IMPHAL, July 7: Although the Manipur Cultural University will commence from August this year, however, as of now the university will only have the departments of Dance, Music and Theatre, said Art and Culture director in charge Dr K Sushila today.
Although the number of departments will increase, the department is not sure of which departments will be added, she said replying to media queries during today’s press conference of department heads organized by the DIPR.
Earlier during the press conference, the director in charge had read out the achievement report of the department for the last 15 years.
She then proposed the media for questions regarding her department to have some transparency.
Dr Sushila said notifications will be put up regarding any relevant information regarding the university.
The Art and Culture department became a full-fledged department in 1990 with its directorate office at Cultural Complex, Palace Compound, she said.
The department functions as the central headquarter of eight subordinate offices and three government undertakings/ institutions/ societies, she added.
She said according to the administrative report 2015-16, the annual plan expenditure of the department is Rs 2721.03 lakhs and the non-plan expenditure is Rs 813.84 lakhs.
The department, she said was set up to develop and promote the culture of the state.
The establishment of the Manipur University of Culture under the Manipur University of Culture Act 2015 which was given assent by the Governor is a major achievement of the department, she added.
The university will have its temporary office at Cultural Complex, Palace Compound with prof N Khagendra Singh and L Joychandra Singh being appointed as the first vice chancellor and the first registrar of the university, she said.
Further during the press conference, Dr Sushila also said on September 17, 2015, the Governor had given his assent to the Manipur Public Library (Taking over of Management) Act, 2015 so that the department may take over the management of the Manipur Public Library in the interest of the general public.
Other achievements of the department include the under-process ‘Film Institute’ and decision for establishment of a ‘Film & Television Institute’ in the state.
The lone aided art college in the state, the Imphal Art College has been made a full fledged government college, she said adding that compilation for publication of state gazetteer, gazetteer of Ukhrul and Churachandpur districts are completed and will be published soon.
She said information collection of Bishnupur district has also started.
Shri Shri Balmukunda Dev Music College DDO L Kishworjit Singh was unable to reply to a media query as to how the college was functioning without faculties as it is learnt that there are no faculties for the Table discipline since 2005 and that the sitar and flute disciplines are also without faculties since long.
The DDO however, said he was new and he had no knowledge of how the faculties had been lying vacant for such a long time.
He said he has also urged the concerned authorities to fill up the vacant posts.
Superintendent of Archeology, another sub ordinate functionary of the department, K Dinamani Singh said that there are more than 100 archeological sites that need to be protected but with the low funds, the office is unable to step up protection programmes of these sites and many of them are now in the verge of total extinction.
