NEW DELHI: The Union Culture Ministry on Tuesday gave its go-ahead to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's cultural unit Sanskar Bharti to introduce its own 'Nobel awards' in the fields of Peace, Human Rights, Literature, Visual and Performing Arts, Science, Education and others.
Sources in the ministry told IANS that the ministry has given its nod to institute 'Naimishya Samman'.
The first edition of awards on the lines of Nobel will be given in 'Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsava', likely to be held in Varanasi in November.
The awards will be presented annually.
The jury would comprise of prominent Indian and international figures from diverse fields.
According to sources the budget for the Sanskriti Mahotsav has been set at Rs 220 crore, out of which around Rs 70 crore have been kept for the awards and the rest for the event.
The Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsava, the brain child of the RSS, is an initiative of the Ministry of Culture.