Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Nov 26: Breach of contract with Government of India, multiplicity of the administrative control, non-availability of funds and no creation of staff have rendered the grand multi-purpose cultural complex – Kala Kendra Jammu, virtually defunct notwithstanding Governor of the State being head of the apex body controlling all its affairs.
Strange it may sound but is true that ever since its inception, not even a single penny has been provided by the Government to the Kala Kendra for organizing cultural or art related events thus defeating very purpose of setting up of an autonomous body.
Even as similar Kala Kendras, established under the same scheme of the Government of India, in Bhopal, Jaipur and Goa, etc, have become landmark destinations for the cultural activities as well as Tourists in the respective State, the Kala Kendra Jammu is still awaiting creation of necessary set up and formulation of its Governing Council, as was envisaged in the scheme, for effective functioning of the complex.
Due to multiplicity of the administrative control, the decisions taken by the managing committee are not being implemented while at various times, events at the Kala Kendra were being organized without its approval and knowledge.
Further, out of 71.07 kanals of the sanctioned land in favour of the Kendra, only 42.06 kanals of land has been utilized for the construction of Phase-I, while further construction has been stopped for want of remaining 29.01 kanals of land and financial support from the Government of India and the State Government. The ownership title of the land is still in the name of JDA and it has still not been transferred to the Kala Kendra Society as required under the Government of India Scheme.
It may be recalled that this multipurpose cultural complex -Kala Kendra, was established in Jammu with the assistance of Ministry of Culture, Government of India, under a scheme to foster and co-ordinate activities in different cultural fields, such as drama, dance, music , literature, fine arts etc and promote through them the cultural unity of India.
To meet prescribed requirements for Central assistance under the said scheme, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir had formed an autonomous Society, namely, Kala Kendra Jammu, which was subsequently registered with the Registrar of Societies vide No 2520-s of 1996 on 31st July, 1996. The Memorandum of Association and Rule and Regulations of Kala Kendra Jammu were adopted by the newly formed Society under the signature of then Chief Secretary J&K, Commissioner/ Secretary Education, Prof Ram Nath Shastri, Ghulam Rasool Santosh, Tashi Rabgiyas and then Vice-Chairman of Jammu Development Authority.
Ironically, Ghulam Rasool Santosh and Prof Ram Nath Shastri died without perhaps attending even a single meeting of the Society while the third member, Tashi Rabgiyan is struggling with old age problems at Leh.
In order to enable the Government of India to release the grant in favour of Kala Kendra Society under the scheme, a bond was signed for and on behalf of the Society by ‘adhoc’ Member-Secretary Kala Kendra Jammu (Vice-Chairman JDA) and submitted to the Government of India for release of sanctioned grant.
According to Article 5 of the Memorandum of Association, Governing Council for the Society shall comprise of (i) 15 members, who shall be either persons of eminence drawn from the field of visual arts, performing arts and literature or persons who have a deep interest in and have made valuable contribution to the contemporary scene in various cultural disciplines. (ii) six ex-officio members, including Governor of J&K State, Chief Secretary of J&K, Secretary In-charge of Culture, J&K Government, Vice-Chairman of JDA, officer not below the rank of Joint Secretary/Director to GoI, to be nominated by the Department of Culture, GoI and Secretary of the Society.
Article 7 of the Memorandum of Association provides that the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir shall always be president of the Society. Further, in accordance with the provisions of the MoA of the Society, Secretary of the Society was to be appointed by the Government on terms and conditions as may deem fit.
However, existence of this autonomous Kala Kendra Society remained confined to records only as the same was never fully constituted and made functional in the true spirit of GoI scheme while the post of Secretary also remained in limbo for two decades till recent appointment of Soujanya Sharma on the position.
Consequent upon completion of first phase of the Kala Kendra building in 2005, which was inaugurated by then Chief Minister Mufti Mohd Sayeed, a Management Committee, vide Government order number 44-Edu(Tech) of 2005, dated 23-03-2005, was constituted for the interim period. Further, to save the complex from neglect and disuse till creation of own staff, it was decided to accommodate the Gallery of Modern Arts to be managed by the J&K Academy of Art Culture and Languages (JKAACL) in the Ground Floor of the Kala Kendra and the Art Galleries and Library of the Dogra Art Museum, Mubarak Mandi Jammu, in the first floor, to be managed by the Director, Archives, Archeology & Museum, under the supervision of Divisional Commissioner Jammu.
Owing to multiplicity of the Administrative control and ineffective Society, JKAACL is taking full benefit of the facilities provided in Ground Floor of the Kendra but shirks the responsibility when it comes to its effective upkeep and maintenance on the premise of non -availability of funds.
Further, Dogra Art Museum has not been shifted in the first floor thereby rendering the new facility unutilized while the museum set up there is displaying photographs of miniature paintings only.
Further, the State Government has failed to appoint staff for the Kala Kendra and sanction requisite budget for it while the Society has not been able to complete formation of the governing body ever since its inception thus defeating very purpose of setting up of an autonomous body as calendar of activities was never finalized.
Since no grants were sanctioned in favour of the Kala Kendra and no activities were undertaken by it, therefore, the accounts were never audited and as also no annual report was submitted to the J&K Legislature thus again breaching terms of the contract with Government of India.
When contacted, newly appointed Secretary of the Kala Kendra, Soujanya Sharma claimed that some activities have been started by him through own resources as there was no Government funding for the same.
On the direction of Governor, who is president of the Society, I have forwarded a formal proposal to the State Finance Minister for creation of staff and one time corpus funding to run affairs of the Kala Kendra,” he told the Excelsior, and added that some amendments, suggesting flexibility in the norms of the governing body have been proposed to the Government.
Pertinent to mention that Chief Minister and the Minister for Culture are not associated with the Kala Kendra Society, in any capacity and this is also one of the main reasons behind callous attitude of the Government towards this autonomous body.
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