Lok Sabha Question No. 1866 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-19
Subject: Promotion of Indian Folk Arts and Culture Abroad
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar, Dhanush M Kumar, C.N. Annadurai

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1866

TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.12.2022

## PROMOTION OF INDIAN FOLK ARTS AND CULTURE ABROAD

1866.SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR: SHRI C.N. ANNADURAI: SHRI DHANUSH M. KUMAR:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

(a) whether  the  Government  is  promoting  Indian  Folk  Arts  and  Culture  abroad through Global Engagement Scheme and if so, the details thereof; (b) the number  of  Festivals of India that are organized  in other countries showcasing folk art and other cultural events; (c) the  quantum of grant-in-aid given to Foreign Friendship Cultural Societies for organizing  programmes  and  activities  including  folk  art  and  other  cultural activities for their promotion abroad during each of the last three years and the current year; (d) the  number  of  Zonal  Cultural  Centres  set  up  by  the  Government  to  protect, preserve  and  promote  various  forms  of  folk  art  and  culture  throughout  the country; and (e) the other steps taken by the Government for promoting Indian folk arts, culture and music in foreign countries?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF CULTURE, TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

- (a) Ministry  of  Culture  promotes  Indian  Folk  Arts  and  Culture  abroad  through Global  Engagement  Scheme.  Under  the  Scheme  Festivals  of  India  are organized in other countries showcasing folk art and other cultural events as exhibitions,  dance,  music,  theatre,  food  fest,  film  fest,  yoga  etc.  Under  this scheme, Ministry of Culture also gives Grant-in-aid to Indo-Foreign Friendship Cultural  Societies  for  organizing  programmes  and  activities  including  folk  art and other cultural activities for their promotion abroad.
- (b) 59 Festivals of India have been organized in different countries showcasing folk art and other cultural events under the Scheme.
- (c) The quantum of grant-in-aid given to Foreign Friendship Cultural Societies for organizing  programmes  and  activities  including  folk  art  and  other  cultural activities in last three years and the current year as under:
- (d) To  protect,  preserve  and  promote  various  forms  of  folk  art  and  culture throughout the country, the Govt. has set up seven (7) Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) with headquarters at Patiala, Thanjavur, Nagpur, Dimapur, Prayagraj, Udaipur and Kolkata.

2019-20      : 10.49 Crore 2020-21      : 01.85 Crore 2021-22      : 07.24 Crore 2022-23      : 06.67 Crore (till date)

(e) Indian Council  for Cultural Relations,  an  organization  under  Ministry of External Affairs, also promotes Indian Culture worldwide through its Cultural Centres abroad and its activities in various fields including inter-alia, teaching of  Yoga,  Dance  and  Music;  sponsoring  visits  of  performing  art  groups  etc.; organizing or supporting conferences /seminars /workshops and exchanging visual art exhibitions.

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