HYDERABAD: Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat informed the Rajya Sabha that the Centre has not taken any decision to relocate Nizam’s jewels for a permanent public exhibition in Hyderabad.
In a written reply to a question raised by YSRCP MP S Niranjan Reddy in Rajya Sabha, Shekhawat said that 173 remarkable pieces of the Nizam’s jewels have been securely stored in the vaults of the Reserve Bank of India since 1995.
“As per the existing MoU with RBI for security, insurance and conservation considerations, the jewellery is under a high-value, high-security custodial arrangement with the RBI. However, no decision has been taken at present to relocate the collection for a permanent public exhibition in Hyderabad,” Shekhawat said.
He further said that the Ministry of Culture recognises the historical, cultural and heritage significance of the Nizam’s jewellery, including the public interest associated with these artifacts.