NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF INDIA
SCHEME OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO STATE/ UNION TERRITORIES ARCHIVAL REPOSITORIES, GOVERNMENT LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS FOR DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES AND FOR PRESERVATION OF PUBLIC RECORDS/ MANUSCRIPTS AND RARE BOOKS
2009-10
MINUTES OF THE FIRST MEETING OF THE GRANTS COMMITTEE
The Meeting of the Grants Committee for above Scheme was held on 28 August 2009 at 11.00 A.M. under the Chairmanship of Shri Lov Verma, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
The following members were present:
1. Smt. Shailaja Chandra, Member
Chairperson,
Delhi Library Board,
Delhi Public Library,
Sarojni Nagar,
New Delhi-110 023
2. Shri Ramesh Kumar Khanna, Member
Principal/ Secretary and Commissioner,
Archives and Historical Research,
Tamil Nadu Archives,
Egmore,
Chennai-600 008
Tamil Nadu.
3. Shri J.K. Jain, Member
Ex-Director,
Rajasthan State Archives,
F-503 Rashmi Apartments,
Harsh Vihar, Pitampura,
New Delhi-110 019
4. Shri Umesh Kumar, Member
Director (A&A),
Ministry of Culture,
Shastri Bhawan,
New Delhi
5. Dr. Mahendra Khargawat, Member
Director,
Rajasthan State Archives,
Bikaner-334 001
Rajasthan.
6. Shri S.M.R. Baqar, Member Secretary,
Director General of Archives I/C
National Archives of India,
Janpath,
New Delhi-110 001
Deputy Director of Archives, Grants Section
National Archives of India.
Janpath,
New Delhi-110 001
The meeting was also attended by Smt. Meena Kapoor, Assistant Director of Archives (Grants ).
-2-
The Following members of the Grants Committee could not attend the meeting:
1. Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed, Member
Director,
Khuda Baksh Oriental Public Library,
Patna,
Bihar.
2. Shri S.V. Gorakshakar, Member
Former Driector,
C/o Chhatarpati Shivaji Maharaj
Vastu Sangrahalya,
Mumbai-400 032
Maharashtra.
3. Smt. Zareena Parveen, Member
Deputy Director,
Andhra Pradesh State Archives and
Research Centre,
Tarnaka,
Hyderabad-500 007
Andhra Pradesh.
4. Shri Bhaskar Dhatavkar, Member
Director,
Department of Archives,
Government of Maharashtra,
Elphinstone Building,
M.G. Road, Kala Ghoda Fort,
Mumbai-400 032
Maharashtra.
5. Shri Atish Das Gupta, Member
Director,
West Bengal State Archives,
Higher Education Department,
(Government of West Bengal)
6, Bhawani Dutta Lane,
Kolkata-700 073
West Bengal.
2. Welcoming the Members of the Grants Committee, the Member Secretary informed them about the scope and the main features of the Scheme as well as the funds available for disbursement during the current financial year (2009-10). He also apprised the members about the different categories of Government institutions eligible for grant under the Scheme together with the maximum limit of financial assistance admissible in each category.
3. While discussing the proposal of Gujarat Legislative Assembly Library, Gandhi Nagar, Smt. Shailaja Chandra suggested that a subset scheme or any other scheme for historical purpose on 50:50 basis or 25:75 basis be evolved so that Central Share may be reduced to half/ quarter as Central Government Budget/ Funds are limited and moreover Assembly’s have their own budget and can easily get funds from State Governments if interested.
4. The proposals of Rajasthan State Archives, Bikaner and its 7 Regional Branches at Jaipur, Jodhpur, Ajmer, Kota, Bharatpur, Alwar and Udaipur, were discussed and it was unanimously decided by the Members of the Grants Committee that from next year i.e. 2010 the proposals from Rajasthan State may be forwarded either through SLSC or through its Education/ Culture Department.
-3-
5. Finally 26 proposals received from State Archival Repositories, Libraries and Museums were taken up for consideration. After deliberation, the Grants Committee recommended financial assistance to 14 organizations amounting to Rs.29,17,625/- (as 75% central share) out of total amount of Rs.38,90,166/- worth projects approved by Grants Committee as per the following breakup:
6. The position of two cases of 2008-09 i.e. Andhra Sahitya Parishat Government Museum and Research, Kakinada, Hyderabad and Government Imphal Sanskrit Tol. (College), Imphal to whom grant was to be recommended by Grants Committee by circulation, was explained by the Member Secretary and it was unanimously decided that the Director, Andhra Pradesh State Archives, Hyderabad may again be requested to conduct the inspection of Andhra Sahitya Parishat, Government Museum and Research, Kakinada, Hyderabad and submit inspection report. The case of financial assistance to Government Imphal Sanskrit Tol.(College), Imphal was cancelled due to non-receipt of assurance for 25% State Government matching share.
7. The request of Government District Public Library, Dholpur for diversion of grant of Rs.75,000/- released to them during 2006-07 for Computer System, Printer and plain paper copier in place of Steel Racks was also considered and approved by the Members of Grants Committee.
8. Besides, the request of Hardyal Municipal Public Library, Chandni Chowk, Delhi for extension of utilization period up to 31st March 2010 for the grant of Rs.3.50 lacs released to them during 2005-06 was discussed but not found convincing and it was unanimously rejected by Members of Grants Committee. It was also decided that the Library may be asked to refund the unspent grant with penal interest.
9. Case of H.P. State Library, Shimla to whom the grant of Rs.2,00,000/- given during 2002-03 for binding of 5000 rare books was discussed in the Grants Committee as the aforesaid Library could bound only 3200 rare books due to reasons like escalation in the cost of material and variations in the size like of books etc. The Members found the clarifications given by Library justified and decided to settle the case and issue utilization certificate.
The meeting concluded with Vote of Thanks to the Chair.
(S.M.R. Baqar)
Director General of Archives & Joint Secretary,
(Lov Verma)
Member Secretary, Grants Committee. Ministry of Culture and
Chairman,
Grants Committee.