Gyan Bharatam Mission

Gyan Bharatam Mission

Sub: Scheme

Sec: Art and Culture

A new special mission announced in the Union Budget 2025-26, focused on the survey, documentation, and conservation of India’s manuscript heritage.  It aims to cover over one crore manuscripts.

Scope: The mission targets manuscripts held by academic institutions, museums, libraries, and private collectors across India.

National Manuscripts Mission (NMM) Revitalization: The Gyan Bharatam Mission appears to be a significant boost and potential restructuring of the existing NMM.  The budget allocation for NMM has been drastically increased from ₹3.5 crore to ₹60 crore, signaling a renewed focus.  Prior reports indicated the Ministry of Culture was considering reviving and relaunching the NMM, potentially as an autonomous body.  Currently, NMM operates under the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts.

Rationale: The initiative recognizes the importance of preserving ancient texts and the knowledge they contain.  It aims to make this manuscript heritage more accessible.

Culture Ministry Budget: The overall budget allocation for the Ministry of Culture has seen a modest increase of approximately ₹100 crore, reaching a total outlay of ₹3,360.96 crore.

Allocation Breakdown:

• Archaeological Survey of India (ASI): ₹1,278.49 crore (a slight increase).
• National Libraries and Archives: ₹156.55 crore.
• Museums (National Museum, National Gallery of Modern Art): ₹126.63 crore.

Decreased Funding: Funds for centenaries, anniversaries, and international cultural collaborations have been significantly reduced. This suggests a shift in priorities within the Culture Ministry’s spending.