Establishing seven Cultural Centres across the UT of Jammu and Kashmir has been a long-awaited initiative, designed to promote and preserve the region’s rich cultural diversity. Announced with great fanfare in March 2023, these centres were intended to serve as hubs for artistic activities, cultural exchanges, and nurturing local talents. They were promised in key districts-Bandipora, Shopian, Anantnag, Kishtwar, Udhampur, Kathua, Jammu and Poonch. Yet, more than two years later, the dream of a vibrant cultural revival remains largely unfulfilled. The promise of these Cultural Centres, each aimed at bolstering the rich tapestry of languages, traditions, and artistic expressions that define J&K, was an ambitious one. These centres were envisioned as places where young talent could be nurtured, artistic exchanges could take place, and the state’s rich traditions could be preserved for future generations. However, as is often the case with large-scale Government initiatives, the reality has not been as smooth as the announcements. The most glaring issue is the failure to secure suitable land for these cultural hubs in the majority of the districts. While the J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages has been working diligently with local administrations to identify and acquire land, the process has been far from smooth. In districts like Poonch, the land has been identified but is yet to be transferred to the Academy. In Kishtwar, the identified land was deemed unsuitable, and in many other districts, there has been no substantial progress in securing encumbrance-free land for construction.
Land acquisition is often a complex and time-consuming process, especially in a region like Jammu and Kashmir, where land ownership can be contentious due to legal, historical, and political factors. The process is further complicated by widespread encroachments on state land, which should have been addressed years ago to ensure that such developmental initiatives could be smoothly implemented. The lack of land availability has put a significant strain on the progress of the Cultural Centres, and as a result, only one such centre- in Kathua-has been completed, albeit with its own set of delays.
The construction work of the Kathua Cultural Centre is reported to be nearly 95 percent complete, yet the centre has not been handed over to the Academy as the Roads and Buildings Department is awaiting the allocation of funds to complete the transfer. It is difficult to comprehend how a project that is nearly finished remains stuck in limbo due to financial constraints. The irony is that the building is ready and the need is dire, yet the lack of financial foresight and timely fund disbursement has delayed the handover process.
Equally concerning is the stalling of the Duggar Dhani village project in Samba, which was meant to emulate the success of Jaipur’s Chowki Dhani. The concept of Duggar Dhani was designed to promote Dogra culture, cuisine, and traditions while attracting tourists through cultural events, folk music, dance performances, and adventure tourism activities. This initiative, which could have become a major tourist attraction and economic booster for the region, is stuck in bureaucratic delays. Only a portion of the land has been identified, and other formalities, such as floating an expression of interest for a public-private partnership, are still pending. In the face of such promising potential, it is hard to understand why these delays persist.
The slow progress of these cultural projects speaks to a larger issue within Jammu and Kashmir’s developmental landscape. The promises made by the Government, no matter how ambitious, cannot materialise without clear and efficient execution. The Government must act with urgency to fulfil the promises made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The Cultural Centres and Duggar Dhani village are not just projects-they are vital to the preservation of local culture, the promotion of tourism and the nurturing of talent in the region. Delays and uncertainties only prolong the region’s cultural stagnation and undermine the efforts of those striving to make a positive impact.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
