Culture dept wants inclusion of music, performing art institute in budget

Dept completed 20 of 78 schemes included in last year’s budget

KARACHI: In order to promote music and the performing arts in the province, the Sindh government is planning the establishment of an institute dedicated to art education in the budget for the 2017-18 financial year. This will be the first public institution in the province to nurture existing talent through a curriculum offering various courses and capacity-building training for budding artists.  The provincial culture and tourism department has proposed the establishment of the Sindh Institute of Music and Performing Art at an estimated cost of Rs80 million.

"This institute will be established in Jamshoro. We have allocated Rs33 million [for it] in the upcoming budget," Culture, Tourism and Antiquities Minister Syed Sardar Shah told The Express Tribune. "The people of the province have proven their potential in music and art internationally. So, we have decided to tap their full potential by enhancing their skills," he said.

According to the budget proposal for the upcoming year, the culture department has earmarked Rs2.02 billion for around 78 development schemes to  promote tourism, preserve archaeological and heritage sites, establish motels at various historical sites and build new libraries in various districts.



Among others, the government is also going to establish the Sabri Institute of Sufi Music and Qawwali in Karachi. For this, the department has allocated Rs60 million but only Rs15 million will be spared for it in the 2017-18 budget.  "[Qawwal] Amjad Sabri, who was gunned down in the city, was a proponent of Sufi tradition. Given his performance, the government has decided to build and dedicate an institute to him," disclosed a senior official in the culture department.

The budget proposals, available with The Express Tribune, reveal that a cultural village will also be established in Umerkot to illustrate Thar’s culture. "All traditional things, including food, clothing, birds and animals, will be available at this village.

For this we have kept Rs10 million and this scheme will be completed in a year," the official claimed, adding Rs20 million has been spared for the restoration and conservation of a historical clock tower in Jacobabad.  The tower was built by Brigadier-General John Jacob, a cavalry officer during British rule.



Other proposed schemes include a museum and research centre at the archaeological site at Chanhyo Jo Daro in Nawabshah district, which was an industrial hub of ancient world and has recently been excavated. According to archaeologists, it paints an image of an industrial centre wherefrom terracotta products were supplied to residents of the Indus Valley civilisation, including those in Mohen Jo Daro and Harappa.

A total of Rs20 million has been earmarked for this scheme and in this budget Rs8 million is expected to be released. Culture and Tourism Director Roshan Kanasro said his department's main priority is not only to preserve Sindh’s heritage but also to promote tourism. "We are building motels and rest-houses at various locations,” he said, adding that different tourism corridors will be established in various districts. The culture department has also proposed the establishment of libraries in certain districts.

People have welcomed this decision but are also criticising the culture department for failing to achieve its target on various projects. "In the current financial year, the culture department had planned 78 new and old schemes, but have completed hardly 20 and could not initiate work on most of their schemes," disclosed an officer requesting anonymity.



He added that most of the funds have been spent on festivals and conferences. "We welcome the department’s decision to establish an institute for artists but the minister and his team should also focus on [supporting] ailing artists by providing them proper stipends and funds for their treatment," said an official.

But Kansaro said that they have focused mainly on the welfare of artists and release funds to them every month. "In order to revive our culture, we have to organise some programmes. I don't [understand] why people are critical of this," he said