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Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Culture becomes first Deptt to submit ATR on 100-day tasks

GANGTOK, 01 August: The Cultural Affairs & Heritage Department has become the first Department to submit the action taken report to the Chief Minister’s Office on the 100 days tasks assigned to it by the Chief Minister. The 100 days ended on 18 July.
The Department submitted the report as well as proposal to the CMO on 06 July, around 12 days ahead of the 100 days deadline. The Department was also the first to constitute a Monitoring Committee headed by its Secretary through a Notification to initiate activities undertaken as part of the 100 day programme.

One of the directives from the CM was to regularize Muster Roll and Workcharged employees at the Department, and out of 34, the Department was able to regularize four MR employees a driver, an LDC, an artist and an Inspector. It also appointed two employees on compassionate grounds.
Speaking to NOW!, DR Kharel, Secretary of the Department, said, “To remove the redundancy, we had constituted a Monitoring Cell comprising of the sectional heads, which yielded satisfactory results.”
He added, “To develop a feedback system, the Department holds meetings at regular intervals. All issues, problems of the Department are dealt with during these meetings. The meetings serve as an effective means of communication where all grievances are addressed and issues resolved.”
Mr. Kharel said that over the 100 days, his Department concentrated mainly on increasing awareness about culture and tradition among the younger generation and link it with tourism.
Some of the innovative proposals which his Department submitted to CMO, include holding of competitions at block, district and State level, documentation of all folk songs, dances of all ethnic communities, Skill up-gradation- artistes of the Department to be sent to institutes for training, theatre to be based on the folklore of ethnic communities, a music institute to be set up, workshops and seminars on various art forms, publication of Annual Cultural Calendar of Events, celebration of Archives Week in November, publishing Coffee table book on culture and tradition of the State, Heritage Appreciation Tours and creation of a Digital Data Base etc.
Mr. Kharel believes that his Department needs around 20 new/ fresh artists to meet the demands of cultural troupes within as well as outside the State and is looking towards a way to appoint them on a consolidated salary basis.
The Secretary further informed that in response to queries forwarded by various departments like Buildings & Housing, DOPART, Home, etc., his Department has promptly furnished the required information within the 100 days programme.

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