India’s cultural arm in UK faces cash crunch

India’s cultural arm in UK faces cash crunch

London: India’s flagship cultural centre in London — the Nehru Centre, is facing a severe cash crunch.
    Budgetary allocation to the centre — the cultural arm of the Indian High Commission, with the responsibility of portraying India’s cultural heritage has been steadily dipping over the past three years. In 2011, allocation by the ministry of external affairs (MEA) was nearly Rs 5 crores which dipped to Rs 3.6 crores the following year.
    The allocation for 2012-13 ended up even lesser at around Rs 3.4 crores.
    Minister (culture) at the Indian High Commission in London Sangeeta Bahadur said, “We have been told by the MEA to expect a further 40% cut in allocations this year.”
    According to Bahadur, several large festivals planned to showcase India’s rich heritage on the Centre’s 20th year celebratons — theatre and film festivals and a Jaipur literary festival prototype will take a beating “with most of it will have to be shelved.”
    She added, “We have asked for Rs 5.5 crores for this year from the MEA. The MEA however has told us that the allocation this year could actually be worse than last year. From doing one programme a day we will now have to cut it down to two programmes a week.”
    According to Bahadur, the London Nehru Centre is the oldest ICCR institution.