Parliament panel urges review of akademis' working

Expressing concerns over malpractices in premier cultural institutions, a Parliamentary panel has recommended comprehensive review of working of Sahitya Akademi, Lalit Kala Akademi, Sangeet Natak Akademi, National School of Drama and Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Culture has underlined the need for review of premier cultural institutions with a view to attune them to present day realities and requirements as also to get rid of the vested interests leading to ‘cronyism’ and self-perpetuating administration in them.

The Committee, headed by CPM MP Sitaram Yechury, recommended that only artists should manage these bodies to make them professional, more responsive and accessible and their autonomy should be preserved at all costs and ensures accountability.

The committee, in its report on ‘Functioning of National Akademis and other cultural institutions - Issues and Challenges’, reiterated that there should be an overarching body consisting of eminent people to look after the affairs of all the Akademis.

“This body should be entrusted to ensure that the functioning and performance of all the Akademis and organisations are conducted as per their mandate, constitution and ruled prescribed for them,” the Committee said.

Pointing out that secretariats of these cultural institutions were manned by the people who have little idea or knowledge about how to manage arts and culture, the Committee suggested that a cultural cadre distinct from the regular administrative cadre needs to be created to undertake the functioning of the Akademis, Museums and all other cultural institutions.

After presenting the report to Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari, Yechury said, “Courses would have to be introduced for educating cultural cadre in the arts to make them conversant with different forms of theatre, dance, music, poetry and literature, painting, sculpture and architecture.”