OBSERVATIONS/COMMENTS MADE BY MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENTARY CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE OF THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT IN THE MEETING HELD ON 6TH AND 17TH AUGUST, 1992
Mass Media/TV/Films 1. The Electronic media like TV should highlight the major aspects of our national culture.
2. Live telecast of musical concerts or other cultural programmes should be arranged. This will give people of different regions an opportunity to appreciate the culture of others.
3. As cinema reaches millions and millions of people in the country, this should be part of culture. The policy should outline the proposed action in this sphere also.
4. The mass media should be utilised towards advancement of culture.
5. Audio-visual media, particularly films should be within the purview of the Department of Culture under Ministry of Human Resource Development.
6. In case of up-coming artists, the live broadcast / telecast may be from smaller stations and the leading ones may be covered by the National Channels.
Bhartiya Sanskriti Parishad 1. The propsed Indian Council for Culture be named Bhartiya Sanskriti Parishad.
2. The proposal to set up a body for financing or giving grant-in- aid to voluntary organisatons needs to be looked into afresh as the past experience revealed that such bodies though called autonomous, toe the Government line as in the name of financial accountability, Government control is strengthened. Efforts should be made to ensure in reality autonomy of different cultural bodies by giving them maximum freedom.
3. Setting up of Bharatiya Sanskriti Parishad to reduce multiplicity of institutions which give financial assisitance is welcomed. The existing agencies like the Akademies may also be involved in this.
4. The formulation of Bharatiya Sanskriti Parishad on the lines of UGC, is welcomed.
5. For setting up of Bharatiya Sanskriti Parishad, it would be better to give more autonomy to the existing Academics rather than creating one more body because such a body is very likely to get influenced by Governmental dictates.
Guru Shishya Parampara 1. The proposal to promote Guru Shishya Parampara is appreciated. Steps should be taken to make it effective.
2. Special emphasis should be given in the Policy to Guru Shishya Parampara.
3. For promotion of Guru Shishya Parampara, steps should be taken to make it effective.
Literary Art The literary work of great writers should be translated for making them available in different languages.
Tribal/Folk Art and Culture 1. The best way to help promote folk and tribal culture is to decentralize by direct funding to local bodies. Assistance should go to grass-root level organisations working in the field.
2. Separate allocation of funds for tribal and folk art should be made in the budget of Deptt. of Culture.
3. Tribal culture should not be allowed to stagnate or vanish. We should try to encourage this culture. The tribal Artifacts, Sculptures etc. should be presserved for posterity.
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Music, Dance, Theatre 1. Proper directions should be given to those involved in the development of Culture. The standard of Music obtaining now is a cause for concern. Efforts should be made to ensure that this is revived to achieve its ancient glory.
Artists Villages/Hostels 1. The idea of separate Artist Hostels is opposed and suggested that the existing hostels for youth may accommodate by suitable additions.
2. Setting up of hostels for artists and craftsman is welcomed. It would go a long way in enriching and enhancing culture.
Interlinking of Culture with Education 1. There is a need to have one art teacher for music, dance and crafts separately in schools for every 500 students.
2. The idea of making culture as a part of school curriculum is appreciated but it could be a tall order in a situation where lakhs of villages are without schools and wherever schools are available, there are no facilities like teachers, infrastructure etc,
3. Spreading literacy should be given priority in the Policy. Sanskrit and Hindi should be essential upto school level.
4. The graduation and post-graduation degrees in Universities should be called Bachelor of Arts and Culture and Master of Arts and Culture.
5. Sangeet and Sanskriti should be taught in each school as a subject.
Museums and Libraries 1. A system of mobile libraries for Rural/Remote areas should be introduced to promote the library movement.
2. The issue of Library Commission needs to be looked into indepth.
3. In the context of library movement, there is a need for mobile libraries for the rural areas.
4. The voluntary organisations should be given more encouragement and involved in the library Movement, development/setting up of museums and also in preservation of monuments.
5. Old libraries and cultural institutions in the states are decaying and it is suggested that in rural areas, community halls should be constructed. Libraries should be used for eradication of illiteracy.
6. Every city and town should be encouraged to set up Museums and Art Galleries to uphold our traditions and in this, the role of voluntary organisations should be recognised.
Culture Policy--General Observations 1. There is a need for increasing the expenditure on culture to 1.0 per cent of the national expenditure.
2. On the lines of Spic-Macay, more organisations should be created. Further, to achieve the goals envisaged in the policy, all sections of people especially rural and tribal should come forward for spontaneous co-operation, motivation of the people and seriousness among the masses are crucial factors in the development of culture.
3. it might be dangerous and destructive to invite private sector for sponsoring cultural events as is the experience with films. They also might not be interested in sponsoring certain areas like development/ preservation of tribal/folk art.
4. As private sector will not help in promotion of culture, the Government should discourage private sector in entering this field.
5. it would be better to call the National Culture as Bharatiya Sanskriti. The Cultural Policy should be based on Indian value system and Indian principles which reflect our old traditional culture. Till now culture is being considered only as dance, music, drama etc. though the culture is very vast term. The values prevalent during the vedic time should be included. Research should be undertaken on the vast knowledge enumerated in vedas. It is suggested that inter-zonal festivals and Shilpa Gramas should be encouraged and made more effective.
