Stressing on the cultural scenario of the state, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday launched the website of the Assam Cultural Trust (ACT) and urge the Trust to build a River facing Cafeteria at ITA Pragjyoti, Machkhowa.
Sonowal directed the Trust to form a sub-committee to explore the possibility to build a multi-story cafeteria facing the might River Brahmaputra just above the parking lot and suggested to hire an architect for the purpose so that it could attract more visitors. He said that the cafeteria could be revenue earning source.
Chairing the general meeting of Assam CulturalTrust, Sonowal urged the Trust members to take steps to boost revenue earningsof the Pragjyoti ITA Cultural Centre at Machkhowa. He asked the members toincrease the occupancy of the auditorium suggesting that present 136 days of occupancyof the hall must be further increased instead of drastically hiking the fee ofthe hall.
Sonowal said that being a cultural hall, ithas not done justice to the hall's potential by incoming nearly Rs. 59lakhyearly in the last financial year and that differential pricing must be adoptedfor commercial and non-commercial events.
Sonowal also stressed on the need to fully utilize the space available in the premises and said that the cafeteria facing the cultural centre must be utilized to earn revenue and also to give better experience to the visitors of the Centre.
The chief minister also asked the Trust tohold six festivals in twelve months adding that a calendar of regular culturalevents must be prepared by the Trust so that traditional festivals and folkcultures of different ethnic groups of the state can be depicted.
The trustees of Assam Cultural Trust alsohanded a cheque of Rs 5lakhs to the Chief Minister as a contribution towards CMRelief Funds.