National Culture Fund

About National Culture Fund:

• It was set up as a Trust on 28th November, 1996 under the Charitable Endowment Act, 1890 with a view to mobilize extra resources through Public Private Partnerships (PPP) towards promoting, protecting and preserving India’s tangible & intangible cultural heritage.
• Objectives of NCF
  • To administer and apply the Fund for conservation, maintenance, promotion, protection, preservation and up-gradation of monuments protected or otherwise;
  • To impart training and facilitate development of a cadre of specialists and cultural administrators
  • To facilitate in providing additional space in existing museums & construct new museums to accommodate or create new & special galleries.
  • Documentation of cultural expressions and forms that have lost their relevance in contemporary scenario and are either fading out or facing extinction.
• Features
  • It 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 the policies.
  • An Executive Committee headed by Secretary (Culture) and has a maximum strength of 11 Members, to execute those policies.
  • Donations to the National Culture Fund are eligible for 100% tax benefit under Section 80G (ii) of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
  • NCF’s activities are covered under Schedule VII No. (v) of the Companies Act, 2013 as valid receptacle of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) contribution under: - Protection of national heritage, art and culture including restoration of buildings and sites of historical importance and works of art; setting up public libraries; promotion and development of traditional arts and handicrafts.”
  • Annual Accounts are audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
• NCF can receive donations from Corporates, PSUs, Trusts and Individuals for maintenance and preservation of Centrally Protected monuments/ cultural projects through NCF. All donors/sponsors have the responsibility to comply with the terms & conditions of the MoU agreed for any particular project.

Q1: What is Intangible cultural heritage?

Intangible cultural heritage means the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills – as well as the instruments, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces associated with them that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as a part of their cultural heritage.

Source: NATIONAL CULTURE FUND