A Parliamentary Standing Committee has expressed unhappiness at the Government for giving “least priority” to the Union Ministry of Culture by reducing or marginally increasing its fund allocation over the years.
While it expressed unhappiness with the Government for low allocation, the panel on transport, tourism and culture also pulled up the Ministry for under-utilisation of funds, which the committee felt showed “inefficiency” on the part of the Ministry.
In its report on the demand for grants of the Ministry of Culture which was tabled on Tuesday in both the Houses, the panel said it was “distressed” to note that against a projection of Rs 3,156.23 crore at RE (revised estimate) 2017-2018 an amount of Rs 2,666.94 crore as ceiling of RE 2017-2018 was allocated by the Ministry of Finance.
This is a further reduction from budgetary allocation of BE (Budget estimate) 2017-2018, it said.
The committee, headed by Trinamool MP Derek O’ Brien and comprising ten Rajya Sabha members and 31 lok Sabha members, noted with “dismay” that though the Ministry of Culture has demanded more allocation at RE stage in 2017-2018 for works, including preservation of monuments, the Ministry of Finance reduced the allocation, “which is a clear indication that the Government is giving least priority to the activities of Ministry of Culture”, the report said.
It has also said the budgetary allocation for 2018-2019 has been marginally increased by 3.83 per cent from BE 2017-2018 which, the report said was “not an increase at all considering the inflation”.
“This committee is unhappy to note that culture has not been give due attention and totally ignored by the Government,” it said.
The report stated that the Ministry has informed the committee that due to the cut in allocation, the functioning of the Archaeological Survey of India and various museums may be affected.