By Haryanawirenews
CHANDIGARH, Jan 13
The annual budget of Haryana Urdu Akademi has been raised to Rs 70 lakh in 2009-10 from Rs 50 lakh for 2008-9 to give thrust to promote Urdu language and the amount of Munshi Gumani Lal Award has been raised to Rs 21,000 and that of Surender Pandit Soz Award to Rs 11,000.
This decision was taken in a meeting of the general body of Haryana Urdu Akademi which met under the chairmanship of Education Minister, Mr Mange Ram Gupta. The meeting was scheduled to be presided over by Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, but somehow he could not attend the same.
It was also decided to enhance prize money being given for outstanding books from Rs 7,000 to Rs 11,000 and financial assistance for printing of manuscripts, preferably by new writers, from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000. Similarly, the financial assistance being given to literally organizations for organizing literally functions was also raised from Rs 7,000 to Rs 10,000.
While approving the proposed calendar of activities and programmes to be conducted by Urdu Akademi during the financial year 2009-10, it was decided to organize three All India Mushairas at Panchkula, Yamunanagar and Mewat and a seminar in collaboration with Anjuman Taraqqi Urdu at Panipat.
Keeping in view the success of teaching Urdu language through correspondence course, it was decided that the Urdu Akademi would continue this course even during next financial year. Other major programmes which were approved for the next financial year included holding of a two-day Urdu drama festival, give financial assistance to literary organizations and also for printing of manuscripts and give prizes to outstanding printed books. It was decided to review the functioning of five existing Urdu Centres before opening more such centres of promotion of Urdu language.
It was decided to enhance the total amount of financial assistance admissible to indigent writers from Haryana upto Rs 50,000. While reviewing the issue of publication of books and journals, it was informed that besides publishing a quarterly magazine entitled as 'Jamna Tat', a bi-monthly news letter 'Khabarnama' was also being brought out. The publications which were under print included role of Haryana in the evolution of Urdu language and literature and papers of three seminars entitled as 'Unneeswin Sadi Main Urdu Novel', 'Tehrik-e-Azadi Aur Mewat' in Devnagri script and Baba Farid Seminar. A 'Who's Who' of writers, poets and critics of Haryana was also being brought out.

It was also decided to bring out a publication of Ghazals of eminent poets in such a manner that their Urdu text would also have translation in Hindi. It was also decided to organize a workshop where experts of Urdu language would guide the students of Urdu language.
It was also decided to modernize the existing library of the Akademies at the Akademi Bhawan in Panchkula.
Mr Mange Ram Gupta constituted a committee headed by Higher Education Commissioner, Mrs Jyoti Arora to study and revise the 22 years old constitution of the Haryana Urdu Akademi so as to further improve its functioning.
The General Body also ratified the nomination of non-official members in the new Executive Council of the Akademi. The new Executive Council would have Chief Minister as Chairman, Education Minister as Senior Vice-Chairman and Secretary, Education Department would be Vice-Chairman.
The members would include Secretary, Finance Department or his nominee, Higher Education Commissioner, Haryana and Director, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi. The five eminent scholars, writers or academicians in Urdu language and literature nominated by the Government, two of whom belong to Haryana State included Dr Syeda Syedain,Prof. Siddiq-Ur-Rehman Kidwai, Bekal Utsahi who is a recipient of Padam Shri, Mr M.P. Chand and Dr Sultan Anjum. The Secretary, Haryana Urdu Akademi would be the Secretary of the Executive Council.
While raising the amount of two awards instituted by the Urdu Akademi, it was informed that the Akademi was already giving its prestigious Hali Panipat Award which has a cash prize of Rs one lakh. Other such awards included Kanwar Mahender Singh Bedi Award with a cash prize of Rs 25,000, Sabir Dutt Award also with a cash prize of Rs 25,000 and the two cash awards of Rs 21,000 included Syed Muzaffar Hussain Burney Award and Khawaja Ahmed Abbas Award.
It was decided that the Urdu Akademi would organize its programmes for the promotion of Urdu language in such a manner that these benefit a large number of people.
Those present on the occasion included Financial Commissioner and Secretary, Education, Mr Rajan Gupta, Higher Education Commissioner, Mrs Jyoti Arora, a representative of Finance Department, Director, Haryana Sahitya Akademi, Mr Desh Nirmohi, Director, Haryana Punjabi Sahitya Akademi, Mr C.R. Moudgil, Secretary, Urdu Akademi, Mr K.L. Zakir and other members of the Executive Council of Urdu Akademi.