Lok Sabha Question No. 1154 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-25
Subject: Work done through ICCR
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: SONA RAM CHOUDHARY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1154

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.07.2018

## WORK DONE THROUGH ICCR

†1154. COL. SONARAM CHOUDHARY:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) the steps being taken by the Government to make India a cultural super power;
- (b) the   details   of   works   done   through   Indian   Council   for   Cultural Research (ICCR) in this regard;
- (c) the details of expenditure incurred and earning of ICCR during each year of the last four years and the current year;
- (d) whether the Government is taking/proposes to take concrete steps on   the   basis   of   report   submitted   to   her   Ministry   by   the Parliamentary committee and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether in order to strengthen foreign diplomacy, the Government proposes to provide more financial support to the ICCR to promote cultural campaign; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS [GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

(a) & (b) Govt. of India is taking many steps to promote culture of India.   This   work   is   being   done   by   several   Ministries/Departments   of Government of India as well as autonomous bodies working under them. As an autonomous   body   under   Ministry   of   External   Affairs,   work undertaken   by   Indian   Council   for   Cultural   Relations   (ICCR)   includes establishing   Indian   Cultural   Centres   abroad,   sponsoring   visits   of performing art groups, hosting cultural groups from abroad and organizing their   performances   in   various   cities   of   India,   organizing/   supporting conferences/   seminars/   workshops   in   various   fields   including   Yoga   & Ayurveda,   establishing   Chairs   of   Indian   Studies   in   various   foreign universities, offering scholarships to students to study in India, supporting visits of eminent academicians/ dignitaries to India, promotion of Hindi and other Indian languages including publication of Gagananchal a bi-monthly Hindi journal, commissioning of busts/ statues of Indian Leaders and visual art exhibitions, administering various awards, maintaining of collection of over 10,000 rare books/ manuscripts donated by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, organizing International Day of Yoga, and organizing festivals/ India Week etc.

- (c) The details of earning and expenditure incurred by ICCR during the last 4 years and the current year are as following:

(Rs. in Crores )

| Financial Year   | Expenditure              | Earning   |
|------------------|--------------------------|-----------|
| 2014-15          | 157.02                   | 3.50      |
| 2015-16          | 140.40                   | 3.94      |
| 2016-17          | 186.30                   | 4.64      |
| 2017-18          | 189.22                   | 4.41      |
| 2018-19          | 80.47 (up to 10 July 18) | -------   |

(d) Yes. Action T aken Report has been laid on the table of the House on 04 April 2018. (e) & (f) Yes. Government has been increasing the grant given to ICCR. There was a significant increase from Rs. 185.80 crores in 2016-17 to Rs. 233.14 crores in 2017-18 and for Current Financial Year, the grant is Rs. 255 crores.

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