Lok Sabha Question No. 2462 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-01
Subject: Pension Scheme for Professional and NonProfessional Artists
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Poonamben Hematbhai Maadam, Mangal Suresh Angadi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2462 TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.08.2022

## PENSION SCHEME FOR PROFESSIONAL AND NON-PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS

## 2462. Shrimati Poonamben Maadam:

## Shrimati Angadi Mangal Suresh:

## Will the MINISTER OF CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether there is a provision of pension scheme or any other financial assistance for professional and non-professional artists;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the current number of beneficiaries, State/UT-wise; and
- (d) the  measures  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  so  far  to  ensure  that  all cultural Artists    in indigent circumstances are sanctioned Central Pension?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF CULTURE, TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION

## (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

- (a) Yes sir. The Ministry of Culture administers a Scheme by the name of 'Scheme for  Financial  Assistance  for  Veteran  Artists'  (formerly  known  as  'Scheme  for Pension  and  Medical  Aid  to  Artistes')  for  providing  financial  assistance  to  old aged professional and non professional artists.

Further,  Ministry  of  Culture  also  administers  a  Scheme  namely  'Scheme  of Scholarship & Fellowship for promotion of art and culture' having following three components:-

- (i)  Award of Scholarships to Young Artists in Different Cultural Fields (SYA)'
- (ii)  Award  of  Senior/Junior  Fellowships  to  outstanding  persons  in  different cultural fields.
- (iii) Award of Tagore National Fellowship for cultural research.

Apart from the above, financial assistance is also provided to professional and non-professional  artists  through  other  schemes  for  organizations  such  as Repertory Grant, Cultural Function Production Grant etc.

- (b) (i) The Scheme for Financial Assistance for Veteran Artistes is implemented by this  Ministry  to  improve  financial  and  socio-economic  status  of  the  old  ages artistes and scholars including various Folk Artistes (both professional and non professional  artistes).  The  objective  of  the  Scheme  is  to  provide  a  pension  of Rs.6000/- p.m. to the old artistes and scholars (not less than the age of 60 years and  annual  income  not  exceeding  Rs.48,000/-p.a.)  who  have  contributed significantly in their specialized fields of arts, letters etc. but leading a miserable life or are in penury condition.

(ii)  'Award  of  Scholarships to  Young Artists  in  Different  Cultural  Fields  (SYA)'Scholarship of Rs.5000/- per month is provided to selected beneficiaries in the age group of 18 -25 years, in four equal six monthly installments for a period of 2  years.  The  candidates  should  have  undergone  training  under  any  Guru  or Institution for a minimum period of five years.

(iii)  Award  of  Senior/Junior  Fellowships  to  outstanding  persons  in  different cultural fields - Fellowships are provided to selected Fellows in the age group of 25  to  40  years(Junior)  and        above  40  years(Senior)    @  Rs.  10,000/-  and Rs.20,000/-  p.m  respectively  for  02  years,  for  cultural  research.    Upto  400 Senior & Junior Fellowships are awarded in one batch year.

(iv)  Award  of  Tagore  National  Fellowship  for  cultural  research  -  Fellowship under  this  Scheme  in  two  categories  viz.  Tagore  National  Fellowship  and Tagore Research Scholarship to work on cultural research by affiliation under different  participating  institutions  in  4  different  groups.    The  final  selection  is made by the National Selection Committee (NSC) specially constituted by the Ministry.

- (c) The current number of beneficiaries as per the last selection under the Schemes for Financial Assistance for Veteran Artists' and  under  the 'Scheme  of Scholarship & Fellowship for promotion of art and culture' is provided State / UT wise  at Annexure  A  &  B respectively.  However,  it  is  to  be  noted  that  all Schemes of  Ministry  of  Culture  are  Central  Sector  Schemes  and  no  financial assistance is routed through States/UTs.
- (d) Sanctioning  of  pension  to  old  age  artistes  under  the  'Scheme  for  Financial Assistance for Veteran Artists' is a continuous process for which meetings of the Expert Committee are held at regular intervals to identify fresh cases for grant of Artist Pension.  Besides, it has been the endeavor of the Government to make continuous  efforts  to  ensure  that  pension  to  the  selected  beneficiaries  is disbursed in a timely manner.

