Cultural institutions were in ruins, gave them new life: Mahesh Sharma

“The 5/20 rule has been operational for 10-20 years… it will no longer be there. It will be changed,” he said.

Sharma also asserted that his ministry had given a facelift to cultural institutions that were in total ruins before the BJP government came to power. Claiming that the “Asiatic Society (Kolkata) was totally ruined… totally captured by unions”, he said that “we began a new process there”.

“There were allegations against Raja Rammohun Library, about total anarchy there. Now, we have initiated a democratic process of purchasing books, literature…the NSD held an event once in three months. Now, we have initiated a process that every day we want something to be done there,” he added.

“We have given life to our premier institutes. Their recognition, activities, ambience, presentability were very poor. We have changed them…within two years, all of them will be presentable with a new face and new look. They will be serving the cause for which they have been created,” Sharma said.

The minister also noted that India had improved its World Economic Forum Tourism Index ranking from 65 to 52.

“Anyone who visits Delhi feels compelled to visit NSD, Nehru Memorial and Museum Library, Indira Gandhi National Centre of Arts. The new director of NMML will be chosen in a few weeks,” he said.

About the new aviation policy, he said: “There will a lot of changes. Bilateral exchanges, route dispersal guidelines. All the issues have been revised. There will be a new phase for aviation in our country,” he said.