The Government of India established the National Culture Fund (NCF) as a Trust on November 28, 1996, under the Charitable Endowment Act, 1890. The main objective of NCF is to mobilize additional resources through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) to promote, protect, and preserve India’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
Objectives of NCF
The major objectives of NCF include:
- Conservation and Preservation: Administering and applying the Fund for the conservation, maintenance, promotion, protection, preservation, and up-gradation of both protected and unprotected monuments.
- Training and Development: Imparting training and facilitating the development of a cadre of specialists and cultural administrators.
- Museum Development: Facilitating the provision of additional space in existing museums and constructing new museums to accommodate or create new and special galleries.
- Cultural Documentation: Documenting cultural expressions and forms that have lost their relevance in the contemporary scenario and are either fading out or facing extinction.
Features of NCF
- Governing Council: The NCF is managed and administered through a Governing Council chaired by the Hon’ble Minister of Culture and has a maximum strength of 25 members to decide on policies.
- Executive Committee: An Executive Committee headed by the Secretary (Culture) and consisting of a maximum of 11 Members executes these policies.
- Tax Benefits: Donations to the National Culture Fund are eligible for 100% tax benefit under Section 80G (ii) of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
- CSR Contributions: NCF’s activities are covered under Schedule VII No. (v) of the Companies Act, 2013, making it a valid recipient of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) contributions for the protection of national heritage, art, and culture.
- Audit: The annual accounts of NCF are audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
Role of NCF
- Partnerships: NCF plays an important role by forging partnerships with corporates, NGOs, and other entities to implement heritage preservation and conservation projects as per norms.
- Donor Flexibility: NCF provides donors/sponsors the flexibility to specify a project, location, aspect, and an implementing agency for the project’s execution.
- Project Monitoring: Regular meetings of the Project Implementation Committee (PIC), chaired by the Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India for ASI projects and officials of NCF/Ministry of Culture for other projects, ensure that the projects supported by NCF under the PPP mode do not get delayed and are smoothly implemented.
- Donations: NCF can receive donations from corporates, PSUs, trusts, and individuals for the maintenance and preservation of centrally protected monuments/cultural projects. Donors/sponsors must comply with the terms and conditions of the MoU agreed upon for any particular project.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):
- When was the National Culture Fund (NCF) established?
- a) January 1, 1990
- b) November 28, 1996
- c) August 15, 1947
- d) October 2, 1975
- Under which act was NCF established?
- a) Charitable Endowment Act, 1890
- b) Indian Trusts Act, 1882
- c) Societies Registration Act, 1860
- d) Companies Act, 2013
- Who chairs the Governing Council of NCF?
- a) Prime Minister of India
- b) Secretary (Culture)
- c) Hon’ble Minister of Culture
- d) Director General, Archaeological Survey of India
- What is the tax benefit for donations to NCF under the Income Tax Act, 1961?
- a) 50% tax benefit
- b) 100% tax benefit
- c) 75% tax benefit
- d) 25% tax benefit
- What type of projects does NCF support under CSR contributions?
- a) Construction of schools
- b) Protection of national heritage, art, and culture
- c) Medical research
- d) Infrastructure development