Lok Sabha Question No. 3127 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-15
Subject: Setting up of Cultural Museum in North Bengal
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Raju Bista

## GOVT. OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 3127

TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.03.2021

## SETTING UP OF CULTURAL MUSEUM IN NORTH BENGAL

## 3127.     SHRI RAJU BISTA:

## Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a)     whether the Government taking into cognizance the rich cultural diversity of the North Bengal districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduars, Cooch Behar and adjoining areas;
- (b)      whether the Government proposes to set up a cultural museum in the region to promote and preserve the local indigenous culture and traditions;
- (c)      the details of assistance provided to Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts under various schemes of the ministry; and
- (d)          the  action  taken/proposes  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  to  maintain  and  preserve important historical monuments like Damsang Gadi fort at Kalimpong, St.Andrews Church in Darjeeling, Old Monastery at Ghoomand Bhutia Busty?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR CULTURE & TOURISM (PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL)

- (a) Yes, Sir. Ministry of Culture is aware of the cultural diversity of the districts of North Bengal and has worked with the Mech, Rabha, Rajbanshi and Nepali communities (along with many sub-castes)  residing  in  the  region.  At  the  recently  organized  Rashtriya  Sanskriti  Mahotsav (RSM)  in  Cooch  Behar  and  Darjeeling  from  14th  to  28th  February,  2021,  all  the  artists belonging to local communities were given a chance to perform on the national stage'.
- (b) No such proposal has been received from the State Government to set up a cultural museum in the region.
- (c) Details are at Annexure.
- (d) ASI develops and maintains only Archaeological Site Museums and not Cultural Museum. There  is  Cooch  Behar  Palace  Museum  in  district  Cooch  Behar  which  is  maintained  by Raniganj Circle, ASI.

## ANNEXURE REFFERED TO IN PART (c) OF LSUSQ NO. 3127 FOR 15.03.2021 REGARDING 'SETTING UP OF CULTURAL MUSEUM IN NORTH BENGAL'

## 1.  CULTURAL FUNCTION & PRODUCTION GRANT (CFPG)

(₹ in lakh)

| Sl.No.   | Financial Year   | Organization Name                                        |   Sanction Amount |
|----------|------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|-------------------|
| (i)      | 2018-19          | Hill Social Welfare Society, Kalimpong, W.B.-734301      |               1   |
| (ii)     | 2018-19          | Siliguri Writtick Natya Sanstha, Darjeeling, W.B.-734006 |               2.5 |

## 2.   REPERTORY GRANT

(₹ in Lakhs)

| Sl.No.   | Financial Year   | Organization Name                                                                                                                                                  | Organization Name   |   Sanction Amount |
|----------|------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------|-------------------|
| (i)      | 2017-18          | Siliguri Writtick Natya C/o Kushal Bose, 'Basusree', Bharatnagar, SMC - 24, P.O. Rabindra Sarani, Dist:- Darjeeling, P.S. : Siliguri, Kolkata, West Bengal 734006. | Sanstha,            |               8.4 |
| (ii)     | 2018-19          | Siliguri Writtick Natya C/o Kushal Bose, 'Basusree', Bharatnagar, SMC - 24, P.O. Rabindra Sarani, Dist:- Darjeeling, P.S. : Siliguri, Kolkata, West Bengal 734006. | :                   |               8.4 |
| (iii)    | 2019-20          | Siliguri Writtick Natya C/o Kushal Bose, 'Basusree', Bharatnagar, SMC - 24, P.O. Rabindra Sarani, Dist:- Darjeeling, P.S. : Siliguri, Kolkata, West Bengal 734006. |                     |               8.4 |
| (iv)     | 2020-21          | Siliguri Writtick Natya C/o Kushal Bose, 'Basusree', Bharatnagar, SMC - 24, P.O. Rabindra Sarani, Dist:- Darjeeling, P.S. : Siliguri, Kolkata, West Bengal 734006. |                     |               8.4 |

3. NATIONAL COUNCIL OF SCIENCE MUSEUMS (NCSM) : NCSM set up Various Science Centres/Museums under Scheme for Promotion of Culture of Science (SPoCS).  NCSM has set up Science centre/Museums at the following places:-
2. (i) Darjeeling: North Bengal Science Centre, Siliguri situated in Darjeeling district, was set up  by  NCSM  (date  of  Inauguration:  August  17,  1997)  and  is  operated  and  managed  by NCSM. An Innovation Hub was set up by NCSM under SPoCS scheme at NBSC, Siliguri in 2018.
3. (ii) Kalimpong: A Sub-Regional Science Centre in the Kalimpong town (which is close to both Darjeeling  and  Siliguri  and  was  earlier  a  part  of  Darjeeling  district,  but  now  a  separate district itself) was set up by NCSM under Science Cities scheme approved by the Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India. The Centre was handed over to Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (under Govt. of West Bengal). The Kalimpong Science Centre was inaugurated on October 2,  2008.  An  Innovation  Hub  was  set  up  by  NCSM  under  SPoCS  scheme  at  SRSC, Kalimpong in 2017.

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