Lok Sabha Question No. 333 (STARRED), answered on 2024-12-18
Subject: Initiatives to Promote Jainism & Buddhism
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Chandra Prakash Joshi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 333

ANSWERED ON 18.12.2024

## INITIATIVES TO PROMOTE JAINISM AND BUDDHISM

- *333. SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI:

SHRI HARENDRA SINGH MALIK:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)   whether  the  Government  has  taken  initiatives  to  promote  the  values  of  Jainism  and Bhuddhism across the country; and
- (b)  if so, the details thereof along with the achievements made in this regard, particularly in Rajasthan?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

- (a) & (b) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

*****

## STATEMENT  AS  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  LOK  SABHA  STARRED QUESTION NO. *333 FOR ANSWER ON 18.12.2024 REGARDING 'INITIATIVES TO PROMOTE  JAINISM AND BUDDHISM' ASKED BY SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI AND SHRI HARENDRA SINGH MALIK

(a)  &  (b):  To  promote  the  values  of  Jainism  and  Buddhism,  various  initiatives  are  being undertaken by the Government of India, which are as under:

## I. Initiatives to promote the Jainism:-

-  The Central Government granted the status of minority religion to the Jains during the year 2014 placing them in equal footing with other minorities.
-  Programme  to  commemorate  2550th  Bhagwan  Mahaveer  Nirvan  Mahotsav   on 21.04.2024 was organized in New Delhi.
-  The  Ministry  of  Minority  Affairs  approved  project  under  PMJVK  Scheme  for 'Establishment of Centre for Jain Studies in Devi Ahilya Vishwa Vidyalaya (DAVV), Indore Campus to undertake preservation and promotion of Jain Heritage, fostering inter-disciplinary research in the field. The total estimated cost of the project is Rs. 25 crore for the preservation and conservation of Jain culture, including the digitization of  Jain  manuscripts,  widespread  knowledge  sharing  of  Jain  traditions  and  customs, promoting  interdisciplinary  research  on  Jain  literature,  preserving  the  language through  digitization  of  manuscripts,  and  community  outreach  through  hubs,  among other activities.
-  Jain  Agams  are  the  Holy  books  for  Jains.  They  are  originally  in  Prakrit  language which  is  supposed  to  be  language  of  Teerthankara's.  The  Central  Government  has recognized Prakrit language as one of the Classical languages of India on 04.10.2024.
-  The Rajasthan Government allocated Rs. 100 crore for the development of religious places and to connect various religious sites, including those of Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, and Parsi communities. This initiative reflects the Rajasthan Government's commitment to the principle of Sarv Dharam Sambhav (equal respect for all religions).  In 2023, fulfilling a long-pending demand of the Jain community, the 'Jain Shraman Sanskruti Board' was constituted in Rajasthan, which was widely appreciated  by  the  Jain  community.  It  is  also  important  to  note  that  the  teachings, royal patronage, and efforts of Jain Munis (ascetics) have played a significant role in the  development  of  Jainism  in  Rajasthan.  The Jinalaya at  Ranakpur  in  Rajasthan stands as one of the finest examples of the development of Jainism in the region.

## II. Initiatives to promote the Buddhism:

-  In the month of March, 2024, the M/o Minority Affairs laid the foundation stone for 38 projects with a total estimated cost of Rs. 225.00 crore under  Buddhist Development  Plan  under  the  aegis  of  Pradhan  Mantri  Jan  Vikas  Karyakaram (PMJVK)  in  the  States  of  Himachal  Pradesh,  Uttarakhand,  Arunachal  Pradesh, Sikkim, and the Union Territory of Ladakh. The project aims to promote Buddhism and the secularization of traditional theological education.  Out of the total projected amount,  an  allocation  of  Rs.  85.00  crore  has  been  made  to  the  Central  Institute  of

Buddhist Studies (CIBS), Leh, U.T. Ladakh, for the construction of school buildings, a  new academic building for traditional courses, and souvenir shops. An amount of Rs. 14.50 crore has been earmarked for the construction of Training-cumExamination  Centres  for  Leh  and  Kargil.  Rs.  30.00  crore  has  been  allocated  for strengthening the Centre for Advanced Studies in Buddhist Studies at the University of  Delhi,  to  promote  academic  collaboration,  research,  language  preservation,  and skill  upgradation of the Buddhist population. Rs. 40.00 crore has been allocated for the Central Institute of Himalayan Culture Studies (CIHCS).

-  In  addition,  Government  had  sanctioned  projects  worth  Rs.361.97  crore  under  the Buddhist   Circuit  of  Swadesh  Darshan  Scheme.  The  Ministry  of  Tourism  provides financial assistance to the State Government and Union Territory for the development of these circuits.
-  Government of India has declared 'Pali' as a classical language on 04.10.2024, which has  several  benefits  for  the  Buddhist  Community  and  India's  cultural  heritage. Pali,the  sacred  language  of  Theravada  Buddhism,  is  the  language  of  the  Buddha's sermons. This declaration will enhance the study of Pali in educational institutions, fostering greater understanding and preservation of Buddhist traditions.
-  Rajasthan  Government  has  allocated  Rs.100  crore  for  the  development  of  religious places  including  Buddhism.  Ministry  of    Tourism,  Government  of  India  provides funds under Swadesh Darshan Scheme for the development of Buddhist heritage sites viz. the Viratnagar Stupa , Bairat in Rajasthan. The Rajasthan Government allocated Rs.2.00 lacs per year for the research project on Buddhist/Tibetan Art & Culture. The Govt.  provides  a  maximum  of  Rs.5.00  Lacs  per  year  for  scholarship  to  monks  and nunnery students.

