Museum Grant Scheme (MGS) and Scheme for Promotion of Culture of Science (SPoCS)

Context: Ministry of Culture operates two schemes namely Museum Grant Scheme (MGS) and Scheme for Promotion of Culture of Science (SPoCS), one of the components of which is development/modification of existing museums and modernization/upgradation of existing Science Cities/Science Centres/Innovation Hubs respectively.

About Museums Grant Scheme:

• The scheme was launched in 2013.
• The aim of the scheme is to provide financial assistance for:
  • Setting up of new Museums
  • Strengthening and modernization of the existing museums
  • Digitization of art objects in the museums across the country
  • Capacity Building of Museum professionals
• The Scheme will have 3 components as given below:
  • Development and Establishment of Museums at the regional, state and District level
  • Digitization of Museum Collections
  • Capacity building and training of Museum Professionals

About Scheme for Promotion of Culture of Science (SPoCS):

• It is a scheme that provides for setting up of Science Cities and Science Centres in all the States of the country and provides adequate funds.
• National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Culture, is entrusted with the implementation of the Scheme for Promotion of Culture of Science.

The scheme for Promotion of Culture of Science has three major components–

• Science City: Science city provides an experiment-based immersive learning ambiance to inculcate a spirit of inquiry, foster creative talent and create scientific temper in the community as a whole.
• Science Centres: Science Centre provides the scope of adopting a hands-on approach for which it offers to the visitor a number of experimental options through which they can discover the scientific concept themselves.
• Innovations Hubs: The Innovation hubs would serve as springboards for new ideas and innovation.

About National Council of Science Museums (NCSM):

• It is an autonomous organisation under Indian Ministry of Culture.
• It is the largest chain of science centres or museums under a single administrative umbrella in the world.
• It has been built to co-ordinate all informal science communication activities in the museum space in the country.
• The first science museum, Birla Industrial and Technological Museum (BITM), Kolkata under CSIR43, was opened in 1959.

Source:  PIB

Previous Year Question

Q.1) The Prime Minister recently inaugurated the new Circuit House near Somnath Temple Veraval. Which of the following statements are correct regarding Somnath Temple? (2022)

1. Somnath Temple is one of the Jyotirlinga shrines.
2. A description of Somnath Temple was given by Al-Biruni.
3. Pran Pratishtha of Somnath Temple (installation of the present day temple) was done by President S. Radhakrishnan.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1,2 and 3