Govt spent state funds when central funds were available under a scheme
Everybody wants it in his Taluka.In Mormugao when former Cortalim MLA could not get it, he had a Kala Bhavanconstructed instead. Tagore Cultural Complex or simply Ravindra Bhavan turnedout to be a great money spinning, cultural must-have-it during the previous governments.What went unnoticed was whether these structures were justified.
Believe it or not, without anyfeasibility report Goa government has invested 108 crores from state exchequerinto Ravindra Bhawans in the Statefor promoting art and culture for a population of around 5-6 lakh. “Nofeasibility study or reports are conducted in case of any government project.Definitely no study was done before taking up any of the Ravindra Bhawan projects,”said Umesh Naik, consulting Engineer II, Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation.
“We are following centralgovernment guidelines where in an auditorium with modern facilities, will bedeveloped as ‘Ravindra Bhavan' at every taluka headquarters in the state,” saidAshok Parab, deputy director art and cultural department of Goa government.
But here there is a bafflingtwist. Instead of getting 60% of the project costs from the centre, as part ofa countrywide scheme to promote cultural centers of excellence, the Goagovernment has spent its own money. Or more aptly, our money.
On the occasion of centenarycelebration of Rabindranath Tagore in 1961, a nationwide programme was launchedwhere in cultural complexes were constructed with modern facilities making itstate-of-the-art cultural complexes. Even new cultural complexes would be builtin cities where there is no such complex. The Central government covers up to60% of the total project cost, going up to 15 crores in normal circumstances andup to 50 crores in rare cases of outstanding relevance, Parab disclosed.
Speaking about the procedure inconstructing a project, Parab said that the department first identifies theland and gets it approved by the government. The next step is to obtain NOC’sfrom all concerned authorities. Only then the construction begins.
Many statesacross the country have taken the benefit of central government scheme. Takethe case of Madhya Pradesh government who have taken up upgradation andmodernization of Rabindra Bhawan in Bhopal costing Rs 49.93 crores. Even the renovationof Ravindra Bhawan at Hyderbad costing Rs 2.50 lakh was taken up under the samescheme. (red portions are optional deletes since the copy is too long).
“However, so far the government hasnot taken any funds for construction of any of the Ravindra Bhawans in the State,”Parab said.
Currently the art and cultural departmenthas three operational Ravindra Bhawan’s which are functioning at Curchorem, Quepem,Rajiv Kala Mandir at Ponda and in Margao.
The well-equipped Ravindra Bhawan in Margao wasthe venue for the inaugural ceremony of International Film Festival of India (IFFI)2011.
Goa State InfrastructureDevelopment Corporation has three more projects undergoing at Sanquelim inSattari and Baina in Mormugao taluka, which are proposed by Art & Cultureand handed over to GSIDC for construction.
The third auditorium at Sancoalewill be completed in December 2012 and will be handed over to the Art &Culture Department informed Umesh Naik consulting engineer of GSIDC.
Goa government is spending Rs 75crore rupees from state exchequer on all these three projects.
