International Archives and Heritage Centre will come up this year: Minister

Devarkovil’s assurance follows news reports on inordinate delay in setting up the centre

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Efforts are on to expedite the work on setting up the International Archives and Heritage Centre (IAHC) at Kariavattom here. This was announced by Minister for Archives Ahammad Devarkovil. The minister’s assurance follows news reports on the inordinate delay in setting up the centre. Devarkovil said the project would be made realistic within this year. He was speaking after inaugurating the e-filing management and e-payment system in the Archives Department.

TNIE had reported on May 11 that the delay in land acquisition played spoilsport in setting up the centre, announced during the first Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government tenure. The project will come up in an acre of land given on lease by the University of Kerala on the Kariavattom campus for the study and research on archives.

The minister had then said the undue delay happened as the department got the land at Kariavattom only recently. He had also asked the Kerala Museum of History and Heritage Department, the implementing agency, to prepare a detailed report. On Thursday, the minister said the centre is being implemented to protect historical documents, and for administrative governance and conducting research of international standards. Researchers and others can avail themselves of the department’s services by paying a fee prescribed by the state government, he added.

“There is transparency in the e-governance system so that people can avail services. Permission for research and copies of the application will be available online through the newly launched system,” said the minister. The recorded historical document images will be soon available online. Once launched, a researcher anywhere in the world can access the document. The minister said within this year, the regional and heritage offices will have an e-office system. The department is also trying to expedite the work on converting the archaeological documents into digital format through the latest technology.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com