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| Jora concerned over falling footfall in libraries | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, JAN 19: The Minister for Tourism and Culture, Mr. Nawang Rigzin Jora today said that resources would be augmented for conservation of rich cultural assets in the State. He said that technology would be used in a big way and interlinking all libraries through Internet.
Jora was addressing a high-level meeting of officers of the Culture Department here today.
Commissioner Secretary, Culture, Mr. N. K. Verma, Director, Libraries and Research, Mahmood Rana and Director, Archives, Mr. M. Y. Qadri were also present in the meeting.
Expressing concern over dwindling visitors to the libraries, the Minister said that all 140 libraries in the State would be made online and books from national-reputed organizations sourced to enrich the libraries so that better content and research-based references were available to the readers. The construction of S.P.S. Library, at Srinagar with a total project cost of Rs.17.34 crore was under construction, the Minister informed.
Later, Commissioner/Secretary gave a powerpoint presentation on the activities of the Culture Department.
While being briefed about the Archives, Archaeology and Museums sector, the Minister was informed “99 heritage building are in the records of the department, out of which 30 buildings are being maintained by the State Government. The construction of S.P.S. Museum at Lal Mandi, Srinagar is in progress at a cost of Rs. 30.76 crore, out of which Rs. 23.87 crore have been expended so far”.
Calling upon the officers to make strenuous efforts to conserve the assets of glorious past, the Minister said that various agencies like Archeological Survey of India should be involved for upkeep and preservation of heritage sites in the State. Making pointed reference of the conservation of Mubarak Mandi Complex, being renovated at an estimated cost of Rs.150 crore, the Minister said that a survey should be carried out of leftover monuments so that they are documented for reference.
Stressing the need for cultural exchanges, Mr. Jora called upon the J&K Cultural Academy to organize a series of programmes that reflect the distinct identity of the three regions in terms of their art, folk, music and drama.
The Minister also impressed upon the officers to package culture in such a way so that it could be dovetailed with the tourism sector for optimizing the results. He said that the State received thousands of tourists who evince keen interest in oriental cultural preferences, adding that a comprehensive strategy was required to tap the potential. |
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