Question : JAWAHARLAL NEHRU CULTURAL CENTRES

(a) the locations of Jawaharlal Nehru Cultural Centres (JNCCs) abroad;

(b) the major activities of these Centres;

(c) whether any review has been made of their working; and

(d) if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI DIGVIJAY SINGH)


a ) ICCR has 14 Cultural Centres abroad and three of them bear the name `Jawaharlal Nehru Cultural Centre`. They are located at Moscow (Russia), Jakarta (Indonesia) and London (U.K.).


b) These Cultural Centres are responsible for promoting Indian culture in the areas of their jurisdiction. These activities include organisation of lectures, exhibitions of visual arts, essay competitions, performances of dance and music, plays, screening of Indian films, seminars etc. Two of the Cultural Centres at Moscow and Jakarta impart training and classes in Indian classical music, dance, tabla, yoga and Hindi. The Centres are also maintaining Libraries, Reading Rooms and Audio-Video Libraries.


Apart from organising their own activities, these Cultural Centres also provide support to the respective Indian Missions for coordinating cultural activities.


c&d) The Council continuously monitors and reviews the activities of these Centres with a view to making their functioning more effective. For this purpose, the Council has instituted a system of monthly reporting by the Centres on their activities. The Council also undertakes special review of the functioning of these Centres in consultation with the Head of Missions in these countries.