SHILLONG, May 20: Arts and Culture Minister Paul Lyngdoh has pitched for stronger rural tourism network and adoption of villages as cultural hubs of Meghalaya.
While speaking at the International Museum Expo 2023 at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, Lyngdoh also highlighted the Vision@2047 for Museum which is the policy decision of the Meghalaya government to set up “Museums to exhibit the tribal way of life”. The Department of Arts and Culture will take steps in order to implement the same.
Highlighting the steps taken by the state government, the Arts and Culture Minister said that they are planning to create more district level museums in remaining districts of Meghalaya for educating the public on the value and importance of preserving and protecting cultural heritage.
Lyngdoh further informed that the government plans to set up natural history Museums for displaying entomological, zoological and geological specimens, since the state of Meghalaya is rich in natural landscape, flora and fauna and findings of Dinosaurs, fossils etc.
“We are also looking to set up science museums with objectives to popularise textiles, technology heritage, prehistoric life, transportations etc. to students, researchers and the public in general. We will try to digitise all the items/artifacts collected and displayed in the Williamson Sangma State Museum,” Lyngdoh informed.
Art and Culture Minister also said that the state government is trying to complete furnishing and displaying artifacts related to the three Museums – Kiang Nangbah Indigenous Cultural Centre-cum-Tribal Museum, U Tirot Sing Indigenous Cultural Centre-cum- Tribal Museum and Pa Togan Sangma Indigenous Cultural Centre-cum-Tribal Museum which are constructed in honour of the freedom fighters.
According to him, the concerned authorities will be collecting more artifacts related to the culture of various tribes in Meghalaya in addition to collections of more documentation, data for conducting research works, etc.
“We also plan to open an array of galleries – archaeological, geographical, botanical, zoological, ethnographical, photographical, etc, which will attract the visitors, mostly tourists to increase the revenue of the state and also to provide opportunities for generating employment,” Lyngdoh added.
Union Minister of Tourism and DoNER G Kishan Reddy and Union Minister of State for External Affairs Menakshi Lekhi were also present on the occasion.
