Ministry of Culture Announces New Initiatives for National Culture Fund
Government has set up National Culture Fund (NCF) as a Trust on 28th November, 1996 under the Charitable Endowment Act, 1890 with a view to mobilize extra resources through Public Private Partnerships (PPP) towards promoting, protecting and preserving India’s tangible & intangible cultural heritage
The following are some of the major objectives of NCF:
i) To administer and apply the Fund for conservation, maintenance, promotion, protection, preservation and up-gradation of monuments protected or otherwise;
ii) To impart training and facilitate development of a cadre of specialists and cultural administrators
iii) To facilitate in providing additional space in existing museums & construct new museums to accommodate or create new & special galleries.
iv) Documentation of cultural expressions and forms that have lost their relevance in contemporary scenario and are either fading out or facing extinction.
Features of NCF:
i) The NCF is managed and administered through a Governing Council chaired by the Hon’ble Minister of Culture and has a maximum strength of 25 members to decide the policies.
ii) An Executive Committee headed by Secretary (Culture) and has a maximum strength of 11 Members, to execute those policies.
iii) Donations to the National Culture Fund are eligible for 100% tax benefit under Section 80G (ii) of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
iv) NCF’s activities are covered under Schedule VII No. (v) of the Companies Act, 2013 as valid receptacle of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) contribution under: –
“(v) Protection of national heritage, art and culture including restoration of buildings and sites of historical importance and works of art; setting up public libraries; promotion and development of traditional arts and handicrafts.”
v) Annual Accounts are audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
Role of NCF:
NCF plays an important role by forging partnerships with Corporates, NGOs etc. in getting the preservation & conservation related heritage projects implemented as per norms. Moreover, NCF provides the donor/sponsor the flexibility to indicate a project along with any specific location/aspect and also an implementing agency for execution of the project.
To ensure that the projects supported by NCF under PPP mode do not get delayed, meeting of Project Implementation Committee (PIC) under the Chairmanship of Director General, Archaeological Survey of India for ASI projects & Officials of NCF/Ministry of Culture for other projects, are regularly convened, to monitor progress and smooth implementation of the projects.
NCF can receive donations from Corporates, PSUs, Trusts and Individuals for maintenance and preservation of Centrally Projected monuments/ cultural projects through NCF. All donors/sponsors have the responsibility to comply with the terms & conditions of the MoU agreed for any particular project.