MUMBAI: The BMC budget for 2026-27 awarded a grant of Rs 75 lakh to the historic Asiatic Library in Fort.Vispi Balaporia, president of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai, said, “We are pleased at the excellent grant of Rs 75 lakh allocated to our institution in the BMC budget, although we had sought Rs 1 crore from the civic body. about paying salaries to employees every month. Although we do receive an annual grant from the Union ministry of culture, that involves restrictions on where that money can be spent. The Maharashtra govt has been giving us an annual grant of Rs 1 crore for the past two years with a clear mandate that the money cannot be used for salaries.”She said, “We are very grateful to municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani for this allocation. The funds can be used on purchase of books, renewal of AMCs (annual maintenance contracts)… Ours is a vast institute, computers can break down, we have precious artefacts and manuscripts which need care, some of them need to be restored. My own office is crumbling with falling plaster so I put a chair and table in the Darbar Hall and do my work.“