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6. In the policy paper, no attempt has been made to review the cultural work undertaken by Government in the last 40 or 45 years.
7. Since the financial allocations to culture have been very meagre during the last few years and due to financial crunch, the position is not going to improve in the coming years, it would be better for the Government to be selective about areas of culture which should be given priority and where financial assistance is absolutely essential.
8. The schemes of Department for giving financial assistance to voluntary organisations was appreciated. Since our resources are meagre, it would be helpful if financial assistance is given only for creation of infrastructural facilities to voluntary organisations.
9. Academies should be given full autonomy in this functioning. Whenever an Akademi awards a person or book, they should firstly get it evaluated from experts.
10. A workshop of artistes may be organised for discussing this policy paper before it is finalised.
11. This policy document has a significant lacuna in so far as the role of cultural movement in the freedom struggle is concerned. No attempt has been made in the document to assess the work done by the government in the last 45 years in cultural field.
12. An aspect which should be considered by the Policy is to consider how best to popularise the cultural heritage of the country.
13. The need for the cultural policy be spelt out. The policy should be one which inculcates a strong sense of unity and national integration among the masses. The Policy should be attuned towards cultural integration. It should help in nurturing the old Indian value system.
14. Committee should be set up with local M.P. as its head to monitor, review and implement the cultural policy with the aim of cultural integration.
15. For review of policy over a period of time, a Sub-committee of the Parliament need be set up, as the issue of cultural development through a policy was of tremendous importance and the document is going to have for reaching impact on the country and her people.
16. In the policy document, things are rather vague. Culture does not mean only the folk dances, sports, festivals etc., but more than that. We should try to preserve and save our culture from Westernisation and adulteration. There is a crisis of character among our youths and they cannot be blamed for that. We should try to inculcate basic values of sincerity, honesty and morality which can also preserve our culture.
17. There is no codified culture in India which is important for development of understanding and also integration. If planning is done from the villages at grass root level with a central control, it will be fruitful for raising cultural awareness among masses. The State Government has to play a very positive role in the development of culture and it cannot be left to private individuals or co-operate sector. The Policy should be such that it brings a sense of one-ness among the people.
18. There is no mention in the Policy document about the training of personnel in the management and protection of cultural property, which is the need of the hour.
19. Though culture is related with society, its life style, its perceptions and not with the politics or economic policy, there is no mention of this in the policy document.
20. There is no mention in the document about national awareness through culture and how it could be done and what direction the policy propose to give to society in view of certain ills which have crept in our life styles and principles.
21. Only by preserving our monuments and maintaining libraries, we cannot protect our culture. There is no need for a cultural revolution in the country. We should have a Culture policy which can preserve the national integration.
22. Culture should be used as a tool for cultural harmony. Communal harmony should be brought through cultural activities.
23. In the cultural field, prioritisation of areas should be worked out and appropriate emphasis be given to such Areas.
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24. The country's integration can be maintained only by recognising the Indian Cultural values which could be achieved only through the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
Misc. observations 1. The works of eminent artistes should be kept under proper security to avoid their theft.
2. The idea of generating resources from Non-Governmental Organisations or Corporate Sector etc. is not considered favourable as in such a situation, the private sector is prone to misuse the goodwill of Government. This exercise may prove disastrous.
3. We should try to promote relation between men and women.
4. The promotion of nationalism and patriotism as a part of cultural policy in the interest of Nation is needed.
5. The culture is being attacked from all directions. The major danger is due to alienation from our rural life, city culture is spoiling our rural culture. We will have to protect and preserve our culture.
6. Some reservation of jobs for Artists should be considered by the Government so that they can tide over their unfortuante financial difficulties.
7. Funds should be routed to voluntry organisations directly and not through the State Governments for preservation of our cultural heritage.
8. The Culture should be brought on the Central list of Constitution.
9. Important recommendations of the Hakser Committee should be accepted, particularly about the decentralisation of Planning and appointment of an eminent artist as Chairman/Chairperson of the Academies.
10. The ZCCs should be given pre-domient responsibility for preservation and protection of tribal and folk art.
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MEETINGS OF THE PARLIAMENTARY CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE OF THE
MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT HELD ON 6TH & 17TH AUGUST 1992
TO DISCUSS THE DRAFT POLICY ON CULTURE
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS 1. Shri Arjun Singh, Minister of Human Resource Development ....... in chair
2. Km. Mamta Bannerjee, Minister of State, Sports & Youth Affairs
3. Km. Selja, Deputy Minister for Education & Culture
4. Shri B. G. Jawali
5. Smt. Girija Devi
6. Dr. K. Vishwanathan
7. Dr. K.V. R. Chowdhary
8. Dr. (Mrs.) Malini Bhattacharya
9. Shri M. A. Baby
10. Shri Ram sunder Das
11. Prof. R. S. rawat
12. Prof. Sudhir Sawant
13. Prof. (Smt.) Savithri Lakshmanan
14. Prof. S. Bhattacharaya
15. Dr. Sudhir Roy
16. Shri Udya Pratap Singh
17. Dr. Vasant N. Pawar
18. Smt. Vijaya Raje Scindia
19. Shri Y. Yaima Singh
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