Lok Sabha Question No. 3304 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-22
Subject: Cultural Exchange
Ministry: DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION
Asked by: MEENAKASHI LEKHI

## Government of India Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region

## LOK SABHA

## Unstarred Question No. 3304

To be answered on Wednesday, March 22, 2017/Chaitra 1, 1939 (Saka)

## Question Cultural Exchange

3304. SHRIMATI MEENAKASHI LEKHI:

Will  the  Minister  of  DEVELOPMENT  OF  NORTH  EASTERN  REGION  be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of programmes of cultural exchange which have been officially held between North Eastern States and the rest of the country;
- (b) the  efforts  being  made  to  integrate  North  Eastern  States  with  the  national mainstream; and
- (c) the success achieved as a result thereof?

## ANSWER

The Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region [Dr. Jitendra Singh]

- (a) The  Ministry  of  Development  of  North  Eastern  Region  along  with  North Eastern Council inter alia sponsors programmes in which artists from North Eastern States showcased the art and culture in different parts of the country. The Cultural exchange officially organized by Ministry of Culture 2017 are as follows:-

| (i) Participation of North Eastern Artistes in programme held in other parts of the country   | (i) Participation of North Eastern Artistes in programme held in other parts of the country   | (i) Participation of North Eastern Artistes in programme held in other parts of the country   | (i) Participation of North Eastern Artistes in programme held in other parts of the country   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sl. No.                                                                                       | Name of Programme                                                                             | Venue                                                                                         | Date                                                                                          |
| 1.                                                                                            | Simhastha Kumbh Kala Utsav                                                                    | Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh                                                                        | 12 - 21 May, 2016                                                                             |
| 2.                                                                                            | Folk Fair -2016                                                                               | Jagannath Dam, Puri                                                                           | 4-8 June, 2016                                                                                |
| 3.                                                                                            | Chitrankan Contemporary Painting Workshops                                                    | Rajiv Gandhi Kala Mandir, Ponda, Goa                                                          | 17-26 June, 2016                                                                              |
| 4.                                                                                            | Swatantryaveer Savarkar Rashtriya Smarak                                                      | Mumbai                                                                                        | 6 July, 2016                                                                                  |
| 5.                                                                                            | 10 th Abhinaya National Theatre Festival                                                      | Rabindrabharati Auditorium, Hyderabad                                                         | 11 August, 2016                                                                               |
| 6.                                                                                            | Fete-de-Puducherry                                                                            | Puducherry                                                                                    | 14-16 August, 2016                                                                            |
| 7.                                                                                            | -do-                                                                                          | Karaikal                                                                                      | 17 & 18 August, 2016                                                                          |
| 8.                                                                                            | 8 Edition of Annual Theatre Festival of Purba Pashim                                          | Kolkata                                                                                       | 29 August 2016                                                                                |
| 9.                                                                                            | Octave-2016                                                                                   | Ajmer, Rajasthan                                                                              | 21-25 September, 2016                                                                         |
| 10.                                                                                           | Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav- 2016                                                            | IGNCA,Delhi                                                                                   | 15-23 October, 2016                                                                           |
| 11.                                                                                           | Kithur Utsav-2016                                                                             | Belagavi, Karnataka                                                                           | 23 - 25 October, 2016                                                                         |
| 12.                                                                                           | Rajyotsav                                                                                     | Raipur, Chhattisgrah                                                                          | 1-5 November, 2016                                                                            |
| 13.                                                                                           | Sambhav - 2016                                                                                | India International Centre, New Delhi                                                         | 11 -13 November, 2016                                                                         |
| 14.                                                                                           | National Folk Craft & Folk Painting                                                           | Kannur, Kerala                                                                                | 20-24 November, 2016                                                                          |
| 15.                                                                                           | Utkal-Banga Utsav 2016                                                                        | Sahabajipur (Digha Border), Balasore Dist., Odisha                                            | 21-25 November, 2016                                                                          |
| 16.                                                                                           | 27 th Industrial Trade Fair - 2016                                                            | Jajpur Road, Jajpur, Odisha                                                                   | 2-4 December, 2016                                                                            |
| 17.                                                                                           | Octave-2016                                                                                   | Ranchi, Jharkhand                                                                             | 4-8 December, 2016                                                                            |

