inception.” A list of projects completed under the NCF during the last three years was presented. These included: Jaisalmer Fort (Rajasthan); Purana Qila, New Delhi; Museum of Swatantrata Sangram Sangrahalaya (Red Fort); Treasures of Indian Museum Series; Allahabad Museum; national monuments: Group at Mandu and the Lalitgiri/Dhauli (Odisha); the India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd. (IIFCL); Ashokan Pillar( Kolhua) in Bihar; Kanheri Caves (Mumbai); Brihadeshwara Temple, (Thanjavur) Tamil Nadu; Khajuraho Temples (Madhya Pradesh); Sarnath Museum (Sarnath) in Uttar Pradesh; and Sri Bhuleshwar Temple (Maharashtra).

MP Bhagwant Mann had asked the questions on the “quantum of funds spent in Punjab since the inception of the NCF scheme and the quantum of funds allocated to various institutions/departments during the last three years.