Rs360m for information and culture

LAHORE
THE Punjab government has allocated Rs360 million only, slashing down the allocations for the fiscal year 2015-16, almost half as compared to the previous year’s Rs607 million for the vital sectors of information and culture with a clearly sham claim to protect and conserve the cultural heritage of Punjab and promote language, art and culture of the province.
This year’s budgetary allocations announced by the Punjab government on Friday (Coincidently the last year’s budget -2014-15, was also announced on Friday if translated into the ground reality with the same resolve displayed in the run-of-the-mill kind budget claims, strongly suggests an absolutely non-serious attitude of the rulers towards the betterment of these two vital sectors. In fact, this vital sector, rather two highly significant sectors pressed together, is pleading to the Punjab government to ‘do more’ for improvement in the financial terms.
It seems that no one down there in the power corridors is interested in the promotion of Punjab culture in its true spirit and brings back its long lost glory. The policy and the vision of the provincial government as stated in the last year’s budget documents remains the same in the new fiscal year and so are the tall claims of doing wonders. The contradiction clearly evident in the stated words and deeds of the Punjab government towards the mental and physical wellbeing of the people of the province can be easily seen when compared with the ground realities. This year, Rs302.261 million allocations are for the ongoing schemes; Rs60 million allocated for development and upgrade of Lahore Museum building and conservation facilities, Rs37.900million for re-construction of Murree Arts Council, Rs35 million for construction of auditorium for Sargodha Arts Council, Rs18 million for Project for Citizen Engagement and Public Perception Analysis for Improving Governance and Services Delivery in Punjab, Rs31.492 million for development of park and completion of basement for car parking, Doongi Ground, M M Alam Road, Lahore and Rs1.600 million for urgent development of different works at Lahore Arts Council, Mall and Rs57.739 million for new initiatives.
These include Rs30 million for up-gradation /improvement of facilities in Lahore Arts Council Cultural Complex, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.