Kuchipudi Natyaramam to have multi-cultural complex.

A new component will adorn the ambitious Rs. 100-crore Kuchipudi Natyaramam project.

The State government has sent a DPR (Detailed Project Report) to the Centre seeking sanction of funds to the tune of Rs. 186 crore for construction of a multi-cultural complex under the Central Government’s Tagore Cultural Complexes Scheme.

For the proposed multi-cultural complex, the Centre would grant Rs. 50 crore, the State government will invest Rs. 75 crore while it would mobilise the remaining Rs. 61 crore from other sources, said a senior official from the Department of Language and Culture.

Under the new Tagore Cultural Complexes Scheme, the existing Rabindra bhavans, manchas, sadans, rangshalas and other cultural centres will be upgraded and modernised into state-of-the-art cultural complexes.

These structures were created as part of a nationwide programme launched on the occasion of centenary celebrations of Rabindranath Tagore in 1961. Besides restoring them, plans are also afoot for construction of new cultural complexes in the State capitals and other cities where such complexes don’t exist.

The project envisages the Central government’s support up to 60 per cent of the total project cost, going up to Rs. 15 crore in the usual course and up to Rs. 50 crore in rare cases of outstanding merit and relevance.

Sources in the Department of Culture said of the total area of 40 acres where the Natyaramam is being developed, the proposed complex will come up in a stretch of 13 acres.

Budget for the purpose may be sanctioned by month-end. A sum of Rs. 1.35 crore has already been sanctioned for Natyaramam and works at the Vedantham Cheruvu are in progress.

THE HINDU