Thaindian News

New Delhi, Feb 24 (IANS) On the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore this year, Indian Railways will set up two museums in West Bengal to commemorate him, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee announced in parliament Wednesday.
“2010 marks the 150th birth anniversary of Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore. In commemoration, I propose to set up a Rabindra Museum at Howrah and Gitanjali Museum at Bolpur, the place where Visva-Bharati International University is located, of which our honourable prime minister is the chancellor. I also propose to re-model Bolpur station, inspired by the architecture of Santiniketan,” Banerjee said while presenting the Railway Budget.

She also said that to provide better infrastructural facilities for the promotion of culture, railways will set up the Shambhu Mitra Cultural Complex for performing arts and a music academy at Howrah.

The minister went on to add that the railways will also establish a Railway Cultural and Heritage Promotion Board that will be responsible for coordinating and supervising all related activities on the railways.

“The 14 lakh members of the Rail Parivar come from diverse cultures and social backgrounds. There is a need to bring solidarity among this vast group through intermingling and interchange. I propose to set up a Railway Cultural and Heritage Promotion Board which will be responsible for coordinating and supervising all related activities on the railways,” she said.