Ministry of Culture implements “Global Engagement Scheme” to promote India’s rich cultural heritage and enhance India’s image in the global arena in a concerted manner. Under the Scheme, the Festival of India (FoI) is organized abroad to promote people to people connect and bilateral cultural contacts. The artists from diverse cultural fields such as Folk Art including Folk Music, Folk Dance, Folk Theatre & Puppetry, Classical and Traditional Dance, Experimental/ Contemporary Dance, Classical/ Semi Classical Music, Theatre etc. perform in the ‘Festivals of India’ abroad.

The Ministry of Culture also promotes Indian folk art, culture and music abroad through Grant-in-aid to Indo-Foreign Friendship Cultural Societies under which Grants are released to Indian Foreign Friendship Cultural Societies in foreign countries for organizing different cultural programmes and activities.

During 2013-14 to 2023-24, total 62 FoIs have been held in different countries. Total 2348 artists including folk artists have participated in these FoIs.

The Folk artists are paid performance fee @ Rs. 35,000/- (to leader/main artist) and @ Rs. 7000/- (to accompanying artist) for each performance in Festival of India.

Also, the Ministry of Culture administers a Scheme by the name of ‘Financial Assistance for Veteran Artists’ with the objective to support old and poor artists aged 60 and above, who have contributed significantly in their specialized fields of arts, letters including folk art or are still contributing. Financial assistance under this scheme is provided maximum up to Rs. 6000/- per month to the selected artists after adjusting the amount of State artists pension received, if any.

Ministry of Culture has empaneled artists/groups under various art forms and artists are selected from the empaneled list for deputing for performing in the Festivals of India abroad. Currently, 2 folk artists/groups and 1 Kathak artist from Uttarakhand, are empaneled with Ministry of Culture. So far, 1 troupe from Uttarakhand has participated in ‘Freedom 70 Cultural event’ held in Cuba and Dominican Republic during August 8 to 16, 2017.

Also, under the Scheme ‘Financial Assistance for Veteran Artists’, four (4) artists have been selected and supported from the state of Uttarakhand during last two years and current year.

This information was given by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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Sunil Kumar Tiwari

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