Lion`s share for Indira Gandhi centre

The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts makes the most of budget 2011-12.

New Delhi: The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have benefited the most from the allocation of Rs.1,338 crore (Rs.13.3 billion) under plan and non-plan heads for art and culture in budget 2011-12.

The IGNCA, established as an autonomous trust in 1987, has undertaken several important projects pertaining to exhibition, documentation and archiving of the country`s traditional and ethnic arts. The IGNCA seeks to underline through its programmes the inter-relationship between the disciplines of science, physical and material metaphysics, anthropology and sociology. The ASI, created in 1881 to protect the country`s heritage, conserves 3,676 protected monuments across the country and is preparing a roster of the country`s both protected and civilian heritage under its National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities. The apex heritage protection platform renovated and beautified 46 monuments in the national capital ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Renewing its commitment to upgrade libraries and archiving, the government has allocated Rs.12.49 crore to libraries including the National Library, Kolkata, the Delhi Public Library and the Raja Ram Mohan Roy Library, Kolkata. The Sangeet Natak Akademi that was allocated Rs.26.10 crore in 2010-11 has lost out on budgetary support, with a substantially lower outlay of Rs.19.30 crore in 2011-12. IANS