In  addition,  four  autonomous  organizations  are  working  under  the  administrative  control  of Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India:

- i. Central Institute of Buddhist Studies, Leh (Deemed To Be University)
- ii. Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Nalanda, Bihar (Deemed To Be University)
- iii. Central  Institute  of  Higher  Tibetan  Studies  (CIHTS),  Sarnath  (Deemed  To  Be University)
4. iv.

Central Institute of Himalayan Culture Studies (CIHCS), Dahung, Arunachal Pradesh The details of funds disbursed to the said Autonomous organizations in the last 5 years including the current Financial Year is at Annexure-I .

Ministry of Culture also provides annual grants-in-aid for the upkeep and maintenance of the following six Grantee Bodies for promoting Buddhist/Tibetan Culture and Art:

- i. Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, Dharamshala
- ii. Tibet House, New Delhi
- iii. Centre for Buddhist Cultural Studies, Tawang Monastery, Arunachal Pradesh
- iv. Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Sikkim
- v. International Buddhist Confederation, Delhi
- vi. GRL Monastic School, Bomdila, Arunachal Pradesh

The details of funds disbursed to the said Grantee Bodies in the last 5 years including the current Financial Year is at Annexure-II .

Besides, two financial grant schemes are also being implemented by the Ministry of Culture for the propagation and scientific development of Buddhist/Tibetan Culture and tradition as well as the preservation of cultural heritage of Himalayas:

- I. Scheme of Financial Assistance for the Development of Buddhist/Tibetan Culture & Art :  Under  this  scheme,  Buddhist/Tibetan  organizations  including  Monasteries  and NGOs  engaged  in  the  propagation  and  scientific  development  of  Buddhist/Tibetan Culture and tradition, located anywhere in the country, are given financial assistance.
- II. Scheme  of  Financial  Assistance  for  the  Preservation  &  Development  of  Cultural Heritage  of  the  Himalayas :  The  objective  of  the  scheme  is  to  promote,  protect  and preserve  the  cultural  heritage  of  the  Himalayan  region  including  Jammu  &  Kashmir, Himachal  Pradesh, Uttrakhand,  Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh through research, documentation,  and  dissemination.  Financial  assistance  is  provided  to  institutions  & voluntary organizations working for this purpose.

Moreover, National Commission for Minorities, a statutory body under Ministry of Minority Affairs conducts 'Sarv Dharam Samvad' with representatives of minority communities to discuss issues  faced  by  the  communities  and  promote  communal  harmony.  Since  December  2021,  38 such meetings have been conducted with representatives of minority communities, including Jain and  Buddhist  communities.  Five  of  these  meetings  have  specifically  focused  on  the  Jain  and Buddhist communities (two with the Jain community and three with the Buddhist community). Issues concerning the Jain community, such as Sammed Shikharji, Girnar Parvat, and the safety and  security  of  Jain  monks  during Viharas ,  were  discussed  in  the  meetings.  Further,  issues concerning  the  Buddhist  community,  such  as  the  management  of  the  Bodh  Gaya  temple,  the promotion of the Pali language, and the provision of amenities such as schools and community halls  for  Buddhists  living  in  remote  areas,  were  also  discussed.  A  total  of  102  visits  were conducted by concerned Jain and Buddhist members to various locations, including Karnataka, Leh-  Ladakh,  Madhya  Pradesh,  Maharashtra,  Goa,  Delhi,  Punjab,  Chandigarh,  Jammu  & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, and others.

*****

ANNEXURE   REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *333 FOR ANSWER  ON 18.12.2024 REGARDING 'INITIATIVES TO PROMOTE JAINISM AND BUDDHISM' ASKED BY SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI AND SHRI HARENDRA SINGH MALIK   (Rs. in Crore)

|                                                                | Years   | Years   | Years   | Years   | Years                |
|----------------------------------------------------------------|---------|---------|---------|---------|----------------------|
| Autonomous Bodies                                              | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 (As on date) |
| Central Institute of Buddhist Studies (CIBS),Leh               | 22.56   | 27.03   | 33.27   | 35.45   | 25.76                |
| Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies (CIHTS), Sarnath   | 37.88   | 61.29   | 35.00   | 40.32   | 22.03                |
| Nava Nalanda Mahavihara (NNM), Nalanda                         | 11.33   | 22.86   | 26.27   | 38.04   | 17.97                |
| Central Institute of Himalayan Culture Studies (CIHCS), Dahung | 3.44    | 11.45   | 12.06   | 13.52   | 10.51                |

ANNEXURE   REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *333 FOR ANSWER  ON 18.12.2024 REGARDING 'INITIATIVES TO PROMOTE JAINISM AND BUDDHISM' ASKED BY SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI AND SHRI HARENDRA SINGH MALIK               (Rs. in Crore)

| Grantee Bodies                                                            |   2020-21 |   2021-22 |   2022-23 |   2023-24 |   2023-24 (As on date) |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|------------------------|
| Tibet House, New Delhi                                                    |      1.22 |      1.75 |      1.75 |      1.75 |                 115.8  |
| Centre for Buddhist Cultural Studies, Tawang Monastery, Arunachal Pradesh |      2.09 |      3    |      3    |      3    |                 202.5  |
| Library of Tibetan Works & Archives, Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh        |      1.26 |      1.8  |      1.8  |      2    |                   1.33 |
| GRL Monastic School, Bomdila, Arunachal Pradesh                           |      1.18 |      1.68 |      1.68 |      1.68 |                   1.12 |
| International Buddhist Confederation (IBC, New Delhi)                     |      4.2  |     21    |     57    |     36    |                   4.42 |
| Namghyal Institute of Tibetology, Sikkim                                  |      3.1  |      2    |      3.3  |      3.3  |                   2.2  |