National Mission for Manuscripts

The National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM) was established in the year 2003 to document, preserve and digitize the vast manuscript wealth of India. Through its Manuscript Resource Centres (MRCs), the NMM has documented 31,23,000 manuscripts and a total of 185,88,390 pages have been digitized up to the end of 2014. 31 Manuscript Conservation Centres (MCCs) are identified across the country which conserve manuscripts with the help of grants from NMM.

Besides this, the National Archives of India operates two schemes for providing financial assistance for preservation of documentary heritage including manuscripts. These are:

(i) Scheme of Financial Assistance for Preservation and Conservation of Manuscripts, Rare Books, Old and Rare Documents, Record of History to Registered Voluntary Organizations/Individuals etc.

(ii) Scheme of Financial Assistance to State/Union Territory Archival Repositories, Government Libraries and Museums.

This information was given by the Union Minister of State for Culture (Independent Charge), Tourism (Independent Charge), & Civil Aviation, Dr. Mahesh Sharma in a reply to an Unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha today.

NB/NK/PB