|   18. | Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav                                     | Banaras Hindu University,Varanasi   | 17-24 December, 2016   |
|-------|------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|------------------------|
|    19 | Salangai Nadam                                                   | Thanjavur                           | 23-31 December, 2016   |
|    20 | Lokotsav                                                         | Panaji, Goa                         | 6-10 January, 2017     |
|    21 | National Folk Arts Festival and Bahuroopi National Theatre Fests | Mysore                              | 13-15 January, 2017    |
|    21 | National Folk Arts Festival and Bahuroopi National Theatre Fests | Thiruvananthsapuram                 | 17-19 January, 2017    |
|    22 | Nagas Night - 2017                                               | Bangalore                           | 21 January, 2017       |
|    23 | Republic Day Parade-2017                                         | Marina, Chennai                     | 23-26 January, 2017    |

|   (ii) Participation of Artistes from other ZCCs in programmes held North Eastern Artistes | (ii) Participation of Artistes from other ZCCs in programmes held North Eastern Artistes   | (ii) Participation of Artistes from other ZCCs in programmes held North Eastern Artistes   | (ii) Participation of Artistes from other ZCCs in programmes held North Eastern Artistes   |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|                                                                                          1 | Border Area Programme -' Bridging the Borders'                                             | Lachen, Sikkim                                                                             | 7 & 8 November, 2016                                                                       |
|                                                                                          2 | Discover North East -Mizoram                                                               | Kolasib, Kawnpui & Vairengte                                                               | 16-18 November, 2016                                                                       |
|                                                                                          3 | Manipur Sangai Festival                                                                    | Imphal, Manipur                                                                            | 21-30 November, 2016                                                                       |
|                                                                                          4 | Discover North East -Tripura                                                               | Kailasahar, Kumarghat & Manu                                                               | 25-27 November, 2016                                                                       |
|                                                                                          5 | Border Area Programme -' Bridging the Borders'                                             | Champai, Mizoram                                                                           | 29 & 30 November, 2016                                                                     |
|                                                                                          6 | Discover North East-Sikkim                                                                 | Rongpur,Rongli & Rhenok & Pakyong                                                          | 2-5 December, 2016                                                                         |
|                                                                                          7 | Border Area Programme                                                                      | Mimi Village & Pungro                                                                      | 8& 9 December, 2016                                                                        |
|                                                                                          8 | Discovery North East-Manipur                                                               | Tamei Noney & Tamenglong                                                                   | 8-10 December, 2016                                                                        |
|                                                                                          9 | Discovery North East- Meghalaya                                                            | Nongpoh, Byrnihat & Umsning                                                                | 15 -17 December, 2016                                                                      |
|                                                                                         10 | Shipgram Mahotsav                                                                          | NEZCC Shilpgram, Guwahati                                                                  | 17-21 January, 2017                                                                        |

(b) In  order  to  integrate  North  Eastern  states  with  the  national  mainstream,  the recommendations of the MP Bezbaruah Committee setup by the Ministry of Home Affairs  are  also  being  implemented.  One  of  the  key  recommendations  of  the Committee was to educate people about North East, so as to inculcate understanding  and  appreciation  of  the  culture  of  North  East.  It  also  talked  about integration inter  alia through  cultural  exchange  and  films.  It  had  also  talked  about calendar of cultural events.

Ministry  of  DoNER  and  NEC  have organised  several  programmes  aimed at highlighting  national  integrity.  Bharat  Utsav  was  organised  at  IIC,  New  Delhi  in December 2016 showcasing various dance forms of North East and other parts of India  and  the  fusion  of  cultures  in  them.  A  North  East  cultural  festival  was  also sponsored  in  Daulat  Ram  college  of  Delhi  University.  Similarly,  the  NEC  in collaboration  with  International  Centre, Goa  sponsored  North East  Pavilion  in  Goa Arts  and  Literary  Festival  held  during  08 th   -11 th   December, 2016 to  showcase  the talents of writers and artists from NER and help them interact with writers from other parts  of  India.    Ministry  of  DoNER  in  collaboration  with  NEC  has  also  sponsored North East troops with North East Zone Cultural Centre for holding events in the 14 th Folk-Fair, 2016, National Tribal/ Folk Song & Dance Festival with the National Level Exhibition, Jagannath Dham Puri which was held from 4 th  to 8 th  June, 2016 in which the integration of all forms of tribal folk dance from across India including NER were showcased. The Ministry  of  Culture  through  its  schemes  namely  National  Cultural Exchange Programme and Octave Festival of the North East has made fruitful efforts to integrate North Eastern States with the National mainstream.

(c) All  the  above  programmes  have  been  very  successful  in  emphasising  the unity in diversity of Indian culture while highlighting the beauty and cultural richness of  NER.  The  Ministry  of  Culture  through  North  East  Zonal  Culture  Centre  has provided a common platform to the artists from the North Eastern States and from other  zones  for  a  meaningful  interaction.  Such  close  interaction  is  the  success  to integrate North Eastern States with the National mainstream.

******