Lok Sabha Question No. 46 (STARRED), answered on 2017-02-06
Subject: Promotion of Art and Culture
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: JYOTI DHURVE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. † *46 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.02.2017

## PROMOTION OF ART AND CULTURE

## † *46. SHRIMATI JYOTI DHURVE:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) the major initiatives taken to promote art and culture in the country;
- (b)   whether the Government has decided to accord priority in the fields of arts, music, dance and literature and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has received any proposal for providing assistance to the active groups engaged in the field of music and also promote the significance of culture and language amongst the youth in the recent years and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the follow-up action taken thereon?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR CULTURE & TOURISM (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

- (a) to (d):  A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. † *46 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 06.02.2017.

- (a) & (b): Promotion  of  Art  and  Culture  is  a  continuous  process  and  is  undertaken through various schemes, festivals, training programmes, seminars, workshops,  drama  performances,  exhibitions  etc.  organized  across  the country. In the mid 1980s, Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) were  set-up by the government with a view to develop the various folk art and culture of various regions  and  also  to  set  up  mechanism  for  preservation  and  promotion  of various  elements  of  our  rich  cultural  heritage.  The  ZCCs  were  required  to concentrate on the folk arts, dance and music. The mandate behind setting up the ZCCs was to bind the nation culturally while retaining the individuality of the regions that comprise them.

In  addition,  various  autonomous  organizations  under  the  administrative control of the M/o Culture have performed inter alia, the following functions:-

(i) Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA) has been functioning as the apex body in the field of performing arts in the country, preserving and promoting the vast  intangible  heritage  of  the  India's  diverse  culture  express  in  forms  of music, dance and drama.

(ii) Apart  from  its  teaching  activities,  National  School  of  Drama  (NSD) through  its  repertory  and  Theatre-in-Education  Companies  takes  various initiatives to promote Indian culture by performing plays for public in various parts of the country.

(iii) Sahitya  Akademi  (SA)  is  engaged  in  preserving,  promoting  and enriching  the  literature  of  India.  To  this  end  the  Akademi  publishes  large volumes  of  material,  confers  a  number  of  awards  and  grants,  conducts numerous programmes, seminars, workshops, lectures, symposia, readings, discussions and performances in all the 24 languages recognized by it.

- (iv) Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT) undertakes various activities for promotion and dissemination educationally of Arts and Culture in the country.
- (v) Indira  Gandhi  National  Centre  for  the  Arts  (IGNCA)  is  working  to present  Indian  Arts  and  Culture  in  its  totality.  Two  major  Projects  titled 'Vedic  Heritage  Portal'  and  'National  Culture  for  Audio-visual  Archives', under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture have been initiated to preserve and present the Indian tradition, available in Audiovisual and Literary forms.

(vi) Lalit Kala Akademi (LKA) has been promoting creative endeavours of Indian artists and bringing their arts closer to a large number of audience; thereby playing an important role in defining and redefining the sensibility of India's visual culture.

(vii) Kalakshetra  Foundation  (KF)  has  been  carrying  out  various  activities for  promotion and dissemination of knowledge on Bharatanatyam, Carnatic Music, Visual Arts and crafts, etc.

- (c)&(d): Ministry of Culture administers various cultural  schemes  under  which financial assistance is provided to the individual/ groups, State Governments, State  sponsored  bodies,  Universities,  local  bodies  and  other  Government approved  agencies  including  reputed  (not-for  profit)  cultural  organizations, based on the proposals/applications received from them.

A number of groups being represented by youth of India are being supported by the Sangeet Natak Akademi by way of sanction of grants and giving them opportunities to perform in the different programmes of the Akademi under Akademi's Grant-in-aid schemes and other schemes.

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