Prime Minister Narendra Modi is known for his penchant for inaugurating various projects across the country, particularly when elections ar...
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is known for his penchant for inaugurating various projects across the country, particularly when elections are round the corner. With elections in Uttar Pradesh scheduled to take place next year, it was not surprising to hear of another inauguration during his visit last month to Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency.
But it is important to review the state of projects that have been inaugurated in this manner to establish whether they are serving their mandate.
One such project was introduced following Modi’s speech in Varanasi on December 25, 2014, which mentioned the need to acquaint school and college students with the life and work of eminent personalities of the city and with themes related to the heritage of Varanasi, and of organising programmes based on such themes.
This was considered an effective mechanism to increase tourist interest in Varanasi and to make students aware of the city’s cultural heritage. The project was also envisaged to motivate students “to aspire for greater heights in their artistic career just like the maestros they have been introduced to through these Interpretation Centres”.
Accordingly, the Sangeet Natak Akademi, an autonomous body working within the domain of the Ministry of Culture, has set up “Interpretation Centres” in five schools in...
