The centre is considering granting of functional autonomy and flexibility for effective running of national level cultural institutions. Addressing prominent cultural personalities and academics at a function in Kolkata today, the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh announced that government also favours liberalised rules for recruiting executive heads of such bodies. He said the Ministry of culture is to oversee professionalization of the management of our cultural resources and institutes and for which funds will not be constraint.<br/><br/>The Prime Minister said the Government believes in the plurality of Indian culture, in the freedom of cultural expressions and in the importance of culture in social progress and spiritual development of people. Dr. Singh said that culture must become people’s movement and it has to be given a contemporary feel and relevance. Dr. Singh who also holds the portfolio of Union Culture Minister stressed the need for proper preservation, protection and propagation of art and cultural heritage of the country.<br/><br/>AIR Correspondent reports that the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the second phase of Science City in Kolkata which is largest science centre in the country. Dr. Singh also inaugurated the new campus of the Moulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian studies. The State Governor, Mr. Devanand Konwar, Chief Minister, Mr. Buddhadev Bhattacharjee were also present on the occasion.<br/><br/>Prime Minister also said that he had agreed with his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina to oversee the joint celebration of 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore in a befitting manner. He said the world will celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Tagore in May, 2011. The most fitting commemoration would be the revival of "national treasure" Visva-Bharati, he said. The Centre had already sanctioned 95 crore rupees for its upgradation through the UGC. He said the centre is also working on preserving Shantiniketan's cultural properties. Over the next four years, many of its priceless paintings, sculptures and murals and the hand-written manuscripts of the poet laureate will be restored.