The government of Victoria in Australia on Tuesday announced an assistance of 3 million Australian dollars for the state’s Indian diaspora to help the country’s largest Indian community renovate and revamp its temples and construct centres for cultural activities.
Victoria is home to Australia’s largest Indian community. According to the latest census released in 2016, over 1.69 lakh India-born people live in Victoria.
Minister for Multicultural Affairs Richard Wynne, while announcing the ‘Infrastructure Fund’ on Tuesday, said, “We’re delivering on a promise to help build and upgrade Indian community facilities.”
“Victoria is home to Australia’s largest Indian community–they have helped make Victoria one of the most successfully multicultural places in the world,” Wynne said.
The grant will be made available to the state’s Indian community to be used for upgrading temples, community centres and other community facilities and can be used by Indian non-profit organisations.
“These grants ensure Indian Victorians have a place to come together, celebrate culture and traditions and feel connected–these things are vital in a successful multicultural society,” Wynne said.
About 10,000 to 100,000 Australian dollars could be used for small-scale projects while for large projects up to 500,000 Australian dollars would be granted, an official statement said.
The fund would ensure Indian Victorians had access to safe and functional facilities where they could participate in their community programmes, hold cultural activities and share their cultures with the wider Victorian community, it said.