Lok Sabha Question No. 4299 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-12
Subject: Digitisation of Manuscripts
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: SRINIVAS KESINENI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4299 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.12.2016

## DIGITISATION OF MANUSCRIPTS

## 4299. SHRI KESINENI NANI:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether our country has the largest collection of manuscripts in the world;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the existing policy of the Government for preservation/ conservation and digitisation of  the manuscript heritage of the country along with the latest technology for storing these manuscripts;
- (c) the total number of manuscripts documented, digitized and preserved till date along with the number of libraries which have the latest technology;
- (d) the funds allocated by the Government in this regard during each of the last three years and the current year, State-UT-wise and the time by which all the manuscripts are likely to be digitized; and
- (e) whether the Government is planning to make it accessible to the common public and students through special portals and if so, the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR CULTURE & TOURISM (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

## ANSWER

- (a)to(c): Yes, Madam.  As per our estimates India has the largest collection of Manuscripts. Ministry of Culture, Government of India has established National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM) during 2003 to document, conserve and preserve the Manuscripts. NMM has documented 42 lakh Manuscripts, digitized 250 lakh pages of Manuscripts and conserved 3.47 crore folios of manuscripts so far.
- (d): State wise details of  expenditure incurred during last three years are given in enclosed  Annexure.  No  time  limit  can  be  prescribed,  since  it  is  an  ongoing process.
- (e): Yes, Madam. In this regard the work of developing search engine by the NIC for establishment of e-reading room is in testing face. Initially it will be set up for 10 users. The scholars would be able to search and access the manuscripts digital images  for  visual  purpose.  NIC  is  also  engaged  in  upgradation  of  the  egranthavali Manuscripts data entry software which will be made web based to facilitate online data entry.

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## Annexure referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Q. No. 4299 Due for answer on 12.12.2016.

## National Mission for Manuscripts

Statewise reimbursement of expenses incurred on Documentation, Conservation , Workshop and Seminar

| S. No.   | State            | Grant released in 2013-14   | Grant released in 2014-15   | Grant released in 2015-16   | Grant released in till 21-11- 2016   |
|----------|------------------|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|--------------------------------------|
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh   | 35.43                       | 15.00                       | 9.50                        | 10.00                                |
| 2        | Assam            | 11.80                       | 9.54                        | 10.50                       | 4.50                                 |
| 3        | Bihar            | 30.00                       | 28.50                       | 33.00                       | 11.50                                |
| 4        | Delhi            | 9.29                        |                             | 8.00                        | 16.50                                |
| 5        | Gujrat           |                             |                             | 7.00                        | 2.50                                 |
| 6        | Haryana          | 18.70                       |                             | 7.00                        | 11.90                                |
| 7        | Himachal Pradesh | 18.00                       | 23.00                       | 14.00                       | 16.50                                |
| 8        | Jammu & Kashmir  | 21.50                       | 16.50                       | 21.00                       | 13.50                                |
| 9        | Karnataka        | 32.90                       | 21.50                       | 27.28                       | 23.40                                |
| 10       | Kerala           | 15.75                       | 21.00                       | 21.00                       | 15.50                                |
| 11       | Madhya Pradesh   | 13.25                       | 11.50                       | 7.00                        | 4.50                                 |
| 12       | Maharastra       | 13.35                       | 4.50                        | 13.15                       | 13.50                                |
| 13       | Manipur          | 12.00                       | 14.50                       | 7.50                        | 2.50                                 |
| 14       | Odisha           | 57.50                       | 43.50                       | 35.91                       | 16.37                                |
| 15       | Punjab           | 4.24                        |                             |                             |                                      |
| 16       | Rajasthan        | 24.70                       | 14.50                       | 13.58                       | 14.50                                |
| 17       | Sikkim           | 3.30                        |                             | 2.64                        | 0.49                                 |
| 18       | Tamilnadu        | 63.70                       | 51.00                       | 14.00                       |                                      |
| 19       | Tripura          | 5.00                        | 2.50                        |                             | 10.00                                |
| 20       | Uttar Pradesh    | 83.85                       | 67.06                       | 50.00                       | 40.08                                |
| 21       | Uttrakhand       | 5.00                        | 15.00                       | 19.00                       | 2.50                                 |
| 22       | West Bengal      | 16.00                       | 16.00                       |                             | 21.39                                |
|          | Total            | 495.26                      | 375.10                      | 321.06                      | 251.63                               |