Bhopal: Shaheed Bhavan Rental Row One Month On, Minister’s Announcement Still Unrealised

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The hike in the rental of Shaheed Bahwan has not been rolled back even a month after the culture minister’s announcement. And the process of renting the Anjani Auditorium of Ravindra Bhavan at 50 % of the normal rate by artist and theatre groups is yet to be simplified.

Members of the Artist Welfare Association, Bhopal, had met the culture minister Dharmendra Singh Lodhi at his residence on July 24. They urged him to keep the rent of Shaheed Bhawan unchanged  and also that the process of renting out Anjani Auditorium of Ravindra Bhawan by artists on 50%  discount should be simplified.  

The minister immediately issued instructions to rollback the hike in the rent of Shaheed Bhawan. The rent of the auditorium, which is under the Swaraj Sansthan of the culture department, was doubled to Rs 14,000 from July 1. Lodhi also assured that the artists and theatre groups would be able to rent Ravindra Bhavan on 50% discount should be simplified.  Currently, the rent of Anjani Auditorium of Ravindra Bhawan is Rs 80,800.

The announcement, however, did not translate into action and this has disappointed the artist community. Theatre actor and director Balendra Singh ‘Balu’ says that there has been no change in the situation for them.  “The government files are ‘Divyangs’ and they move very slowly,” he added.

The process is underway and the minister’s announcement will be implemented soon. It may be implemented this month only.  

- S K Verma, Dy Director, Directorate of Swaraj Sansthan