Govt earmarks Rs194 million for cultural depts

Rs42m for PNCA and Rs25m set aside for Lok Virsa

ISLAMABAD: The National History and Literary Heritage Division has received Rs194.740 million for the upgradation and digitalisation of various cultural departments working for adequate projection of art and culture in the country, under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2020-21.

According to the budget document, the federal government has allocated Rs184.740 million for the on-going schemes and Rs10 million for the new schemes of the division.

Among the on-going schemes, Rs24.87 million have been set aside for the construction of Faiz Ahmed Faiz Auditorium at Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) at Islamabad, Rs 24 million for the office building, conference hall, guest house, committee room and library at PAL Provincial Office Peshawar, and Rs30 million for the digitalization of rare books and manuscripts collection of the National Library of Pakistan, Islamabad.

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Amounts of Rs4.52 million and Rs20 million are specified for establishment of Digitalised Archive Library and Establishment of National Film Academy respectively, while Rs7.700 million is allocated for the mapping of historical and religious sites in Pakistan, and Rs5.64 million for the preservation, restoration and presentation of Rawat Fort, Islamabad.

With the aim to produce good theater and film content in the country, the government has allocated Rs42.024 million for the up-gradation of film projection, light and sound system installed at the PNCA Auditorium, Islamabad, and Rs25.5 million for the uplift of Lok Virsa premises into a professional and gender friendly safe space.

At least Rs10 million have been approved for PAL office  at Quetta. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 14^th, 2020.