Directorate of Art and Culture

Construction of new buildings and creation of infrastructural facilities
Construction of additional building at Tamil Valarchi Valaagam for the
use of Directorate of Art and Culture and new buildings for the six Regional
Art and Cultural Centres will be taken up during the Eleventh Five Year Plan.
The Government College of Architecture and Sculpture, Mamallapuram will
be provided with an open air museum as well as basic amenities to students.
The Tagore auditorium in Tamil Nadu Music College, Chennai will be improved.
A sum of Rs.5.10 crore is proposed for the provision of above facilities during
the Eleventh Five Year Plan.

New undergraduate courses are proposed to be started at Music College,
Chennai and Government College of Fine Arts, Kumbakonam. Additional
post graduate courses will be started in Government College of Architecture
and Sculpture, Mamallapuram and in Government College of Fine Arts,
Chennai. Improvement works are to be carried out in dye and printing,
textile and ceramic and kiln labs. A designing lab will be created. Special
emphasis will be given for training programmes such as language training to
teachers and students of music institutions, sculpture assistant training and
special training for disabled children which will help to upgrade the skills of
the students and increase their proficiency in fine arts.
It is also proposed to print and publish textbooks for Bachelor of Fine
Arts in Tamil by translating the existing books from English to enrich the
knowledge of students on latest developments in Art.
Conducting training programme for school / College students and arranging Arts competition at district level is proposed. To encourage the upliftment of the social status of SC/STs, training in the varioustraditional art forms such as Karagam,Kavadi,Thappatam,Nayyandi Melam, etc. will be given. Special coaching in dance, painting, arts and Art and Culture, Karagattam crafts will be provided for the benefit of disabled children and physically handicapped. A sum of Rs.1.50
crore is proposed for implementing these schemes.
Documentation and organising camps
It is proposed to document the art forms and interviews of the popular
and senior most emeritus artistes of all art disciplines using audio and video
media. The photographs of drama artistes and their voices are to be collected
and preserved as documents for future generation. It is also proposed to
organize camps for Iyal, Isai and Natakam separately by inviting artistes who
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have done yeomen services in the disciplines of Tamil literature, music and
drama. A sum of Rs.0.45 crore is proposed for the documentation and
organising these camps during the EIeventh Five Year Plan.
Incentive schemes
It is proposed to institute the awards in order to honour the popular
artistes in the field of performing arts, by conferring the awards in the name
of Tamil savants. A sum of Rs.0.20 crore is proposed for this scheme. To
popularize the study of music, the students of Music Colleges will be given
stipends at the rate of Rs.250 per month with a total outlay of Rs.0.75 crore.
Department of Archaeology
Excavation of historical sites and improvement of site museums
The excavations at historically important places are being conducted every
year by the Directorate of Archaeology. The antiquities unearthed from
excavation reveals the cultural past of Tamil Nadu, as well as the maritime
trade contact of Tamils with Western, especially the Romans. So far 29
historical sites have been unearthed and valuable antiquities preserved in 14
archaeological site museums, which are going to be modernised at a cost of
Rs.0.10 crore. It is proposed to conduct excavations at the important
archaeological sites, with a sum of Rs.0.15 crore in the Eleventh Five Year
Plan.
Conservation of Monuments
The Conservation division in the Directorate of Archaeology will be
strengthened with power tools, computers etc. During the Plan period, 2
religious monuments and 6 secular monuments will be taken up for restoration
and conservation. The safety of these monuments will also be taken up.
Infrastructure for the epigraphy students will be improved. An outlay of Rs.0.91
crore is proposed for these schemes in the Plan.
Publication of books
There are about 12,400 inscriptions copied in paper with ink impressions.
About 2,000 inscriptions are in the process of publication. During the Eleventh
Five Year Plan period, the remaining 10,000 inscriptions will be taken up for
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publication. Similarly, books on archaeological museums, monuments and
guide books and monographs will be published. A sum of Rs.0.20 crore is
proposed for the purpose.
Tamil Nadu Archives
Administrative Infrastructure
In order to commemorate the centenary celebrations of the Tamil Nadu
Archives in 2009, it is proposed to construct a Centenary building with
infrastructure facilities and furniture at a cost of Rs.3.00 crore. The District
Record Centre buildings at Tanjore and Madurai which are now functioning
in rented buildings will be constructed with an outlay of Rs.1.20 crore.
The Research hall and administrative block in Tamil Nadu Archives will
be modernised and renovated with an outlay of Rs.0.25 crore. A sum of
Rs.0.50 crore is proposed for technology upgradation and modernization of
Tamil Nadu Archives. Digitisation and network enabling of the Tamil Nadu
Archives will also be taken up at a cost of Rs.0.25 crore during the Eleventh
Plan.