The meeting of the Board of Governors of North Zone Cultural Centre (NZCC), Patiala (Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India) was held under the Chairpersonship of Governor of Punjab and Administrator UT Chandigarh at Jaipur.
The Governor is ex officio Chairman of NZCC. Banwari Lal Purohit directed in the meeting of Board of Governors to follow the highest level of transparency and financial propriety. He appreciated the fact that all payments to the artists and vendors are being made through online transfer by NZCC. Rules for folk artist honour award were also presented before the board and it was decided to give away award during Chandigarh Craft Fair scheduled to be held from 1st Dec to 10 Dec. These awards were declared last year and amount of it will be sourced from Governor’s Fund. Suggestion to install award for young folk artists was also discussed in the meeting. A documentary on Vitasta festival was screened in the meeting alongwith glimpses of major programmes and festivals organised last year by NZCC. Director NZCC, Furqan Khan explained the working of NZCC and financial position through a power point presentation.┬а Purohit appreciated the working of NZCC and its Director.
He congratulated NZCC Director and his team for hardwork and maintaining transparency in its daily affairs. The Board of Governors also approved the recommendations made by the Programme Committee, Finance Committees and Executive Board of NZCC that include approval of Rs.1232.71 lakh as expenditure during the year 2022-23 for programmes/activities and Non-Programme sides; and budget approval amounting to Rs.1480.00 lakh for organization of Programmes/activities and Non-Programme sides during 2023-24. Governor also directed that all art forms should be given proper weightage, keeping in view of the basic mandate of the Zonal Cultural Centres. Amita Prasad, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Culture apprised the house that a substantial raise in the rates of honorarium for all genre of artists is in process, hopefully it would be implemented from next Financial Year.
The House appreciated the effort of Ministry of Culture. She suggested that a Zonal level Festival should be organised by each ZCC in one of its member states every year on rotation basis. Among other present in the meeting were┬а Gayatri Rathod, Principal Secretary Art and Culture Rajasthan, Mehboob Ali Khan , Secretary Culture, Ladakh, Hari Kallikkat, Secretary Art and Culture Chandigarh and nominated members.