## Annexure A referred in reply to para (c) of L.S.U.S.Q.No.2462

| Sl. No.   | States           | Number of Artists Selected   |
|-----------|------------------|------------------------------|
| 1.        | Andhra Pradesh   | 91                           |
| 2.        | Assam            | 02                           |
| 3.        | Bihar            | -                            |
| 4.        | Delhi            | -                            |
| 5.        | Goa              | -                            |
| 6.        | Gujarat          | -                            |
| 7.        | Haryana          | -                            |
| 8.        | Himachal Pradesh | -                            |
| 9.        | Jammu & Kashmir  | -                            |
| 10.       | Jharkhand        | -                            |
| 11.       | Karnataka        | 03                           |
| 12.       | Kerala           | 08                           |
| 13.       | Madhya Pradesh   | -                            |
| 14.       | Maharashtra      | 547                          |
| 15.       | Manipur          | -                            |
| 16.       | Meghalaya        | -                            |
| 17.       | Mizoram          | -                            |
| 18.       | Nagaland         | -                            |
| 19.       | Odisha           | 1260                         |
| 20.       | Puducherry       | -                            |
| 21.       | Punjab           | -                            |
| 22.       | Rajasthan        | -                            |
| 23.       | Tamil Nadu       | 01                           |
| 24.       | Telangana        | 306                          |
| 25.       | Tripura          | -                            |
| 26.       | Uttar Pradesh    | 01                           |
| 27.       | Uttarakhand      | -                            |
| 28.       | West Bengal      | 32                           |
|           | Total            | 2251                         |

## Annexure B referred in reply to para (c) of L.S.U.S.Q.No. 2462

| Sl. No.   | State/UTs          | Award of Scholarships to Young Artists in different Cultural Fields(SYA)   | Award of Senior/Junior Fellowships to outstanding persons in different cultural fields   | Award of Tagore National Fellowship for cultural research   |
|-----------|--------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1.        | Andaman & Nicobar  | -                                                                          | -                                                                                        | -                                                           |
| 2.        | Andhra Pradesh     | 3                                                                          | 4                                                                                        | 01                                                          |
| 3.        | Arunacahal Pradesh | 1                                                                          | -                                                                                        | -                                                           |
| 4.        | Assam              | 27                                                                         | 23                                                                                       | -                                                           |
| 5.        | Bihar              | 16                                                                         | 13                                                                                       | -                                                           |
| 6.        | Chandigarh         | 3                                                                          | 1                                                                                        | -                                                           |
| 7.        | Chhattisgarh       | 11                                                                         | 3                                                                                        | -                                                           |
| 8.        | Delhi              | 24                                                                         | 37                                                                                       | 13                                                          |
| 9.        | Gujarat            | 6                                                                          | 8                                                                                        | -                                                           |
| 10.       | Goa                | 2                                                                          | 1                                                                                        | -                                                           |
| 11.       | Haryana            | 5                                                                          | 9                                                                                        | -                                                           |
| 12.       | Himachal Pradesh   | -                                                                          | 4                                                                                        | -                                                           |
| 13.       | Jammu & Kashmir    | 1                                                                          | 4                                                                                        | -                                                           |
| 14.       | Jharkhand          | 8                                                                          | 10                                                                                       | -                                                           |
| 15.       | Karnataka          | 28                                                                         | 17                                                                                       | -                                                           |
| 16.       | Kerala             | 20                                                                         | 31                                                                                       | -                                                           |
| 17.       | Madhya Pradesh     | 26                                                                         | 23                                                                                       | -                                                           |
| 18.       | Maharashtra        | 42                                                                         | 27                                                                                       | 02                                                          |
| 19.       | Manipur            | 8                                                                          | 16                                                                                       | -                                                           |
| 20.       | Meghalya           | -                                                                          | 1                                                                                        | -                                                           |
| 21.       | Mizoram            | -                                                                          | -                                                                                        | -                                                           |
| 22.       | Nagaland           | -                                                                          | 1                                                                                        | -                                                           |
| 23.       | Odisha             | 25                                                                         | 30                                                                                       | -                                                           |
| 24.       | Pudducherry        | -                                                                          | 1                                                                                        | -                                                           |
| 25.       | Punjab             | 4                                                                          | 4                                                                                        | -                                                           |
| 26.       | Rajasthan          | 10                                                                         | 10                                                                                       | -                                                           |
| 27.       | Sikkim             | 1                                                                          | -                                                                                        | -                                                           |
| 28.       | Tamil Nadu         | 18                                                                         | 9                                                                                        | 05                                                          |
| 29.       | Telangana          | 3                                                                          | 11                                                                                       | -                                                           |
| 30.       | Tripura            | 2                                                                          | 1                                                                                        | -                                                           |
| 31.       | Uttar Pradesh      | 36                                                                         | 61                                                                                       | 03                                                          |
| 32.       | Uttarakhand        | 3                                                                          | 6                                                                                        | -                                                           |
| 33.       | West Bengal        | 67                                                                         | 34                                                                                       | 04                                                          |
|           | Total              | 400                                                                        | 400                                                                                      | 28                                                          |