Ministry of Culture

About Ministry

• The Ministry of Culture is the Indian government ministry with a mission to preserve, promote and disseminate all forms of art and culture. In order to achieve this, the department undertakes the following activities –
  • 1. Maintenance and conservation of heritage, historic sites and ancient monuments
    2. Administration of libraries
    3. Promotion of literary, visual and performing arts
    4. Observation of centenaries and anniversaries of important national personalities and events
    5. Promotion of institutions and organizations of Buddhist and Tibetan studies
    6. Promotion of institutional and individual non-official initiatives in the fields of art and culture
    7. Entering into cultural agreements with foreign countries.
    8. The functional spectrum of the Department ranges from creating cultural awareness from the grass root level to the international cultural exchange level.

PROJECT MAUSAM

• • Launched at – 30th Session of World Heritage Committee meeting held at Doha, Qatar in June, 2014.

Objectives

• • To explore the multifaceted Indian Ocean ‘world’ – collating archaeological and historical research in order to document the diversity of cultural, commercial and religious interactions in the Indian Ocean.

Salient Features

• • It is to be implemented by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as the nodal agency with research support of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and National Museum as associate bodies.
  • At macro level, the focus of the project is to re-establish and re-connect communications between 39 countries of the Indian Ocean world, which would lead to enhanced understanding of cultural values and economic ties.
  • At macro level, it aims to re-connect & re-establish communications between countries of the Indian Ocean world, leading to an enhanced understanding of cultural values and concerns.
  • At the micro level, the focus is on understanding national cultures in their regional maritime milieu. To inscribe places and sites identified under Project Mausam as trans-national nomination for inclusion in UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

 

SEVA BHOJ SCHEME

• • The Ministry of Culture recently launched a new Central Sector scheme – Seva Bhoj Yojna.

Objectives

• • To reduce financial burden of Charitable Religious Institutions.
  • To reimburse the Central Government share of Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) and Integrated Goods and Service Tax (IGST) so as to lessen the financial burden of such Charitable Religious Institutions who provide Food/Prasad/Langar/Bhandara free of cost, and without any discrimination to Public/Devotees.

Salient Features

• • It envisages reimbursing Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) and Central Government’s share of Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) paid on purchase of specific raw food items by Charitable/Religious Institutions for distributing free food to public.
  • It is applicable to all Charitable Religious Institutions such as Temples, Gurudwara, Mosque, Church, Dharmik Ashram, Dargah, Matth, Monasteries etc. which follows following norms –
    • • which have been in existence for preceding five years before applying for financial assistance/grant.
      • which have been distributing free food to public for at least past three years on the day of application.
      • which serve free food to at least 5000 people in a month.
      • which should not be blacklisted under provisions of FCRA or any other Act/Rules of the Central/State Government.
  • All the eligible institutions should be registered with Darpan portal and get Unique ID generated by it.

NGO -Darpan Portal

• • • It is a platform that provides space for interface between Voluntary Organizations/ NGOs and Gol.
    • Managed by- NITI Aayog
    • Developed by – National Informatics Centre
    • Objective – To create & promote healthy partnership between Gol & VOs & foster better transparency, efficiency and accountability.

 

SCHEME FOR PROMOTION OF CULTURE OF SCIENCE (SPOCS)

• • Conceptualized & implemented by the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), an autonomous institution functioning under the Ministry of Culture.

Objectives

• • To portray the growth of science and technology and their application in industry and human welfare
  • To create awareness and public understanding, appreciation and engagement of public

Salient Features

• • Setting up of Science Cities and Science Centres in all the States of the country is provided under this scheme.
  • Interested states have to provide land and share the cost of setting up of facility and corpus for upkeep and maintenance.

Science City & Science Centres

Objectives

• • • • To portray the growth of science and technology & their application in industry and human welfare To create awareness and public understanding, appreciation and engagement of public
      • To popularize science and technology for benefit of students and for common man.
      • To organize training programmes for science teachers / students/young entrepreneurs/ technicians/physically challenged/housewives

Salient Features

• • • • A Science City is aimed to be a popular tourist attraction of the location.
      • It provides an experiment based immersive learning ambience to inculcate a spirit of inquiry, foster creative talent and create scientific temper in the community as a whole.
      • A Science City is conceptually similar to a Science Centre. However, it will be larger in dimension with a focus in frontier areas of Science and Technology and
      • It shall be financially self-sustainable.
      • The States desirous of setting up a Science City have to provide land, share the cost of setting up of facilities and corpus for upkeep and maintenance.

 

SAFEGUARDING THE INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE AND DIVERSE CULTURAL TRADITIONS OF INDIA

• • Launched in 2013-14

Objectives

• • To reinvigorate and revitalize various institutions, groups, individuals, identified non-MoC institutions, non-government organisations, researchers and scholars so that they may engage in activities/ projects for strengthening, protecting, preserving and promoting the rich intangible cultural heritage (ICH) of India.

Implemented By

• • The scheme is being implemented through Sangeet Natak Akademi, an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Culture.

Salient Features

• • It will cover all recognized domains of ICH such as oral traditions and expressions, including language as a vehicle of the intangible cultural heritage, Performing arts, Social practices, rituals and festive events, Knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe, traditional craftsmanship etc.

 

NATIONAL MISSION ON CULTURAL MAPPING OF INDIA

• • This mission is included under the umbrella programme “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat”.

Objectives

• • To create an exhaustive national cultural database of individual artists, communities, cultural organisations and spaces, festivals and events, heritage properties, etc.
  • Establishment of web based portal (National Cultural Working Place (NCWP)) for obtaining information, knowledge sharing, participation, performance and awards in the field of all art forms.
  • Establish a technologically advanced mechanism to provide support to the artistes & Scholars for any of their perceived learning needs, including disbursement of scholarships etc.

Salient Features

• • Includes three Components –
    1. 1. National Cultural Awareness Programme – Hamari Sanskriti Hamari Pahchan Abhiyan
       2. Nationwide Artist Talent Hunt/Scouting Programme – Sanskritik Pratibha Khoj Abhiyan
       3. National Cultural Workplace – Centralised Web Portal with database and demography of cultural assets and resources including all art forms and artists.
  • The mission will bring all the cultural activities under one web based umbrella for better results.
  • It involves Cultural Mapping e. collecting, recording, analyzing and synthesizing the information of available local cultural assets and resources with the help of local artists.
  • It seeks to open a direct channel of communication of artists with the Government and peer to peer communication among artists for talent honing and handholding of each other.

 

MUSEUM GRANT SCHEME

Objectives

• • to strengthen and modernize the existing museums at the Regional, State and District level.

Salient Features

• • Ministry of Culture provides financial assistance under the Scheme to the State Governments and Societies, Autonomous bodies, Local Bodies and Trusts registered under the Societies Act, for setting up new Museums.
  • Funding pattern
    • Maximum amount of financial assistance given would be 80% of the total project cost. In case of North-Eastern region including Sikkim, it would be 90% of the total project cost.
    • The remaining amount will have to be borne by the organization.
    • The organization may arrange the balance amount either from its own resources or may receive assistance through CSR.

 

OTHER SCHEMES/INITIATIVES BY MINISTRY OF CULTURE

 

 

 

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