Miscellaneous
‘Develop Nat’l Archives as research centre’
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has stressed that the National Archives should be developed as a research centre.Rastriya Samachar Samiti
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has stressed that the National Archives should be developed as a research centre.
Inaugurating the golden jubilee celebrations of the National Archives on Tuesday, PM Deuba also pledged to sort out the issue related to relocation of its office from Singha Durbar.
A Cabinet decision two years ago to provide the land where the National Archives is currently situated to the Supreme Court, has left its officials worried as they have said thousands of manuscripts and other important records could face damage risk if they have to be moved.
PM Deuba on Tuesday also called on all concerned to comply with the provision of submitting documents of significant values dating back to 25 years to the National Archives so that they could be preserved for posterity. “Microfilming of manuscripts of historical significant and books on history, religion and philosophy must be preserved,” he said.
Speaking at the programme, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jitendra Narayan Yadav underscored the role played by the National Archives in preservation of manuscripts, books and other items of historical significance and called for carrying out more research and study.
Dev also said that efforts were being made to ensure that the National Archives remained where it is currently located. The present building housing the National Archives was constructed with the assistance from the Indian government.
Bhesh Narayan Dahal, director general of the National Archives, said it would be better not to move the office as doing so could expose 90 percent items of archaeological importance to damage risk.
Culture expert Satyamohan Joshi also called for not moving the National Archives office.
A Cabinet meeting on May 8, 2014 had decided to provide the 13 ropanis land occupied by the National Archives to the Supreme Court.
The government had then decided to provide land at Narayanhiti to the National Archives. However, the government through a decision on August 7, 2014 decided to provide land to the National Archives at any other location, but the government has yet to decide where.
Saubhagya Pradhananga, chief of the National Archives, said there it has a collection of invaluable documents, manuscripts and other items of historical importance, with some dating back to the seventh century.
The National Archives was established on October 3, 1967.