Committee on Zonal Cultural Centres Presents its Report to Kumari Selja

The Chairman of the Committee on Zonal Cultural Centers (ZCCs) Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar here today presented the Committee’s report to the Union Culture Minister Kumari Selja. The Ministry of Culture will be processing the recommendations of the Committee and take appropriate steps to revamp the functioning of the ZCCs to further enhance their outreach. The Committee and the Minister of Culture Kumari Selja would be meeting the Prime Minister later this evening to apprise him of Committee’s recommendations.

Background Details of the Committee are as follows:

With a view to preserve, promote and disseminate the plurality of India’s culture and traditional arts of all the States, Government of India had in 1985/1986 set up seven Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) with their headquarters at Patiala, Udaipur, Nagpur, Thanjavur, Allahabad, Kolkata and Dimapur.

The Central Advisory Board on Culture, in a meeting chaired by the Prime Minister in his capacity as the then Culture Minister, suggested a review of the functioning of the ZCCs over the last 25 years.

Therefore, to review the functioning and performance of the seven ZCCs, the Ministry of Culture, vide its Resolution dated 12th August 2010, constituted a Committee on ZCCs with the following composition:

Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar- Chairperson

Dr. Sitakant Mahapatra – Member

Shri Amol Palekar - Member

Terms of reference of the Committee included the following:

• Examine the action taken on the recommendations made by Prof. U. R. Ananthamurthy Committee that was constituted in 1994;

• Ascertain whether the ZCCs have fulfilled the objectives for which they were set up and reasons for the shortcomings, if any;

• Examine whether all/some of the ZCCs need to be wound up and/or merged with some other existing body/bodies;

• Suggest structural or functional changes required and any new or relevant directions which could be given to the ZCCs to improve their functioning, if they are to be continued; and

• Suggest whether any expansion of the ZCCs network is called for.

The Committee was serviced by a mini-secretariat specially created to assist the Committee. Mrs. Rita Sinha, retired Secretary to Government of India was invited to work as Consultant to the Committee.

The Committee’s initial tenure was for 4 months. To enable the Committee complete its task, its term was extended for a further period of 4 months, ending on 11th April 2011.

The Committee undertook wide consultations and held several meetings during its tenure. Apart from present and past Directors of the ZCCs, it held discussions with several eminent cultural personalities. The Committee members also undertook visits of the ZCCs to acquaint themselves with the actual position on the ground.

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