New Delhi: The Union Minister of Minority Affairs and Women and Child Development, Smriti Irani, on Sunday virtually laid the foundation stone for 38 projects approved under the Buddhist Development Plan in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and Ladakh.
Keeping in view the government’s concept of ‘virasat ke saath vikas (development with heritage) and ‘virasat ka sanvardhan (promotion of heritage)’, Irani announced financial assistance of Rs 30 crore for the Centre for Advanced Studies in Buddhist Studies of Delhi University for academic collaboration, promoting research, preservation of language, translation of transcripts and skill upgradation of the Buddhist population.
The Union Minister laid the foundation stone via video conferencing for the 38 projects with a total estimated cost of Rs 225 crore approved as part of the Buddhist Development Plan under the aegis of Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram, the Ministry of Minority Affairs said in a statement.
“Aligned with the purpose of ‘Viksit Bharat’ the Minister desired that the Institutes like Central Institute of Buddhist Studies (CIBS), Centre for Advanced Studies in Buddhist Studies of the University of Delhi and other prominent institutes should collaborate for integrated development in a circuit so as to conserve the Buddhist cultural heritage and knowledge along with providing them modern education,” the statement stated.
In addition to the event held in New Delhi on Sunday, this event has been ceremoniously conducted in the respective states and the Union Territory in the presence of Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Sing Tamang, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State of Minority Affairs John Barla, various ministers in the respective states, MPs and MLAs, among others.
“Taking another step ahead towards the Government of India’s commitment to the development of minorities with the “whole of government” approach and with a specific focus on the Buddhist communities primarily in the far-flung border areas in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and the Union Territory of Ladakh and with the prime objective to secularize the traditional theological education with an additional provision of modern education and the professional/Vocational and skill development courses for the young Buddhist population in these areas, the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs has come up with a program viz. Buddhist Development Plan (BDP),” the statement said.
This programme would be implemented by converging various ongoing schemes of the ministry such as PMJVK, PM-Vikas, and scholarship as well as the programmes and the schemes being administered by the National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation and those relevant in other ministries.
The programme includes provisions for awareness campaigns to ensure that such schemes and programmes are within reach of the Buddhist communities in the mentioned five states.