NEW DELHI, Dec 16: The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) was provided a grant of Rs 109.10 crore during 2023-24, up from Rs 55.05 crore in 2022-23, according to government data.
Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat shared the data on Monday in a written response to a query in the Lok Sabha about the objectives that were set by the government for the establishment of the Delhi-based IGNCA.
The IGNCA was established as an autonomous body by the government of India, under the Ministry of Culture with the “mandate to document, preserve, conserve and disseminate the Indian arts and cultural heritage and to train competent professionals to work in the specialised field of culture”, the Union minister said.
The Centre operates through its nine regional centres that are specialised centres for specific areas of research, including tribal heritage studies in Ranchi, Jharkhand and Shiva Darshan in Jammu and Kashmir.
Shekhawat was also asked for details of grants provided to the IGNCA.
In his response, he shared the figures for the last five years — Rs 46.40 crore (2019-20), Rs 40 crore (2020-21), Rs 53.30 crore (2021-22), Rs 55.05 crore (2022-23) and Rs 109.10 crore (2023-24).
“The amount(s) released to the IGNCA under grants have been fully utilised as per in the MoU signed between the IGNCA and the M/o Culture, for working of Cultural
Informatics Lab, Media Centre, Publication Unit, Academic Unit, and functioning
of its nine regional centres across the country,” the minister said.
The IGNCA has a “sufficient number of employees and its performance is satisfactory”, he added.
Shekhawat said the Centre has carried out several projects and programmes over the past years like installation of artworks in the new Parliament building; installation of Nataraja statue at Bharat Mandapam; creation of tribal wall in President’s Secretariat; development of Prerna School, Vadnagar, Gujarat; cultural activities relating to G20 summit at ITPO, Delhi; and digitisation of Sampurnanand Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya, Varanasi. (PTI)
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