KARACHI, March 25: There are a total of 29 ongoing schemes worth Rs357.50 million, seven new ones worth Rs42.50 million and three non-annual development programme (ADP) schemes worth Rs86 million which are being implemented in Sindh by the provincial culture department, says a statement issued here on Sunday following a meeting held at the Chief Minister’s House a day earlier.

The statement, issued by Sindh Culture Minister Sassui Palijo and secretary Abdul Aziz Uqaili, said that 16 cultural complexes had already been established over the last four years and seven cultural centres were being set up at a cost of Rs245 million in different towns of the province.

It said that five new public libraries were ready for inauguration while construction of another 15 had been approved. There were 12 public libraries already functioning in the province, it added.

According to the statement, the Saturday meeting was informed that the provincial government had already undertaken welfare initiatives for legends, writers, poets and artists, given that they had established an endowment fund with an initial amount of Rs200 million and so far 239 beneficiaries had received Rs18.84 million.

According to the culture minister, 540 writers, poets and artists had been paid Rs11.33 million during 2010-11 while 624 are being paid Rs30,000 per year. A Legends Trust Fund has been set up with Rs60 million.

The statement said that museums were also being developed and maintained while a national conference on Moenjodaro would be held in October 2012.

The authority for the preservation of Moenjodaro which had been established in 1970 had now been replaced by the National Fund for Moenjodaro with an investment of Rs71.5 million, it said, adding that the chief minister had approved Rs100 million for the endowment fund for Moenjodaro.

The statement pointed out that the Federal Board of Film Censors had been devolved to provinces governments under the 18th constitutional amendment and now the ‘Sindh Board of Film Censors, Karachi’ was being set up.

Regarding the proceedings of the Saturday meeting chaired by Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, the statement quoted him as saying that the province was rich in cultural heritage, traditional craft and historical and archaeological sites. The government would ensure the protection and preservation of the Indus valley civilization, he told the meeting.

According to the statement, he observed that Moenjodaro, Ranikot, Kotdiji, Bhambhore, Umerkot, Makli and other historical and archaeological sites fully highlighted the historical perspective of the monuments of the province and it was a prime duty of historians, researchers and writers to contribute information and protect the history of Sindh.

Mr Shah said that the ancient history of different periods pertaining to Sindh should be written/compiled.

Besides reprinting old books on the history of Sindh, research should be conducted on other books and information for which remuneration would be given.

He called for setting up of the Shah Latif Research Institute on the pattern of the Bilawal Institute of History and Research.—APP