Centre outlines Museum Grant Scheme, says financial assistance available for new museums, digitisation and heritage preservation
New Delhi, July 27
Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply that the Ministry of Culture is implementing the Museum Grant Scheme to provide financial assistance for the establishment of new museums, development of existing museums, digitisation of collections, creation of virtual museums and capacity building of museum professionals.
The Minister said the scheme extends financial support to museums managed by Central and State Governments, societies, autonomous bodies, public sector undertakings, local bodies, academic institutions and registered trusts, subject to the prescribed eligibility conditions. He added that museums are classified into three categories under the scheme, with separate funding norms based on their ownership and status.
According to the Minister, the scheme provides financial assistance of up to Rs 15 crore for Category I museums, up to Rs 10 crore for setting up new Category II museums and up to Rs 8 crore for the development of existing Category II museums. For Category III museums, assistance of up to Rs 5 crore is available for establishing new museums and up to Rs 4 crore for the development of existing museums.
Shekhawat further stated that the scheme also provides dedicated financial assistance for digitisation of museum collections and training of museum professionals. He said Category I museums can receive assistance of up to Rs 50 lakh for digitisation and training, while Category II museums are eligible for assistance of up to Rs 25 lakh for these activities.
The Minister said the Ministry of Culture may undertake Category I and Category II museum projects as projects of national importance. He added that the scheme also supports online virtual museums, theme-based museums, virtual experiential museums and projects aimed at preserving and showcasing India's cultural heritage.
Shekhawat also informed the House that the Ministry of Tourism promotes museums as tourism destinations through domestic and international promotional campaigns, participation in travel exhibitions, social media outreach and collaborations with State governments and Indian Missions abroad.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Honestly, I am skeptical. We keep hearing about such grand schemes, but ground reality is different. In our town, the museum has been 'under renovation' for 5 years with no end in sight. And who will ensure the money isn't siphoned off? We need proper accountability, especially when tax-payer money is involved. Still, if done right, this could be a game-changer for culture lovers like me. 🤞
Great initiative! I visited the National Museum in Delhi last year and was impressed by some sections, but others clearly needed upgrades. This scheme could really help. I'm particularly excited about the "virtual experiential museums" part – with VR technology, we could bring ancient India to life for young people who are more into gaming than history. Smart move linking this with tourism too!
Finally! As a history student, I've always felt our museums don't get the attention they deserve. The categorisation makes sense – different needs for different scales. But I hope they focus on regional museums too, not just the big ones in metros. Our local museums in places like Hampi or Mamallapuram need equal love. And Rs 50 lakh for digitisation of Category I museums seems tight – digitising entire collections is expensive work.
Nice to see this but I wish they had also mentioned community museums and private collections. Many families in India have priceless artifacts passed down generations but no support to preserve them. That said, the training of museum professionals is a much-needed focus. Our curators are often underpaid and undertrained. This could boost cultural tourism big time if executed well. Let's see what comes of it. 🏛️
J We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.