No specific allocation of funds in Union budget for 75th I-Day celebrations: Culture minister

New Delhi, Mar 9 () The government has allocated no specific funds for the 75th anniversary celebrations of India's Independence, Culture Minister Prahlad Patel said on Tuesday.

Responding to a query in the Rajya Sabha, Patel said a National Implementation Committee under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Amit Shah has been constituted for planning activities under the commemoration of 75th Anniversary of India's Independence (Amrut Mahotsava).

"So far, two meetings of NIC have been held, on 25th November 2020 and 26th February 2021. A committee of secretaries has also been set up for this commemoration, which has met five times so far," he said.

"No specific allocation of funds has been made in the Union budget. All the ministries of government of India will work out their action plan within their regular Budget allocation," he said.

He said that a number of activities have been identified for celebrating the event in a befitting manner at national and international level.

It has also been decided that activities will begin 75 weeks prior to August 15, 2022. state/union territories governments have also been requested to form state/district-level committees for guiding the Amrit Mahotsav commemoration on themes such as Atma Nirbharta, he said.

The government has also formed a 259-member national committee for the commemoration headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi which held its first meeting on Monday. ASG RHL